School of Nursing

Education

• PhD, University of Texas at Austin

Biosketch

Rose M. Mays is Professor and Associate Dean for Community and International Affairs at Indiana University School of Nursing at IUPUI. A former public health nurse, she began her academic career by teaching pediatric nurse practioner students in the mid-1970s. After receiving her PhD degree in nursing research from the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Mays focused on the nursing care of adolescents and their families and worked closely with an interdisciplinary team of adolescent specialists at the IU School of Medicine. Dr. Mays' program of research centers on factors that influence decision-making about behavioral changes related to health promotion and disease prevention. The results of her studies on the determinants of acceptance of newly developed vaccines has been presented nationally and internationally and her work has been published in top-tier professional journals.

Recognizing that quality health care must be culturally responsive, Dr. Mays has been an advocate for diversifying the nursing workforce, assuring the cultural relevance of the nursing curriculum, and addressing health and health care disparities. She currently serves on the Indiana State Department of Health's Interagency Council on Black and Minority Health and she recently published a chapter, entitled Culturally Responsive Care, in the book Elements of Nursing Excellence in the Care of Infants, Children, Youth and Families. In addition to administering the school's office that coordinates its community outreach service programs and nursing students' clinical experiences, Dr. Mays teaches graduate students majoring in pediatric nursing and directs students' capstone research projects.