Rutgers School of Nursing Magazine - Summer 2026

A Nurse Scientist Leading What’s Next in Nursing Curiosity and creativity are hallmarks of Angela Starkweather , PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, dean, chief academic officer, and professor at Rutgers School of Nursing. She applies a disciplined, question-driven approach to her work. She listens deeply and asks, “Why?” and “How can we improve?” As the school marks its 70th year, Starkweather is building on a long- standing tradition of leadership and innovation. Her priorities include producing highly prepared graduates across levels, expanding research, sup- porting clinical partners, and strength- ening interprofessional collaboration. “We’re working with clinical and industry partners to bring new edu- cational approaches and technolo- gy-enabled care, preparing students for the next innovations in the field,” says Starkweather, who joined Rutgers in August 2024. “The school primes our students for clinical practice, while instilling a drive to keep learning and improving for the benefit of our patients, families, and communities.” Starkweather brings extensive experience as a scholar grounded in clinical practice and connected to the communities her work serves. She’s an outspoken advocate for advanced practice nurses, promoting workforce policies that align with data and evi- dence. “We know that patients ben- efit when nurses are empowered to practice within the full scope of their education and training,” she says. A Trajectory to Academia Growing up in rural Washington state, Starkweather saw how access to care can vary—and how social, economic, and policy factors influence who receives it, shaping her view of the role nurses play in improving care across settings. Wanting to make a meaningful dif- ference in people’s health experiences, she chose to become a nurse. As an acute care nurse practitioner, she treated patients in the aftermath of trauma, which led her to study how the body responds to injury and recov- ery. “I continually sought better nursing interventions,” she says, a drive that R E S E ARCH Undergraduate students share a moment with the dean. 2 RUTGERS NURSING • SUMMER 2026