Sonya Grypma

Sonya Grypma is a Full Professor in the School of Nursing at Trinity Western University (TWU), serving since 2007. She held leadership roles as Dean of Nursing (2013-2019), Dean of GLOBAL (2019-2021), and Vice Provost of Graduate Studies (2019-2022), alongside roles as TWU’s Senior Health Advisor for COVID-19 (2020-2022). Her academic background includes a BSN and MScN from the University of Calgary and a PhD in Nursing from the University of Alberta, complemented by a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship at UBC. Grypma’s research focuses on transnational nursing history, particularly Canadian-American-Chinese nursing networks before 1948. She has authored three books and numerous articles on missionary healthcare, including Healing Henan (2008) and Nursing Shifts in Sichuan (2021).

Her awards include the Christie Dissertation Award (2005) and SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2005-2007). Keynote presentations span four continents, addressing topics like nursing education history and global health ethics. Grypma’s teaching spans undergraduate to graduate levels, including courses on nursing history and leadership. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary healthcare challenges, emphasizing interdisciplinary and transnational perspectives.

• Education:
  • Bachelor of Nursing, University of Calgary
  • Master of Nursing, University of Calgary
  • PhD (Nursing), University of Alberta
  • SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2007, UBC)

Research Highlights: Grypma’s work examines how pre-WHO nursing networks shaped global health practices, particularly in China. Recent projects analyze wartime nursing in Sichuan and the impact of missionary education models. Her scholarship critiques historical amnesia in nursing narratives and advocates for integrating history into modern healthcare education.

Grants & Collaboration: Her research has been supported by SSHRC and international collaborations, including partnerships with Chinese institutions (e.g., Henan People’s Provincial Hospital). She has advised on nursing education reforms in Canada and China.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with global nursing historians and participates in TWU’s interdisciplinary health initiatives.