Lead Investigator for the study is:

Dr. Patricia Hershberger, PhD, APRN, BC

Dr. Hershberger is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing and an Affiliate Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. In addition, she was recently named a BIRCWH faculty scholar. Dr. Hershberger is a registered nurse and a board-certified family nurse practitioner. As a professional, she has practiced nursing for over 10 years and has cared for women who were trying to become pregnant, were pregnant, or were experiencing labor and the birth of their child. Her formal education includes an undergraduate nursing degree from Indiana University Northwest and a master’s degree in Maternal-Child Nursing from Valparaiso University. She received her Ph.D. degree in Nursing Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan. Further information about Dr. Hershberger’s research and interests in helping women navigate novel and emerging assisted reproductive and genetic technology can be found on the University of Illinois at Chicago Nursing Faculty web page at: http://www.uic.edu/nursing/facultypages/Patricia_Hershberger.shtml

Co-Investigator’s for the study are:

Dr. Penny Pierce, PhD, RN, FAAN

Dr. Pierce is an Associate Professor and Faculty Associate at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. She received her Master of Science in Nursing degree from Yale University and completed her Ph.D. degree at the University of Michigan. Dr. Pierce has an interest in the executive functions of cognition including problem solving, decision making, reasoning and judgment. Among her many interests is a longstanding commitment to understand how women with breast cancer make complex treatment decisions. Dr. Pierce’s expertise in decision science is derived from studies of decision behavior in various health care contexts. Her work provides a useful transition in decision science research from traditional laboratory experiments of judgment and decision making to real-world decision behavior in complex and naturalistic environments. More information about Dr. Pierce and her research can be found on the University of Michigan Faculty web page at: http://www.nursing.umich.edu/faculty/pierce_penny.html

Dr. Humberto Scoccia, MD

Dr. Scoccia is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. He received his medical education from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana. Dr. Scoccia is nationally recognized for his research on the use of fertility drugs and the potential long-term side effects. He has received numerous honors and awards including the Physician Award of Excellence from Resolve, a patient support and advocacy group, and has been voted among the Best Doctors in America by peer physicians. He was also elected President of the Chicago Association of Reproductive Endocrinologist and has served as the Society for Reproductive Surgeons representative to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Practice Guidelines Committee. Dr. Scoccia is fluent in Spanish and Italian and is an active volunteer for the Fertile Hope organization. Further information about Dr. Scoccia’s expertise and the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Center that he directs can be found at: http://www.uicivf.org