Elizabeth (Libby) Richards

Areas of Expertise

• health behavior change
• examination of individual and interpersonal influences of physical activity behavior
• community-based interventions

HHS Signature Research Area(s)

• Healthy Lifestyles and Vital Longevity
• Sustainable Organizations and Thriving Communities

School of Nursing Research Area(s)

• Care of the Older Adult
• Health Promotion and Population Health

Biography

Dr. Richards’ is a professor and director of the PhD in Nursing program at Purdue University’s School of Nursing.  Her research explores individual and interpersonal influences of physical activity, highlighting the importance of social support in health behavior change. She has conducted health promotion interventions that positively impact community health by improving physical activity across populations.  Her research has been funded through the National Institutes of Health, Purdue’s Center for Families, Cooperative Extension, and the American Nurses Foundation.

As a public health nurse, Dr. Richards widely disseminates health education about the importance of vaccinations, flu prevention, and physical activity promotion. She has reached audiences through media outlets sources such as CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, AARP, Readers’ Digest, the Washington Post, and The Chicago Tribune.  Her online presence has wide public reach with articles regarding the importance of vaccination and physical activity promotion in The Conversation surpassing two million readers.

In addition, she currently serves in several leadership positions in the field of nursing and public health, including past chair of the Physical Activity Section of the American Public Health Association, current chair of the Ageing research interest group of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, and serving on the leadership team of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Research Leaders Network.

Education

• PhD, 2012, Purdue University
• MSN, 2006, Indiana University
• BSN, 2003, University of Saint Francis

Websites

• Center for Research on Brain, Behavior, and NeuroRehabilitation
• Center for Families
• Center for Aging and the Life Course

Social Media Accounts

• Twitter

Current Courses

• NUR 222 - Population Health
• NUR 69020 - PhD Leadership Seminar
• NUR 69030 - PhD Communication Seminar
• NUR 604 - PhD Seminar

Selected Honors/Awards

• Fellow, American Academy of Nursing - 2024
• Fellow, National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education - 2023
• Indiana Nurse Educator of the Year, Indiana Nurses Foundation - 2023
• Excellence in Nursing Research Award, Delta Omicron - 2022
• Teaching Excellence Award, Indiana League for Nursing - 2021
• Murphy Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, Purdue University - 2020
• Exceptional Engagement Award, Center for Aging and the Life Course - 2018
• Early Career Research Award, Midwest Nursing Research Society - 2017

Selected Grants

• Co-Investigator, Temporal Dietary and Physical Activity Patterns Related to Health Outcomes. National Cancer Institute (R21 CA224764-01)). Heather Eicher-Miller (PI). Period: 12/01/2017-11/30/2020. Total: $410,906

In the News

• Vaccines against COVID-19, the seasonal flu and RSV are our best chance of preventing a winter surge
• Infectious diseases spike when kids return to school − here’s what you can do about it
• Marriage provides health benefits–and here's why
• The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired new health habits for these 4 scholars- here’s what they put into practice and why
• Why do we get shots in arms?
• Couples who consistently walk together may need to speed up
• Will going out in the cold give you a cold?
• You can’t get the flu from a flu shot. Here’s why
• The benefits of sticking to New Year’s resolutions to work out more
• Hate exercise? Small increases in physical activity can make a big difference
• Why the flu shot cannot give you the flu (and why you should get one now)