Faculty

Ladda Thiamwong, a professor at UCF’s College of Nursing and the Florida Blue Endowed Professor for Healthy Communities, is a nationally recognized aging expert and researcher. With more than 20 years of experience in gerontological nursing, Thiamwong focuses her research on healthy aging and fall prevention — the leading cause of injuries among older adults in the U.S. She developed the healthy aging instrument in her native Thailand to assess processes involved in healthy aging, which is now available in several languages and used at research institutions around the world. Her research, which has been awarded more than $7 million in funding to date, has led to a paradigm shift in fall risk assessment through tailored fall interventions. Currently, Thiamwong leads the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF and an interdisciplinary research team implementing a technology-based body and mind intervention for older adults. Beyond her faculty appointment and research, she shares her expertise as a member of the City of Orlando Mayor’s Committee on Livability and Healthy Aging and as a member of the Disability, Aging and Technology Faculty Research Cluster at UCF.

Education

• PhD, Mahidol University
• MSN, Mahidol University
• BSN, Boromarajonani College of Nursing
• Certificate for Conceptualizing and Measuring Healthy Aging, University of California, San Francisco

Selected Editorial Activities

• Associate Editor, Injury Prevention and Control Section, Frontiers in Public Health 
• Section Editor for Aging Matters, Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services (JPN)
• Editorial Board, Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research
• Editorial Board, Walailak Journal of Social Science

Selected Awards & Honors

• Fellow, Gerontological Society of America (FGSA), 2025
• William R. Jones Most Valuable Mentor Award, Florida Education Fund, 2024
• UCF Luminary Award, 2024
• Distinguished Fellow, National Academies of Practice in Nursing, 2024
• Fellow, American Academy of Nursing, 2023
• Excellence in Geriatric Nursing Research Mid-Career Award, Southern Nursing Research Society
• Research Incentive Award, University of Central Florida, 2021
• Excellence in Research Award, University of Central Florida College of Nursing, 2021
• Catalyst Award, U.S. National Academy of Medicine Healthy Longevity Global Challenge, 2020
• Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award, University of Central Florida College of Nursing, 2020
• Richard Tucker Competitive Gerontology Research Award, Learning Institute for Elders (LIFE), University of Central Florida, 2019
• Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing, National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence, 2018

Selected Professional Activities

• Past Chair, Aging/Gerontology Research Interest and Implementation Group (RIIG), Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS)
• Co-Convener, Gerontological Society of America, Aging Among Asians (GSA-AAA) interest group
• The Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
• Committee Member, Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing Committee, National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence
• Committee Member, Orlando Mayor’s Committee on Livability and Healthy Aging