Katherine A. Sward, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN

Katherine (Kathy) Sward is a Professor in Nursing and adjunct Professor in Biomedical Informatics. She worked clinically as a nurse before obtaining MS and PhD degrees in informatics at the U of U and moving to an academic role, specializing in biomedical informatics/nursing informatics. She has deep familiarity with clinical and translational research and team science, and extensive experience with informatics to support complex and multi-center trials. She has led extramural research projects and academic teams. She serves as Co-Investigator for the Utah Data Coordinating Center (U01HD049934; PI Dean); as co-I for the Utah Trial Innovation Center [TIC] and Helping End Addiction Longterm [HEAL] supplement (U24TR001597; PI Dean), as well as Co-I for the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network [CPCCRN] (PL1HD105462; PI Dean). In those roles, she leads efforts for data harmonization, information management, and informatics/data science initiatives. She also leads efforts to examine the effects of the environment on health and to incorporate sensors into clinical research and co-directs the Center of Excellence for Exposure Health Research. Dr. Sward has extensive teaching and curriculum development experience teaches a variety of informatics and nursing research courses. She is widely sought as a scientific mentor and has mentored more than 50 graduate students and faculty.

Research Statement

Extensive experience in biomedical and nursing informatics including terminology/vocabulary management and data/information standards; and the design, development, and implementation of decision support systems and databases. Diverse clinical background including clinical nursing (Med-Surg and ICU), education, and administration. Current research is in the area of clinical research informatics, including clinical and translational research and the unique aspects of managing research information in special populations (e.g., pediatrics, ICU, oncology, gerontology, women's health); as well as informatics to support exposure science, sensor monitoring.