Rutgers School of Nursing Magazine - Summer 2026

increase in the first 24 hours. That’s very exciting.” Next, he will determine the optimal dose to maximize benefits while ensuring safety. He believes the approach could help patients re-engage with strategies like regular exercise—jump-starting a posi- tive cycle of recovery. Service in Action As an officer in the U.S. Public Health Service, Saligan led and provided care during emergencies and natural disasters, including mass shootings, hurricanes, and the Haiti earthquake. For its work in West Africa during the 2014 Ebola crisis, the service received a Presidential Unit Citation for extraor- dinary heroism. “We helped create the capacity to care for—and contain— that infection there,” Saligan recalls. The honors have continued. In 2026, Saligan was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau’s International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. In 2024, he received the Outstanding Mentor Award from the National Institute of Nursing Research and the Outstanding Service Medal from the Office of the Surgeon Gen- eral, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Recruiting Dr. Saligan was monu- mental,” says School of Nursing dean Angela Starkweather. “He’s been lead- ing nursing science, and he uniquely touches lives. He draws out what individuals find meaningful and then guides them through each step. To have him here at Rutgers is magical.” Building Partnerships Across Disciplines For Saligan, being a matchmaker means connecting people, ideas, and resources to accelerate discovery and drive change. “Over the years at the NIH, I built a consortium of early-ca- reer and mid-career researchers who have collaborated, creating standard- ized research outcomes and common databases that they use to publish papers and apply for grants. I’m bring- ing the same template to the School of Nursing and the university at large.” The goal: collaborations that span roles and workplaces, reduc- ing barriers and breaking down silos. “Fortunately,” he says, “I’m a great matchmaker!” That approach extends across disciplines. Saligan points to the work of Ian Koebner, PhD, MSc, inaugural chair and endowed professor of arts in health at Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts, who investigates music’s role in health and wellbeing. He also cites Yoona Kang, PhD, assistant pro- fessor of psychology and prevention science at Rutgers University– Camden, who examines how kindness can reduce loneliness among people living with chronic illness. “We can definitely use these approaches in nursing and take it even bigger,” Saligan says. “It could help with aging, loneliness, palliative care, and stress reduction for students and faculty.” RN maker “Alone we are smart— but together we are brilliant.” LEOREY SALIGAN, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN NURSING.RUTGERS.EDU 5