About Leanne- research/ technical, nursing, teaching, editorial/writing, financial and leadership skills
Leanne has a multitude of research, technical, nursing, teaching, editorial and leadership skills. She holds nursing licenses both in California and Massachusetts in the United States. Leanne has been involved in every aspect of the research process from the inception of the research idea to design/development/protocol writing, searching for funding options, writing grant applications, legal contract/policy review and negotiations, execution of projects including applications to ethical review boards, project management (including NIH, EEA/EØS, Research Council of Norway, Horizon Europe, Digital Europe and Interreg) data collection/analysis and manuscript/publication writing/dissemination. As a nurse involved in rapid response and code teams, Leanne provides a unique perspective about resilience approaches to cybersecurity for the healthcare critical infrastructure as well as other critical infrastructures such as from professional experience from code events, and the individual and team situational awareness, team communication, shared mental modeling and team efficiency that is needed to effectively addressing a patient’s emergency. It is from this perspective of the clinical and cognitive psychology with our human factors that Leanne can offer research efforts on communication, self-efficacy, emotional and stress regulation (coping strategies), and performance measurement assessments.

Relevant information
LinkedIn: (8) Leanne Torgersen | LinkedIn
Research Gate: (5) Leanne Torgersen (researchgate.net)
Google Scholar: ‪Leanne Torgersen‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬
Orcid ID: Orcid ID 0000-0002-9069-4266 (Leanne Torgersen (0000-0002-9069-4266) - ORCID)
Languages: English-fluent, mother tongue, Norwegian – B2/B1
Permanent residence in Norway

Experiences

Sept 2021 – present | Østfold University College (OUC)
Senior Advisor for EU/External Research Financing and Internationalization

• Research Skills
o Research Assistant for Athena and KidsLikeUs grant funded projects
 Athena (01.09.23-30.09.24)
• Project objective: creating a cybersecurity training program for Operational Technology (OT) personnel in the Dutch waterways
• Resilience Focus on OT’s needs in the design and creation of the OT cyber education and training program
• Wrote the scoping review protocol, collected and analyzed data, and wrote the deliverable report with co-lead on project and manuscript for publication
• Presented results from scoping review and mapped a holistic approach to cyber resilience for organizations
• Conducted a NIS2 policy assessment specifically from OT perspective, proposed and researching new OT framework
 KidsLikeUs (01.09.23-present)
• Project objective: designing and developing a sensory Superhero Garden and ebook. These tools will be given to NGOs, healthcare personnel and educators to promote well-being and mindfulness with mental health challenges associated migration crises and trauma from experiences in warring countries
• Researched validated wellbeing, resilience, system usability and user experience scales and created database of options
• Presented scale options and co-developed final research measurements for project.
• Wrote progress reports, media articles and informed consents
o Researched funding opportunities, read calls, supported with grant writing and with preparing applications
 Applications submitted to EU Horizon, Digital Europe, Forskningsrådet (NFR), UTFORSK, Stiftelsen Dam and Interreg.
o Aided in research funded financial reports and budget development for research funding applications.
• Grant writing/Editorial/Writing Skills
o Wrote, edited, and quality assessed manuscripts for publication, abstracts, research funding applications, nursing courses and practice education forms, PhD dissertations and academic promotional
 Primary focus on cybersecurity/human factors, education/special education, psychology/mental health and nursing
o Developed and/or edited legal and ethical suggestions to contractual documents associated with grant funded research projects, collaboration agreements as well as informed consents for research projects
• Teaching Skills
o Gave educational lectures to PhD students and Faculty
 Using self-efficacy as a measurement in research studies
 International research exchanges
 International networking
 Creating effective poster presentations
 Provided PhD student guidance/counseling on establishing international research exchange experiences
• Administrative and Financial Oversight/Management Skills
o Research administrative management for grant funded research
 ATHENA Critical Infrastructure/OT, KidsLikeUs Advances, and ACDICOM research projects. The research projects are funded by European Economic Area (EEA), NFR/The Research Council of Norway, Digital Europe and Interreg respectively.
o Wrote strategic plan on internationalization for the research administration
 Established new research collaborations for researchers and institution
 Engaged in networking in support of institution's strategic plan

Sept 2018 – July 2020 | Spaulding Hospital Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Registered Nurse, Cardiopulmonary Unit

• Nursing Skills
o Implemented nursing skills to incorporate and execute the nursing process associated with the plan of care
o Types of patients cared for (but not limited to): transplant recipients, LVADs, CVAs, spinal injuries, COPD, dialysis, dementia/delirium, extensive wounds/Clagett windows, BMT/Immunocompromised, malignancies, trach patients, pulmonary hypertension
o Nursing competencies with medical device management such as LVADs, ventilators and infusion pumps
• Leadership and Teaching Skills
o Education and training supervisor for nursing students both for clinical practice periods and preceptorships
• Emergency Management Skills
o Rapid Response and code teams
o End of life care and comfort, and emotional support to families

Aug 2017 – July 2018 | Stone Rehabilitation and Assisted Living, Newton, Massachusetts
Registered Nurse, Sub-Acute Care/Rehabilitation Unit

• Nursing Skills
o Executed nursing interventions that met the physical, psychological, social rehabilitation, admission and discharge needs of the patients
• Leadership Skills
o Supervised and evaluated care provided by clinical nursing assistants (CNAs)
• Emergency Management Skills
o Rapid Response and code teams
o End of life care and comfort (authorized RN pronouncement of death), and emotional support to families

Aug 2012 – July 2015 | Northern Lights Venture, Newton, Massachusetts
Sole Proprietor

• Business Service Skills
o Provided healthcare transcription and writing services associated with clinical expertise interviews and healthcare consultant projects. Main client: Health Care Strategic Consulting Group in CA
o All aspects of owning personal business: accounting, invoicing, reporting, marketing
Aug 2003 – Oct 2010 | Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
Senior Research Administrator, Gastroenterology Division

• Business Development and Financial and Personnel Management Skills
o Served as interim Administrative Director Jan-Mar 2008
 Supervised administrative assistants, laboratory managers, research assistants, technicians, and postdoctoral fellows for Gastroenterology Division.
 Personnel management skills: interviewing, hiring, training, and releasing employees. Advocated and mediated employee resolutions between managers and staff
o Managed and improved financial transparency of research and discretionary accounts for Gastroenterology Division
o Created budgets for clinical studies and grant submissions
o Negotiated budgets directly with pharmaceutical sponsors
o Involved directly with creation of Fiscal Year Divisional budgets for hospital and physician group. Forecasted expenses for Division
o Performed additional position as consultant for Pulmonary Division
• Grant Funding and Writing Skills
o Successfully co-wrote for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded training program grant applications (for two competing renewals)
o Provided technical writing support to principal investigators with grant applications
• Legal, Ethical and Compliance Skills
o Supervised grant and contract compliance with federal and IRB regulations and hospital policies
o Participated in routine A-133 federal audits with principal investigators possessing NIH funded research projects
• Research Skills
o In conjunction with Master of Science thesis project, served as co-investigator in the creation and development of a cross-sectional, descriptive questionnaire study
 Self-efficacy factors that affect non-compliance with surveillance colonoscopies among Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients
 Research project skills: created study protocol and questionnaires, case report forms and source documents, recruited and enrolled subjects, contributed and submitted initial applications, amendments, and continuing reviews to Investigational Ethical Review Board (IRB), analyzed results, wrote and/or edited abstracts/manuscripts, created poster presentations. From results, designed and wrote next grant research project application, which received funding from pharmaceutical support.
o Presented two posters at National ACG conference and wrote next generation funded grant

March 2002 – Sept 2003 | Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
Senior Research Administrator, Divisions of Hematology/Oncology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases

• Business Development, Financial Management Skills
o Managed research and discretionary accounts in excess of $3.3 million.
o Increased research funding in excess of $1 million for clinical research studies through negotiations with pharmaceutical sponsors
o Created budgets for all types of research: grant submissions, pharmaceutical sponsored and investigator–initiated clinical studies
o Directly negotiated with pharmaceutical companies all clinical study budgets
o Performed cost analysis for Divisions and research projects as needed
• Technical Legal Contractual and Research Project Writing Skills
o With legal department, supported in writing of technical legal contract language writing and budget negotiations
o Provided financial and technical writing support to principal investigators with grant research applications and research funded protocols

Jan 2000 – Nov 2001 | Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Health Services Research and Development Intern, Receipt of High-Performance Award

• Research Skills
o Managed research project to assess the financial impact, return on investment and effectiveness of VA policy on budgetary allocation for rehabilitating homeless veteran programs
o Assisted in writing of paper and abstract for publication
o Analyzed electronic medical records to obtain cost data for inpatient/outpatient services and associated ICD-9 codes
o Created access database of 360 study subjects to analyze health care utilization cost results, length of stays, patient demographic and common co-morbidities
• Educational Course Development Skills
o Directed the development of basic computer-training courses for rehabilitating homeless veterans
 Curriculum design and development, recruitment of instructors and obtaining equipment resources for course

July 1995 – July 1999 | Roche Bioscience, Palo Alto, California
Research Associate II, Biology, Inflammation and Immunomodulation Pharmacology

• Business Development Skills
o Participated in the process of candidate compounds selection for Investigational New Drug (IND) FDA application submission
• Research Skills
o Organized autonomously and implemented all aspects of research studies and designed new experimental protocols

Education and Certifications

• University of Trier, Department of Behavioural Medicine and Principles of Human Biology for the Health Sciences, Germany
o Doctoral Student in Nursing Sciences, focus on cybersecurity, cognitive and behavioural psychology, human factors (Sept 2023-present)
 Advisors: Prof. Dr. Stefan M. Schulz, Prof. Dr. Stefan Sütterlin, Dr. Torvald F. Ask
o Doctoral Research Project: Patient Informed Consent, Ethical and Legal Implications in the Context of Digital Vulnerability with Smart, Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices

• Simmons University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
o Bachelor of Science in Nursing (May 2017)
 Magna Cum Laude, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society Member
o Clinical Practice Experiences: Bone Marrow Transplant, Medical/Surgical for Adults and Pediatrics, Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Labor and Delivery and Postpartum Units, Assisted Living and Dementia Unit; and Cardiac Telemetry Unit
o Senior Capstone Experience: Dedicated Education Unit/Cardiac Telemetry Unit, Boston Veterans Affairs Medical Center, West Roxbury, Massachusetts
o Certifications: Root Cause and Systems Analysis, Preparing and Responding to Emergencies and Disasters, End of Life Care

• Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
o Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (Sept 2008)
o Masters Thesis: Using a Self-Efficacy Model to Understand Non-adherence to Surveillance Colonoscopies Among Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
o Master of Public Health, Health Policy and Management (May 2001)
o Masters Thesis: Analysis of Outpatient Expenditures for Homeless Veterans in a Rehabilitation Program

• University of California, Davis, California, United States
o Bachelor of Science, Physiology (June 1995)

Publications
1. Zehnder, E, Torgersen, L, Ask, T, Knox, B, Morgenstern, H, Gaiser J, Naudet, Y, Garcia Perez, A, Stahl, C. (June 2024) Digital Twins and Extended Reality for tailoring better adapted cybersecurity trainings in Critical Infrastructure. Conference proceeding (ID:2531) under thematic area, Augmented Cognition. Human Computer Interaction International 2024. Digital Twins and Extended Reality for Tailoring Better Adapted Cybersecurity Trainings in Critical Infrastructures | SpringerLink.
2. Torgersen LNS, Schulz SM, Lugo RG, Sütterlin S. (May 2024) Patient informed consent, ethical and legal considerations in the context of digital vulnerability with smart, cardiac implantable electronic devices. PLOS Digital Health 3(5): e0000507. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0000507.
3. K Parish, R Warnatsch, L Torgersen, R Lugo. A Pilot Feasibility Study on The Use of Virtual Reality Simulation Training for Parent-Teacher Consultations to Enhance Self-Efficacy in Pre-Service Teachers. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators. April 2024. 13(1):29-47. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators » Submission » A Pilot Feasibility Study on The Use of Virtual Reality Simulation Training for Parent-Teacher Consultations to Enhance Self-Efficacy in Pre-Service Teachers (dergipark.org.tr).
4. Torgersen, L.N.S., Whitaker, R.E.D., Lugo, R.G., Sütterlin, S., Schulz, S.M. (2023). Heightened Cyber Vulnerability to Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices. In: Stephanidis, C., Antona, M., Ntoa, S., Salvendy, G. (eds) HCI International 2023 Posters. HCII 2023. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1832. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35989-7_66
5. Friedman S. MD, Cheifitz A. MD, Farraye F. MD, Banks P. MD, Makrauer F.L. MD, Burakoff R., MD Farmer B. BA, Torgersen L.N. MPH, Wahl K.E. MFA. High self-efficacy predicts adherence to surveillance colonoscopy in
inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), Volume 20, Issue 9, 1 Sept 2014. Published 16 July 2014. PMID:25033161. https://doi.org/10.1097/MIB.0000000000000125.
6. Friedman S. MD, Cheifitz A. MD, Farraye F. MD, Banks P. MD, Makrauer F.L. MD, Burakoff R., MD Farmer B. BA, Torgersen L.N. MSc, Wahl K.E. MFA. Factors that affect adherence to surveillance colonoscopy in patients with
inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), Volume 19, Issue 3, 1 March 2013. Published 06 Feb 2013. PMID 23429444. https://doi.org/10.1097/MIB.0b013e3182802a3c
7. Friedman S. MD, Cheifitz A. MD, Farraye F. MD, Banks P. MD, Makrauer F.L. MD, Burakoff R., MD Farmer B. BA, Torgersen L.N. MPH, MS, Wahl K.E. MFA. Doctor message can alter patients’ behavior and attitudes regarding inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), Volume 18, Issue 8, 1 Aug 2012. Published 16 Sept 2011. PMID:21928374. https://doi.org/10.1002/ibd.21861.

Peer Reviewer - Journals
1. PLOS Digital Health

Oral, Virtual and Poster Presentations
1. Torgersen L, Whitaker RED, Lugo RG, Sütterlin, S. Cyber Vulnerability With Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices: Ethical, Legal, and Patient Informed Consent Considerations (confex.com).Virtual Presentation accepted for Sigma’s 34th International Nursing Research Congress. 2-4 August 2023 Virtual program.
2. Torgersen L, Whitaker RED, Lugo RG, Sütterlin, S, Schulz, SM. Heightened Cyber Vulnerability to Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices | SpringerLink, Poster Presentation, HCI International 2023, 23-28 July 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
3. Torgersen L, Whitaker RED, Lugo RG, Sütterlin, S, Schulz, SM. Increased Cyber Vulnerability and Need for Cyber Risk Transparency in the Informed Consent for Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices, Poster Presentation, 8-10 June 2023, 28th Nordic-Baltic Congress of Cardiology in Reykjavik, Iceland
4. Torgersen L, Cheifitz A., Farraye F, Friedman S. How do IBD Patients get their Information? A look at IBD information resources and perception of doctor message in patients with extensive Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2008, American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), SI 214, pg A-203. https://www.academia.edu/download/45816979/s0016-5085_2808_2960936-120160520-14953-1wpfpy0.pdf
5. Friedman S., Torgersen L., Cheifitz A., Farraye F., Do Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Worry about their Risk of Colon Cancer? A Study of Patients’ Perception of Their Own Colon Cancer Risk. American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Poster Presentation, Oct 2007, Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA.
6. Friedman S., Torgersen L., Cheifitz A., Farraye F. Non-Adherence to Surveillance Colonoscopy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Assessing the Risk. American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Poster Presentation, Oct 2007, Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA.
7. Hitzl, L.N., Phillips, V., Mozley, J.R., Sternberg, M.R., Perreault, R.A., Aguayo, S.M., (2001). Analysis of Outpatient Expenditures for Homeless Veterans in a Rehabilitation Program: Implications for the VA Equitable Resources Allocation (VERA) Model. American Public Health Association (APHA) Abstract# 29918, October 23, 2001. Medical Care Poster Session I: Accepted presentation at the 129th APHA Annual Meeting, October 2001. https://apha.confex.com/apha/129am/techprogram/paper_29918.htm

Invited Guest Lecturer
1. University of Trier, Interdisciplinary Care Lecture Series associated with the M.Sc. program in Interprofessional Health Care in Nursing (Master Nursing Students), 29 Nov 2023. Integrating Nursing Science, Evidence-Based Nursing and Digital Health: The Future of Nursing.
2. Catholic University of Applied Sciences, International Interdisciplinary Lecture Series (Bachelors Nursing Students), 28 Nov 2023. Integrating Nursing Science, Evidence-Based Nursing and Digital Health: The Future of Nursing.
3. Children’s International School Fredrikstad, Science and laboratory class for 8th grade students. Lecture on Muscles, Joints, Ligaments and Tendons followed by hands-on dissection experiment with middle school students, 20 Oct 2023.
4. University of Trier, Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Health Care Lecture Series (Master Nursing Students), 28 Nov 2022. Patient Informed Consent, Ethical and Legal Considerations in the Context of Digital Vulnerability with Smart, Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices. Co-lectured with Prof. Dr. Stefan Sütterlin

Scientific Assessor for Children’s International School
1. Assessor for Science Fair at Children’s International School Fredrikstad, 6 March 2024.

Referenced in Acknowledgements of Published Articles and Dissertations
1. Anders Dechsling, Doctoral Dissertation: A virtual reality intervention for children with autism, Special Education, Oslo Metropolitan University. Acknowledged for editing of dissertation.
2. Therese Fostervold Mathisen, Christine Sundgot-Borgen, Beate Anstensrud, Jorunn Sundgot-Borgen (2022). Intervention in Dance Students to Increase Mental Health-and Nutrition Literacy. A Controlled Trial with Follow Up. Front. Sports Act. Living Sec. Movement Science and Sport Psychology, Vol 4, 21 Sept 2022
https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.727048. Acknowledged for writing support with manuscript. Frontiers | Intervention in professional dance students to increase mental health- and nutrition literacy: A controlled trial with follow up (frontiersin.org)
3. Børtveit, Line; Dechsling, Anders; Sütterlin, Stefan; Nordgreen, Tine & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2022). Guided internet-delivered treatment for depression: A scoping review. JMIR Ment Health 2022;9(10):e37342. JMIR Ment Health 2022;9(10):e37342. Acknowledged for writing support with manuscript. doi: 10.2196/37342 PMID: 36194467
4. Gabarron E, Dechsling A, Skafle I, Nordahl-Hansen A. Discussions of Asperger Syndrome on Social Media: Content and Sentiment Analysis on Twitter. JMIR Form Res 2022;6(3):e32752
doi: 10.2196/32752 PMID: 35254265. Acknowledged for writing support with manuscript.
5. McAlindon, T., Formica, M., Kabbara, K., LaValley, M., Lehmer, M. Conducting clinical trials over the internet: feasibility study. The British Medical Journal (BMJ), Volume 327, page 484, 30 Aug 2003. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7413.484 Acknowledged for performing cost computations for the study.