Round Rock Campus faculty members receive highest honors in respiratory care

De De Gardner, DrPH, RRT, RRT-NPS, FAARC, FCCP, was awarded the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) Education Specialty Practitioner of the Year, the highest recognition for a respiratory therapist educator.

Associate Professor Gardner has influenced respiratory care education, clinical practice and the scholarship of respiratory therapy. Her educational research contributions have focused on preparing students for clinical practice, adoption and evaluation of clinical practice protocols, clinical competency education, and Interprofessional simulation to prepare students to care for adult and pediatric critical care patients. 

Dr. Gardner is recognized for her state and national leadership roles associated with respiratory therapy education serving in the Texas Society for Respiratory Care, Texas Society for Allied Health Professions, Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care as an accreditation site visitor, The Coalition for Baccalaureate and Graduate Respiratory Care Education, member of the Education Committee in the American College of Chest Physicians and the AARC. 

Chris Russian, PhD, RRT, RRT-NPS, RPSGT, FAARC, was inducted as a Fellow of the American Association for Respiratory Care, the highest recognition for a respiratory therapist.

Dr. Russian, Professor and Academic Program Coordinator of the Master of Science in Respiratory Care program, has influenced clinical practice, education and the science of respiratory care. His research contributions have focused on mechanical ventilation, pulmonary function and sleep. 

He is recognized for his national prominent leadership at the state and national levels by serving in the Texas Society for Respiratory Care, The Coalition for Baccalaureate and Graduate Respiratory Care Education and the American AARC. Dr. Russian holds advanced credentials as a Registered Respiratory Therapist, Neonatal-Pediatric Specialist, and Registered Polysomnographic Technologist. His contributions to respiratory care education include development of undergraduate and graduate respiratory care and polysomnography courses at Texas State University. Dr. Russian teaches courses in the entry-level BSRC program, the RRT-to-BSRC degree advancement program, and the post-professional MSRC program.

Doctors Gardner and Russian from the Department of Respiratory Care in the College of Health Professions received their awards at the AARC International Congress in New Orleans, LA on November 9, 2019.