In early May 2016, the faculty of the School of Nursing at Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Tampico, México, received Dr. Diane Berry, Beerstecher-Blackwell Distinguished Scholar from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, United States, to plan upcoming research projects and achieve key academic and research objectives.
Dr. Berry began her visit by presenting the Dean and faculty an updated Memorandum of Understanding between the two universities, continuing the six-year relationship that developed with Drs. Berry, Compeán Ortiz and Dr. Reséndiz González in 2010.
Sigma Theta Tau International recently awarded a grant to test Dr. Berry’s Diabetes Group Visit Model in Tampico, México and conduct a training on the protocol and measurements of height, weight, waist circumference, triceps and subscapular skinfolds. Dr. Berry met with the research team, including Drs. Compeán Ortiz, Aguilera Pérez, Piñones Martínez, Reséndiz González, González Quirarte, Castañeda Hidalgo and research assistants, to discuss the project start-up.
Grand Rounds were held on the ethical considerations of conducting research in the United States and México, and Dr. Berry met with Autónoma faculty to plan a five-day Research Grant Writing Institute scheduled for December 2016, which they will co-teach. The Institute will be joined through Skype by other schools of nursing in México. A webinar will also be developed for use to train faculty at other universities in México as well.
Dr. Berry toured the Community Health Center, meeting with Drs. Barrόn Guardado and Carmen in Tampico, where patients with diabetes will be enrolled in their study, the intervention will be delivered and data collected. She likewise visited the Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Tampico Research Center and met with Dr. Leόn Hernández and his team and received a tour of the research facilities there.
Dr. Berry provided research consultation for multiple faculty and students to provide expertise in grant and manuscript development, and met with a master’s student from the Victoria campus where Dr. Berry serves on her committee with her chair, Dr. Compeán Ortiz.
The visit was supported by a Global Partnership Award from UNC Global, administered through the Global Relations office. Global Partnership Awards are made possible by the Chancellor’s Global Education Fund, the only unrestricted pan-university fund supporting Carolina’s global activity.