Professional Background
Dr. Barbara Polivka is the Associate Dean for Research and Professor at the University of Kansas School of Nursing. She received her Baccalaureate and Masters’ Degree in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati and her PhD in Nursing from The Ohio State University. Previously Dr. Polivka was Professor and Shirley B. Powers Endowed Chair at the University of Louisville.
Dr. Polivka’s programs of research have focused on environmental health and on health services research. She has been funded as principle investigator by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Aging, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), as well as from local, state, institutional, and foundations entities. She is widely published in nursing and interdisciplinary journals.
Dr. Polivka is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, serves on the Editorial Board of Public Health Nursing, served on the NIH Healthcare and Health Disparities Study Section, and reviews for multiple nursing and interdisciplinary journals. She is an active member of the American Public Health Association, the American Thoracic Society, American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Society, Midwest Nursing Research Society, and the Association of Community Health Nurse Educators. She has taught across all levels including community health nursing with undergraduates, public health nursing with graduate students, determinants of health disparities with PhD students. She has mentored a number of doctoral students (both PhD and DNP), masters, and undergraduate honors students.
Dr. Polivka has received multiple honors in her career including the Ruth B. Freeman Award from the Public Health Nursing Section of the American Public Health Association, the Dean Marcia J. Hern Research Award, and the Ohio Department of Health Healthy Homes Achievement Award.
- BSN, Nursing, University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio
- MSN, Nursing, University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio
- PhD, Nursing, The Ohio State University Graduate School, Columbus, Ohio
- Registered Nurse, Kansas Nursing Board
- Registered Nurse, Ohio Board of Nursing
- American Academy of Nursing, Environment and Public Health Expert Panel, Chair, 2022 - 2024
- American Academy of Nursing, Environment and Public Health Expert Panel, Vice Chair, 2020 - 2021
- American Academy of Nursing, Environment and Public Health Expert Panel , Chair Elect, 2019 - Present
- American Academy of Nursing, Member, 2016 - Present
- International Home Care Nurses Organization , Member, 2016 - 2017
- Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (AHNE), Co-Chair, 2015 - 2018
- Council for the Advancement of Nursing , 2017 Advance Methods Conference, Planning Committee, Co-Chair, 2014 - Present
