Meet Our Leadership
Dr. Shannon Scott
Dean (Acting), Faculty of Nursing
Effective Jan. 2, 2024, Dr. Shannon Scott is serving in the role of acting dean.
Having previous experience as acting vice-dean in the Faculty of Nursing from 2021 - 2023, Dr. Scott is well positioned to provide exceptional leadership and continuity in supporting the Faculty’s mission, values, priorities and strengths as Canada’s top nursing faculty.
Dr. Scott’s robust educational background includes a bachelor of nursing and master of nursing from the University of Manitoba, a PhD in nursing from the University of Alberta and a postdoctoral fellowship with the Department of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the U of A.
Joining the U of A Faculty of Nursing in 2008 as an assistant professor, she became a full professor in 2015. From 2013 - 2023, Dr. Scott held a Canada Research Chair in Knowledge Translation in Child Health. She is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Nursing (2020), a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2021), a current member of the Women and Children's Health Research Institute and a distinguished researcher with the Stollery Science Lab (2018).
Dr. Scott is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for excellence in research and teaching spanning her academic journey and professional career, including induction into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Research Hall of Fame (2021) and the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists (2015), and is a recipient of the CIHR Monique Begin Knowledge Translation Award (2011).
A recognized expert, Dr. Scott’s research focuses on knowledge translation in pediatric health settings to improve outcomes for children, their families, and the health-care system. She has published countless research articles and collaborated on numerous interdisciplinary research projects, contributing to ingenious solutions that have wide-reaching impacts.
Dr. Joanne Olson
Interim Vice Dean, Faculty of Nursing
Effective Jan. 2, 2024, Dr. Joanne Olson began her role as interim vice-dean and will continue to support the Faculty of Nursing's efforts to advance world-class research, teaching and clinical practice.
Prior to her current role, Dr. Olson held numerous academic and leadership positions with the Faculty of Nursing, including assistant dean (Graduate Programs), associate dean (Undergraduate Programs) and director (Quality Assurance & Enhancement).
Dr. Olson’s educational journey includes a bachelor of science in nursing from Augustana University (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), a master of science in public health from the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) and a PhD in nursing from Wayne State University (Detroit, Michigan). She joined the U of A Faculty of Nursing in 1991 as an associate professor, transitioning to full professor in 2000.
An expert in community health nursing, Dr. Olson has dedicated her career to advocacy and enhancing resilience and promoting health in communities across Canada and the U.S., as well as developing effective, evidence-based teaching and learning strategies for health-care professional education.
Dr. Olson is the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including an Alumni Achievement Award from Augustana University and a Distinguished Service Award from the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Dr. Olson is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, a well-established researcher and a lead author of countless publications.