Ishan Williams

Dr. Ishan Williams is a tenured Professor at the University of Virginia School of Nursing, where she leads research on dementia, caregiving, and health equity among older adults in minoritized and rural communities. She teaches courses in health policy, evidence-based practice, culture and diversity, and population health, and serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Applied Gerontology.

• University: University of Virginia
• School: School of Nursing
• Academic Rank: Professor

Her research focuses on culturally relevant interventions for chronic illness and mental health in aging populations, with an emphasis on equity, community engagement, and social determinants of health. She investigates dementia awareness, caregiving burden, pain management, and ethical AI in medicine, particularly among African American and rural older adults.

Dr. Williams’ recent publications reflect a strong trend in community-based, culturally tailored interventions, faith-based outreach, and the integration of technology in aging research. Her work spans qualitative and quantitative methods, often involving interdisciplinary collaboration to address health disparities.

She has received numerous honors, including:

• 2023 Shannon Mid-Career Fellowship
• Southern Gerontological Society’s GRITS Award (highest honor)
• Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America
• 2019 UVA Health's Martin Luther King Jr. Award
• Member, Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Research Commission (Virginia Department of Health, 2024–2027)

Dr. Williams is a NIH-grantee and community-engaged scholar who mentors junior researchers and collaborates on projects related to recruitment science, AI ethics, and health promotion. She previously served as president of the Southern Gerontological Society and contributes to national discourse on aging and equity through op-eds and policy engagement.

She is affiliated with several research initiatives, including community-engaged studies on dementia screening in Black churches and rural areas, and interdisciplinary teams exploring human factors in digital health and birth justice. Her leadership in gerontology and commitment to inclusive research underscore her role as a national leader in aging and health equity.