"Nanle is a kind, caring, and compassionate leader and colleague who is most deserving of honoring his research and commitment to Iowa and Iowa Nursing." – Sarah Hansen

Hometown: Jos, Plateau State, and Mushere, Bokkos Local Government, Plateau State, Nigeria

Faculty mentor/advisor: Karen Dunn Lopez, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, professor, director, Center for Nursing Classification & Clinical Effectiveness, College of Nursing

Nanle Joseph Gusen studies patients’ spiritual needs and outcomes following spiritual nursing interventions, which aim to improve holistic well-being for those who have experienced trauma. His work also explores innovative methods for using generative artificial intelligence in literature reviews and data analysis, streamlining the resource-intensive process of extracting clinical data to support decision-making.

“Being involved in research was the best decision I ever made about my pathway,” says Gusen. 

Gusen’s research has already earned distinction: his abstract, Predictors of Spiritual Distress in Polytrauma Patients, was selected as a Distinguished Abstract by the Midwest Nursing Research Conference for advancing nursing science and practice.

After his fellowship, Gusen plans to pursue a faculty role focused on research, teaching, and service, mentoring nursing students worldwide and advancing whole-person care.