Ann Kurth reappointed dean of Yale School of Nursing
Ann Kurth has been reappointed as dean of the Yale School of Nursing, Yale President Peter Salovey announced. Her second five-year term will begin July 1.
An epidemiologist and clinically trained nurse midwife, Kurth’s research focuses on HIV/reproductive health and global health system strengthening, particularly in the context of climate change. Her colleagues lauded her leadership and exemplary service to Yale and the wider world beyond campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For the past five years, Dean Kurth has partnered with faculty and staff to build on the school’s storied history and its leading position in graduate nursing education,” said President Salovey. “Notably, the school has increased the diversity of the student body and enhanced its educational programs.”
Kurth supported faculty members in instituting a new concentration at the school on Gender and Sexuality Health Justice and the Clinical Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. During her tenure, the school has also created the Acute Care Pediatrics Master of Science in Nursing specialty, making Yale the first university to offer this degree in Connecticut.
In partnership with the Dean’s Leadership Council, Kurth also secured significant resources for student fellowships and innovative faculty research, including work that addresses pressing global challenges, Salovey said. In addition, she has fostered collaborations with other schools at Yale and with institutions across the world. Her efforts helped lead to the creation of the school’s planetary health initiatives and the Yale Institute for Global Health, which she co-founded.
“Dean Kurth also is working with members of the school community to foster an environment in which everyone belongs and can thrive,” Salovey said. “Among the actions the school is taking, it is currently undergoing curriculum review and development of core courses on anti-discrimination and anti-oppression. These efforts, along with other ongoing initiatives, will have an impact on generations of students to come.”
Kurth is also the Linda Koch Lorimer Professor at the School of Nursing and a professor of the epidemiology of microbial diseases at Yale School of Medicine.
“I thank Dean Kurth for her many contributions to the School of Nursing, to Yale, and to communities across the world,” Salovey said. “I am grateful for her willingness to continue serving as the dean of the school.”