In Memoriam: Remembering Dr. Nancy Ruth Anderson
Nancy Ruth Anderson, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor emerita in the UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing, has passed away at the age of 91.
Dr. Anderson first came to UCLA as a graduate student in the 1970s and later joined the school of nursing faculty. As a clinician, anthropologist, and researcher, much of her work focused on youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Her research explored topics including mental health, substance abuse, and health and sexual decision making among juvenile detention populations. She published important work on transcultural nursing, helped lead the development of one of the school’s first courses on cultural competence, and was instrumental in the creation of nursing’s qualitative research series.
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Anderson helped shape the experience of thousands of UCLA Nursing students. She received countless awards for service and volunteerism and held professorships at universities around the world. She was inducted as a Fellow of the Society for Applied Anthropology in 1996, followed by her induction into the American Academy of Nursing in 1998.
Dr. Anderson retired from the school of nursing as a full professor in the mid-2000s but remained active in her field for another decade. She will be warmly remembered for her tremendous contributions to UCLA, to the nursing profession, and to the broader field of healthcare, leaving a lasting and meaningful impact.
The entire UCLA Nursing community extends its deepest condolences to Dr. Anderson’s family, friends, and the many lives she touched.
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