Nancy R. Downing, PhD, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P, FAAN, professor in the HSC College of Nursing, is a nationally recognized leader in forensic nursing research, practice, education, and service. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and PhD at the University of Iowa. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the College of Nursing and College of Medicine at the University of Iowa 2011-2012 in clinical genomics. In 2016 she joined the faculty at the Texas A&M College of Nursing to help start a forensic nursing program and turn her research focus to issues related to interpersonal violence, including the intersections of trauma, abuse, substance use, and associated health and justice outcomes. She has received funding from the Office for Victims of Violence, HRSA, and the National Institute of Justice. She joined the faculty at the HSC College of Nursing to lead initiatives to prepare and retain nurses to provide trauma-informed medical forensic care to patients experiencing interpersonal violence, for which the CON received a $1.5 million HRSA grant in 2024. A practicing forensic nurse for over 20 years, Dr. Downing is dedicated to development of standards and evidence-based practice through her research and through service as Vice Chair of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) Forensic Nursing Subcommittee, as a four-term member of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, and as a member of the Journal of Forensic Nursing and Journal of Forensic Sciences editorial boards. She is also a former President of the International Association of Forensic Nurses and has contributed to development of policies and practice guidance documents for the forensic nursing specialty. In 2019, she was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and in 2026 as a Fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.