By Erica Techo
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Associate Professor and PhD Program Director Edwin Aroke, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN, has received the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research 2022 Protégé Award, recognizing his excellence in early career nursing research. Aroke received the award during the FNINR NightinGala on October 26.
This annual award is presented to an evolving nurse scientist who shows promise in advancing science and who is within the first six years of completing their PhD or post-doctoral study. Aroke earned his PhD in 2016 and joined the UAB School of Nursing in 2017 as an assistant professor.
“I’m filled with gratitude for all the opportunities, mentoring and support the UAB School of Nursing has given me over the years,” Aroke said. “Honestly, this award would not be possible without the support of my family and the excellent mentorship and interprofessional collaboration across UAB.”
Aroke’s program of research explores the gap in knowledge regarding pain disparities, the cause of racial differences in chronic lower back pain and the role of epigenetics in pain. He is an active member in multiple national organizations and has been recognized for his research.
In 2020, Aroke was named Didactic Instructor of the Year and in 2021 was the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology John F. Garde Researcher of the Year.
He currently has a $1.7 million, four-year R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the cause of racial differences in chronic lower back pain. Aroke is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and was named a 2022 Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.
“My decision to focus my research on pain disparities is no coincidence, and to me, the FNINR Protégé Award reflects what is possible when hard work meets adequate mentorship and a supportive environment,” Aroke said.
