By Laura Lesley
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing alumna and Assistant Professor Leigh Ann Bray, PhD, RN, CNL, was recently named a finalist in the Junior Investigators Best Abstract in Clinical Science Award at the 2018 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC) in Denver, Colorado.
“The NACFC is an interdisciplinary, international cystic fibrosis conference where cutting-edge research is presented in basic and clinical sciences,” Bray said. She presented her dissertation research titled, “Gender Differences in Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis: A Mixed Methods Study.”
“I was honored to be chosen as a semi-finalist for the award prior to traveling to the NACFC,” Bray said. “After my poster presentation, I was chosen to move into the finals as one of the top five and gave a ‘chalk talk’ about my research. As one of the few nurse scientists to ever be chosen for the semi-finals, I was honored and humbled by the experience.”
Through the experience, Bray was able to meet the creator of the quality of life instrument used for her dissertation.
Bray earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) from the UAB School of Nursing in 2018. Last year, she was one of 12 students nationwide selected by the Southern Nursing Research Society to participate in its top student poster discussion session and competition. She was also selected as a student to be a Jonas Scholar for the 2016-18 academic years.
