New Director of the Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing

Newswise — PHILADELPHIA (October 16, 2024) – J. Margo Brooks Carthon, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Tyson Family Endowed Term Chair for Gerontological Research; Professor of Nursing in the Department of Family and Community Health; and Associate Director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, has been appointed the new Director of the Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing (Bates Center), the preeminent history of nursing research center and archive. The Bates Center amplifies the importance of the history of nursing and healthcare to the development of crafting effective health policies and strategies to improve health for all. 

“The evolution of the Bates Center continues to be a source of pride for us at Penn Nursing. Dr. Brooks Carthon brings expertise in an array of research methods including historical approaches, health services, and implementation science aimed at advancing health equity.  Her leadership will build on the legacy of faculty who were foundational in creating this important resource for historians of nursing and beyond,” says Penn Nursing Dean Antonia M. Villarruel. “Working collaboratively with Penn Libraries and Bates Curator, Dr. Jessica Martucci, I am confident that nursing history will live beyond the archives and continue to inform policy and practice. Dr. Brooks Carthon scholarly work exemplifies what is possible.”  

“As the Bates Center Director, I look forward to honoring the nursing profession’s historic contributions to addressing health inequities by integrating equity as a core value, one which will help to prioritize our collections, initiatives and collaborations,” said Brooks Carthon. “I recognize that advancing population health and achieving health equity requires a multipronged approach which brings together historians with clinicians, health services researchers, community participatory practitioners, innovators, and change agents from all backgrounds. I look forward to the Bates Center being a home where scholars from diverse perspectives can engage creatively to support bold and transformational ideas to improve population health locally, nationally and internationally. 

The Bates Center is committed to providing the broadest and highest quality scholarship and educational programs and is equally committed to disseminating research findings through publications and interdisciplinary sharing and collaborations. By these means, the Bates Center dedicates itself to a leadership role in advancing the public’s knowledge of the history of nursing and healthcare.

Its goals are to:

• Advance knowledge in the history of nursing and healthcare.
• Engage with scholars whose research aligns with the mission of the Center, the School, the University, and the pressing needs of healthcare systems in our nation and around the globe.
• Maximize the visibility, accessibility, and scope of the Center’s historical collections.

Through its extensive collections, fellowships, and curricula opportunities, the Bates Center provides considerable evidence for scholars and students to question traditional disciplinary paradigms; to give voice to the historical power of nursing; and to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of local and global approaches to issues of health and illness. It is a committed partner in preserving all voices of nursing history, opening access to collection materials, and growing our digitized collections and sites.

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About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world’s leading schools of nursing. For the ninth year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University. Our Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is among the top ranked programs in the nation according to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. Our School also consistently ranks highly in the U.S. News & World Report annual list of best graduate schools and is ranked as one of the top schools of nursing in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through innovation in research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, & Instagram.