Hisao Nakai | Public Health Analytics | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Hisao Nakai | Public Health Analytics | Best Researcher Award

Faculty of Nursing, University of Kochi | Japan

Dr. Hisao Nakai is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Kochi, specializing in disaster nursing, disaster management, and GIS‑based risk assessment. Holding a Ph.D. in Health Sciences from Kanazawa University, he has published 28 documents, which have been cited 107 times by 96 documents, resulting in an h-index of 7. His research centers on vulnerable populations—such as medically dependent children, older adults, and people with mental illness—and uses participatory ICT/IoT systems like K‑DiPS, which he helped develop, to support personalized disaster readiness, evacuation planning, power backup, and business continuity. He has applied GIS to simulate evacuation routes (e.g., for tsunamis) and assess environmental risks, especially for those with special needs. Academically, he has held roles at Kanazawa Medical University and Kochi University and has received awards including a Japanese Public Health Society poster prize. He has also led national surveys on disaster information sharing among caregivers of children requiring medical care. Through his interdisciplinary, community‑oriented work, Dr. Nakai is advancing equitable disaster resilience for people often overlooked in traditional emergency planning, combining practical applications with innovative research in disaster preparedness and nursing science.

Profile : Scopus

Featured Publications

Nakai, H., Oe, M., Nagayama, Y., Tokuoka, M., Yamaguchi, C., & Tanaka, K. (2025). “A retrospective study on evacuation and long-term displacement among home-visit psychiatric nursing service users in the aftermath of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake” in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Oe, S., Nakai, H., Nagayama, Y., Oe, M., & Yamaguchi, C. (2025). “Factors associated with worsening post-earthquake psychiatric symptoms in patients receiving psychiatric visiting nurse services during the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake: A retrospective study” in Psychiatry International.

Nitta, Y., Hashimoto, R., Shimizu, Y., Nakai, Y., & Nakai, H. (2025). “Adherence to outpatient care among individuals with pre‐existing psychiatric disorders following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake: A retrospective study” in Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports.

Nakai, H., Oe, M., & Nagayama, Y. (2024). “Factors related to evacuation intention when a Level 4 evacuation order was issued among people with mental health illnesses using group homes in Japan: A cross-sectional study” in Medicine.

Nakai, H., Ishii, K., & Sagino, T. (2024). “Turnover intention among staff who support older adults living alone in Japan: A cross-sectional study” in Social Sciences.

Leslie Zimpelman | Data Analysis Innovation | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Leslie Zimpelman | Data Analysis Innovation | Best Researcher Award

Texas Christian University | United States

Dr. Leslie Zimpelman is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Texas Christian University, where she has been a faculty member since 2013, advancing through adjunct, instructor, and professional practice roles before her promotion in 2023. She holds a PhD in Nursing with a focus on Innovative Technology in Healthcare and Education from the University of Missouri, along with an MSN in Nursing Informatics from Walden University, a BS in Nursing from TCU, and a BS in Biology from Wake Forest University. With extensive clinical expertise as a Registered Nurse in a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Cook Children’s Medical Center since 2005, she integrates frontline practice with academic leadership. Her certifications include RNC-NIC, BLS Instructor, PALS, and NRP, reflecting her commitment to excellence in neonatal and pediatric care. Dr. Zimpelman’s research interests center on innovative teaching strategies, simulation, nursing informatics, neonatal care, and the integration of technology in healthcare education. She has contributed through funded projects, curriculum development, and interprofessional education initiatives. demonstrating growing impact in nursing research. Recognized with awards for clinical excellence, teaching innovation, and interprofessional leadership, she continues to shape future nurses through her dedication to education, practice, and patient safety.

Profile : Orcid

Featured Publication

” Signal detection for pediatric patient deterioration with nursing students: An explanatory sequential design mixed-methods study “