Mariann Piano Joins Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Top Research Role

Mariann R. Piano, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA, has joined the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) as a senior associate dean for research. A distinguished researcher in cardiovascular disease and an expert on the effects of binge drinking on young adults, Piano will lead Vanderbilt’s nursing research program to support faculty in their research and scholarly activity.

VUSN Dean Linda Norman, DSN, RN, FAAN, tells Nursing.Vanderbilt.edu, “Mariann Piano’s academic background, leadership experience and research excellence make her an outstanding fit for Vanderbilt. Mariann is highly respected for her own scholarship and for the research leadership she provides to her faculty and students. Her experience in developing support from extramural, foundation and other philanthropic sources will be invaluable to individual faculty and the school. I am thrilled that she has joined VUSN.”

In her new role, Piano will lead the School of Nursing’s research program by supporting faculty in their scholarly endeavors, expanding the school’s research function, and directing efforts to increase external funding. She will also direct VUSN’s Center for Research Development and Scholarship which supports faculty research.

Prior to joining Vanderbilt’s nursing program, Piano spent nearly 30 years teaching graduate and undergraduate courses at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research on cardiovascular health and function and the adverse impact of alcohol and cigarette smoking on the cardiovascular system has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Piano is also a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN), the Institute of Medicine-Chicago, and the American Heart Association (AHA).