Nelson made contributions to the area of universal algebra with applications to theoretical computer science.
She, along with Cecilia Krieger, is the namesake of the Krieger–Nelson Prize, awarded by the Canadian Mathematical Society for outstanding research by a female mathematician.
She succeeded in having her thesis work published in the Canadian Journal of Mathematics, also in 1967; the article was entitled "Finiteness of semigroups of operators in universal algebra".
[3] Serving as chair of the Unit of Computer Science at McMaster from 1982 until 1984, Nelson became a full professor in 1983.
[3] Nelson is the namesake, along with Cecilia Krieger, of the Krieger–Nelson Prize, which is awarded to a female mathematician in recognition of outstanding achievement.