In observance of International Nurses Day on May 12, WOC Online highlights the contributions of Sylvia Trent-Adams, PhD, RN, the 2020 Technologist of the Year Award winner.

In 2017, Trent-Adams earned the International Red Cross Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international honor bestowed upon a nurse.

This award, conferred by the International Committee of the Red Cross, recognizes nurses and nursing aides for their courage, dedication, and exceptional service, particularly during armed conflicts, natural disasters, or public health and nursing education.

Trent-Adams was also awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for her leadership during the Commissioned Corps’ response to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa and the Surgeon General’s Medallion for service as acting surgeon general from April to September 2017.

A lifetime public servant, Dr. Trent-Adams began her public health career in 1992 by joining the Commissioned Corps before ultimately retiring in 2020 from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps with the rank of Rear Admiral Upper Half.

Trent-Adams was acting surgeon general in 2017, the first non-physician to hold the spot.

Before becoming deputy surgeon general, Adams was the deputy associate administrator for the HIV/AIDS Bureau within the Health Resources and Services Administration.

In the HIV/AIDS Bureau, Trent-Adams managed the $2.3 billion Ryan White Program, which funds medical care, treatment, referrals, and support services for uninsured and underserved people living with HIV.

She served as the Chief Nurse Officer, providing support on various critical issues, including efforts to combat the opioid crisis and the operations of the Commissioned Corps.

Before working with the Commissioned Corps, she served as a U.S. Army nurse officer and research nurse at the University of Maryland.

She received the Technologist of the Year award at the WOC Conference for promoting science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine among underrepresented groups in higher education.

Trent-Adams served as the seventh president of The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. Before serving as president, Dr. Trent-Adams was HSC’s executive vice president and chief strategy officer.

Before joining HSC, Dr. Trent-Adams served as the principal deputy assistant secretary for health from January 2019 through August 2020. She shared responsibility with the assistant secretary for health planning, coordinating and directing substantive program matters; policy and program development; and determining and setting legislative and program priorities.

Dr. Trent-Adams received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Hampton University, a Master of Science in Nursing and Health Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Trent-Adams was a nurse officer in the U.S. Army and a research nurse at the University of Maryland.

Additionally, she is a fellow of the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Nursing, the National Academy of Practice, and the NLN Academy of Nursing Education.