By Teresa Hicks

University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing alumna Chrystal (Sullivan) Lewis, PhD, RN (BSN 2007), has been recognized as the primary author of an article selected as Nursing Outlook’s 2025 Article of the Year in the Category of Research. The honor celebrates publications that exemplify excellence and innovation in education, policy, practice and research.

The award was presented during the American Academy of Nursing’s 2025 Health Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.

Lewis, a nurse scientist at Stanford Health Care and Clinical Assistant Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, received the honor on behalf of her collaborating research team. Their article, “Health equity: A concept analysis,” advances understanding of health equity and its critical role in shaping both nursing practice and health care policy.

Lewis credits her experience at the UAB School of Nursing, particularly with the undergraduate Nursing Honors Program, as an essential foundation for where she is now.

“The UAB honors program offered an in-depth introduction to nursing research through the opportunity to conduct my own research project,” she said.

That experience and the mentorship of Ellen B. Buckner, PhD, RN, CNE, FNAP (BSN 1975, MSN 1983, PhD 1987), a UABSON alumna and founder of the UAB School of Nursing Honors Program, sparked her passion for research and inspired her to pursue a PhD.

“My research on Trauma-Informed Care aligned closely with Stanford Health Care’s commitment to advancing health equity,” she said. “But the lack of clear definitions around health equity led our team to conduct a concept analysis to assist the development of organizational strategies that explicitly address it.”

This recognition underscores Lewis’s ongoing commitment to addressing disparities in health outcomes and promoting equitable care, a mission that reflects the School’s dedication to improving health equity through research, education and leadership.