SON Home | UW Home | MyUW | UW Bothell | UW Tacoma | HealthLinks | Contact the School | Search SON | Internal Women's Health Researcher Named to Endowed Professorship Dr. Margaret Heitkemper, an internationally recognized expert on gastro-intestinal health in women who has remained mindful of the needs of women in many of Washington state's rural communities, is the recipient of a prestigious endowed professorship in public service at the University of Washington. Funded by John E. Corbally, Jr., president and director of the John D. and Catherine T. Mac Arthur Foundation, and his wife, Marguerite, the professorship honors distinguished faculty whose professional achievements are making significant contributions to public service. Heitkemper is director of the Center for Women's Health Research in the UW School of Nursing, the first National Institutes of Health center for women's health research in the United States. In this role she has been instrumental in bringing information about common health disabilities in women to underserved communities. A series of free public forums entitled "What Women Need to Know About IBS, Migraines, Sleep, Fibromyalgia and Depression" have helped hundreds of women in Washington state cope more effectively with health issues that affect their daily lives and the lives of their families. On hearing of Heitkemper's appointment, School of Nursing Dean Nancy Woods called it a "tremendous reflection on the School of Nursing and our history of service to the community." A member of the School of Nursing faculty since 1981, Heitkemper is chair of the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems and has won numerous awards for both her teaching and her research. The John and Marguerite Walker Corbally Professorship in Public Service was established in 1988 to help the University of Washington attract and retain distinguished faculty who are making significant contributions to public service. Both Corballys attended the University of Washington. Return to News and Events   Copyright © 2008 University of Washington 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, Washington 98195