Bryant named to Sigma Theta Tau International Researcher Hall of Fame

A woman stands outside in front of a modern building, smiling with her hands clasped. She wears a blue patterned top and black pants, with greenery and shrubs in the background.

Ashley Leak Bryant, PhD, RN, OCN, FAAN, Frances Hill Fox Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean for Strategy and Global Affairs at the UNC School of Nursing, will be inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International’s (STTI) Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame at the 37th International Nursing Research Congress in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 16–18, 2026.

The International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame was founded in 2010 to recognize nurse researchers who have achieved significant and sustained broad national and international recognition for their work, and whose research has impacted the nursing profession and people it serves.

“The 2026 International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame inductees have amplified our collective voice through research that reaches policymakers, transforms clinical practice, and improves lives around the globe. Their impact is proof that when nurses lead together, the whole world benefits,” said Sigma President Liz Westcott, DCM, MSc, DipMan, RGN, FFNMRCSI, in the society’s announcement.

“Ashley is a global scholar whose work spans international boundaries. Her work in the gero-oncology area has advanced the science for those experiencing or caring for a person with a cancer diagnosis. We are excited that Ashley’s work is being recognized on the international stage and proud to have her as an Alpha Alpha chapter member,” says Catherine Crawford, PhD, RNC-OB, President of the Alpha Alpha Chapter of STTI.

“We are delighted to see Ashley’s remarkable body of work recognized by Sigma,” said Carolina Nursing Dean Valerie Howard. “Her scholarly contributions are both substantial and far-reaching. She has strengthened the oncology nursing workforce by developing an oncology nursing fellowship and an oncology elective course for undergraduate students. Internationally, she has an integral role with UNC-Project Malawi, building capacity for strong leadership and research-based practices in nursing.”

Bryant said the award strengthens her commitment to service in the nursing profession.

“This is a deeply humbling and truly meaningful recognition, not just for me personally, but for everyone who has walked alongside me on this journey,” said Bryant. “This award reminds me of how far we can go when others believe in us and when we commit to believing in ourselves. At its core, this recognition reflects the work of an entire community including my students, my mentees, my interprofessional collaborators, and the patients and families who have trusted me with their care. Every manuscript, every funded study, every doctoral student who has gone on to lead their own research program — that is what this award represents to me.”

Bryant joins UNC School of Nursing Professors Emerita Nena Peragallo Montano, Cheryl Jones, Marcia Van Riper, Ruth Anderson, Donna Havens, Margarete Sandalowski and the late Merle Mishel in the Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.

The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) is a nonprofit organization with the mission of developing nurse leaders anywhere to improve healthcare everywhere. Founded in 1922, Sigma has more than 100,000 active members and 600 chapters at institutions of higher education and healthcare partners from Armenia, Australia, and Botswana to Thailand, the United States, and Wales. Sigma members include clinical nurses and administrators, academic nurse educators and researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and others working to fulfill the organization’s vision of connected, empowered nurse leaders transforming global healthcare. Learn more at SigmaNursing.org.