Biography
Sharon L. Ruyak, PhD, CNM, FACNM is an Associate Professor and Ph.D. Program Director at the University of New Mexico College of Nursing. She has practiced as a registered nurse and certified nurse-midwife in a variety of maternal-child health settings. She has 20 years of experience as an educator in BSN, MSN, and PhD programs and is committed to fostering the growth of future nurse leaders and nurse scientists. Dr. Ruyak’s research focuses on the intersection between chronic stress exposure and substance use in the perinatal population with a specific focus on perinatal mental health. Current funded research projects examine the intersection of maternal diverse forms of early life psychobiological stress and trauma across the lifespan and prenatal substance use as it relates to placenta function and neurobehavioral development of the fetus and infant. Dr. Ruyak is a Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health Nonprofit State Policy Fellow (2023-2024). She also is a founding and current Board of Directors member on the New Mexico Chapter of Postpartum Support International and currently serves as chapter secretary. Dr. Ruyak is a Fellow of the American College of Nurse Midwives.
Ruyak received her Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing degree from the University of Colorado, Denver; her Master of Science in Nursing from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Towson University in Towson, Md.
Areas of Specialty
Behavioral Health | Biobehavioral Health | Maternal and Child Health | Midwifery | Obesity/Weight Management | PTSD | Psych-Mental Health | Substance Abuse | Trauma | Underserved Populations | Women's Health
Education
PhD, University of Colorado, 2014 (Nursing)
Certificate, University of Colorado, 2006 (Family Nurse Practitioner)
MS, Georgetown University, 1997 (Nurse-Midwifery)
BS, Towson University, 1987 (Nursing)
Certifications
RN: Registered Nurse
CNM: Certified Nurse-Midwife
Achievements & Awards
2024 Fellow American College of Nurse Midwives
2023-2024 Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health Nonprofit State Policy Fellow
2023 JOGNN Reviewer of the Year
2022-present Leah Albers Endowed Professor of Midwifery
2022 Invited -University of the Incarnate Word, Ila Fay Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions, Sister Margaret Mary Curry Endowed Lecture.
2021 Rosenblum-Weiss Endowment for Women’s and Children’s Health
2020 AWHONN Outstanding Research Study Poster Award
2019-2024 Invited member Editorial Advisory Board Biological Research in Nursing
2018-2020 Invited member Editorial Advisory Board JOGNN
2015 National Institute of Nursing Research, Intramural Research Training Award Summer Genetic Institute Fellow
Key Publications
Manuscript
Ruyak, Sharon, Roberts, Melissa, H. Chambers, Stephanie, Ma, Xingya, DiDomenico, Jared , De La Garza, Richard, Bakhireva, Ludmila, 2023 The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on substance use patterns and physiological dysregulation in pregnant and postpartum women 6 Reviewed for the Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research
Manuscript
Ruyak, Sharon, Roberts, Melissa, Chambers, Stephanie, Ma, Xingya, DiDomenico, Jared, De La Garza, Richard, Bakhireva, Ludmilla, 2023 Impulsivity and alcohol use during pregnancy and postpartum: Insights from novel methodological approaches within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. 6 Reviewed for the Behavioral Sciences
Journal Article
Ruyak, Sharon, L. Noor, Shahani, DiDomenico, Jared, Sun, Melody, Fernandez Oropeza, Annette, Rodriguez, Dominique, Enriquez Marquez, Lidia , Milligan, Erin, D. Bakhireva, Ludmila, N. 2022 Effects of prenatal opioid and alcohol exposures on immune and serotonin factors in human placenta Experimental Neurology, vol. 353, Issue
Journal Article
Ruyak, Sharon, Flores-Montoya, Angelina, Boursaw, Blake, 2017 Antepartum Services and Symptoms of Postpartum Depression in At-Risk Women. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN, vol. 46, Issue 5, 696-708 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2017.07.006
Journal Article
Ruyak, Sharon, Qeadan, Fares, 2018 Use of the Antenatal Risk Questionnaire to assess psychosocial risk factors associated with postpartum depression: a pilot study Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, vol. 63, Issue 5, 578-583
Gender
Female
Courses Taught
Graduate
N601: Theory 1: Methods and Processes of Nursing Knowledge Development
N602: Theory 2: Contemporary Substantive Nursing Knowledge
N613: Mixed Methods Research
N691: Independent Study in Applied Methods in Secondary Data Analysis
N501: Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing
Undergraduate
N405: Genetic Literacy Across the Lifespan
N454: Nursing Synthesis
N429: Special Populations in Obstetrics
N401: Maternal Newborn Clinical Intensive
N351: Health and Illness I
N340: Advancement of Professional Nursing
N 332: Introduction to Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice