Patrice Nicholas, DNSc, RN, DHL (Hon.), MPH, MS, FAAN, is officially a Hall of Famer. 

Earlier this month, the retired director emerita of the School of Nursing’s Center for Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Health flew out to Seattle, WA for the 36th International Nursing Research Congress. There, she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, a post reserved for those who have achieved significant and sustained national and/or international recognition for their work, and whose research has impacted the profession and the people it serves.

During the festivities, Nicholas gave two presentations on the entirety of her research trajectory and took part in a roundtable discussion about building a research career. 

“Sigma Theta Tau recognizes the importance of climate change and health research and scholarship,” noted Nicholas. “To be among the 2025 International Nursing Researchers is the honor of my career.” 

A career filled with accomplishments and accolades, as noted by Sigma in its career summary of Nicholas:

Dr. Patrice K. Nicholas is Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita and Director Emerita of the Center for Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Health at the MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing. Dr. Nicholas completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing at Fitchburg State University, a Master of Science in Nursing, and a Doctor of Nursing Science at Boston University. From 1996 to 1999, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, where she focused on symptom management in HIV disease and global health and completed a Master of Public Health in International Health. Over the years, she has received numerous honors and awards.  In 2007, she was selected as a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, focusing on adherence to HIV and TB medications. In 2008, she was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. In 2010, she received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree Honoris Causa from Fitchburg State University. She received the American Nurses Association/Massachusetts Living Legend Award in 2024.

Dr. Nicholas has authored over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts, two texts, and many invited and peer-reviewed presentations, including numerous manuscripts on climate change, climate justice, and climate-related health consequences. Dr. Nicholas served as co-Director for Policy and Advocacy at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for the Environment and Health. In 2023, she was selected as an Inaugural Climate Change and Health Scholar at the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Nursing Research. In 2024, Dr. Nicholas was an invited scholar in climate change and health at the University of Oxford Harris Manchester College. She is a member of the IHP’s Sigma’s Upsilon Lambda Chapter.