We are excited to introduce our keynote speaker for the 10th Annual Synapse Nursing Symposium, which will be held on May 28th, 2026, at St. Lawrence College – Brockville Campus, with the theme “Innovation in Nursing Education: Advancing Lifelong Learning.”
Dr. Marian Luctkar-Flude
Dr. Marian Luctkar-Flude is an Associate Professor at Queen’s University School of Nursing with over 20 years of experience in medical-surgical nursing, education, and simulation-based research. She is Co-founder and Co-President of the Canadian Alliance of Nurse Educators using Simulation (CAN-Sim) and previously served as Vice President, Research for the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL).
Dr. Luctkar-Flude has extensive expertise in high-fidelity simulation, interprofessional education, and online learning. She co-developed and teaches in Canadian Simulation Nurse Educator Certificate Program offered through the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN). In 2021, she was inducted as a Fellow of the Canadian Nurse Educator Institute (FCNEI) and received the Queen’s University Reznick Scholar in Health Professions Education Award. Additionally, she leads the CAN-Sim Research Interest Group, providing mentorship and collaboration to nurse educators engaging in simulation-based research.
Her current research focuses on virtual simulation game design and faculty development. She has received multiple national and international awards recognizing her leadership in advancing simulation-based education, including the 2019 Queen’s University Principal’s Educational Technology Award, 2019 CASN Pat Griffin Nursing Education Research Scholar Award, 2020 RNFOO Nurse Innovator Award, 2021 COUPN Award for Strategic Contribution to Nursing Education, and the 2023 SSH Virtual Simulations Award for Innovation.
Her leadership in CAN-Sim has supported global dissemination of virtual simulations addressing topics such as sexual orientation and gender identity, anti-racism, wound care, vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 care, which have been widely adopted to supplement or replace clinical experiences in nursing education worldwide.
Dr. Jane Tyerman, RN, PhD, CCSNE
Dr. Jane Tyerman, RN, PhD, CCSNE, is an Associate Professor and the Associate Director of Experiential Learning and Interprofessional Education at the University of Ottawa School of Nursing. With over 25 years of clinical practice and 15 years advancing simulation-based pedagogy, she is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in nursing education research. Her research program focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative virtual and clinical simulations, most recently integrating virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance healthcare providers’ competencies, resilience, and cultural humility. Dr. Tyerman’s research also examines how VR and virtual simulation can promote accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring equitable learning opportunities for diverse learners and patient populations. She has secured multimillion-dollar funding from major agencies, including CIHR, Health Canada, eCampus Ontario, and PHAC. She is co-founder and Co-President of the Canadian Alliance of Nurse Educators using Simulation (CAN-Sim) and helped establish and teaches in the CASN Canadian Simulation Nurse Educator Certificate Program, advancing national simulation leadership.