The Gerontological Society of America congratulates 2021 awardees

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the country’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — is proud to acknowledge the work of 26 outstanding individuals through its prestigious awards program.

GSA salutes outstanding research, recognizes distinguished leadership in teaching and service, and fosters new ideas through a host of awards. Nominated by their peers, the recipients’ achievements serve as milestones in the history and development of gerontology.

The award presentations will take place at GSA’s 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 10 to 14 in Phoenix, Arizona. This conference is organized to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners who specialize in the study of the aging process. Visit

http://www.

gsa2021.

org

for further details.

Society-Wide

Donald P. Kent Award

Recipient: Luigi Ferrucci, MD, PhD, FGSA, of the National Institute on Aging

This award is given annually to a GSA member who best exemplifies the highest standards for professional leadership in gerontology through teaching, service, and interpretation of gerontology to the larger society.

Robert W. Kleemeier Award

Recipient: Kenneth F. Ferraro, PhD, FGSA, of Purdue University

This award is given annually to a GSA member in recognition for outstanding research in the field of gerontology.

James Jackson Outstanding Mentorship Award

Recipient: Robert J. Taylor, MSW, PhD, FGSA, of the University of Michigan

This award recognizes outstanding commitment and dedication to mentoring minority researchers in the field of aging.

Margret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation Award

Recipient: Laura B. Zahodne, PhD, of the University of Michigan

This award acknowledges outstanding early career contributions in behavioral and social gerontology. This award is given by GSA in conjunction with the Margaret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation.

M. Powell Lawton Award

Recipient: David L. Roth, PhD, FGSA, of Johns Hopkins University

This award honors contributions from applied gerontological research that have benefited older people and their care. This award is sponsored by the Abramson Senior Care’s Polisher Research Institute.

Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Aging

Recipient: Namkee G. Choi, PhD, FGSA, of the University of Texas at Austin

This award recognizes instances of practice informed by research and analysis, research that directly improved policy or practice, and distinction in bridging the worlds of research and practice. This award is funded by the New York Community Trust through a generous gift from the Maxwell A. Pollack Fund.

Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award

Recipients: Kathy H. Bowles, PhD, FAAN, FACMI, of the University of Pennsylvania; Nancy A. Hodgson, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, of the University of Pennsylvania

This award is presented to a GSA member who has a record of outstanding and sustained contribution to geriatric nursing research.

Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education

Hiram J. Friedsam Mentorship Award

Recipient: Pamela Elfenbein, MSW, PhD, FAGHE, HS-BCP, of the University of North Georgia

This award recognizes individuals who have contributed to gerontological and/or geriatrics education through excellence in mentorship to students, faculty, and administrators.

Student Leadership Award

Recipient: Lauren M. Bouchard, MS, of Concordia University Chicago

This award recognizes students whose leadership has advanced the goals and mission of AGHE as well as the respective goals of their AGHE-affiliated institutions.

David A. Peterson Award

Recipients: Julie B. Miller, MSW, PhD, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Carley Ward, MA, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Chaiwoo Lee, PhD, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Lisa D’Ambrosio, PhD, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Joseph F. Coughlin, PhD, FGSA, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology

For the article “Sharing is Caring: The Potential of the Sharing Economy to Support Aging in Place”

This award honors excellence in scholarship in academic gerontology and/or geriatrics for an article in a volume of Gerontology & Geriatrics Education.

Behavioral and Social Sciences Section

Distinguished Career Contribution to Gerontology Award

Recipient: Richard Schulz, PhD, FGSA, of the University of Pittsburgh

This award recognizes career contributions that have articulated a novel theoretical or methodological perspective or synthesis that addresses a significant problem in the literature.

Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award

Recipient: Margie E. Lachman, PhD, FGSA, of Brandeis University

This award is given to an individual who has fostered excellence in, and had a major impact on, the field by virtue of their mentoring, and whose inspiration is sought by students and colleagues.

Richard Kalish Innovative Publication Award

Recipient: Sandra Torres, PhD, FGSA, of Uppsala University

For the book “Ethnicity and Old Age: Expanding our Imagination”

Recipients: Hans-Werner Wahl, PhD, FGSA, of Heidelberg University; Manfred Diehl, PhD, FGSA, of Colorado State University

For the book “The Psychology of Later Life: A Contextual Perspective”

Recipient: Stephanie J. Wilson, PhD, of Southern Methodist University

For the article “Spousal Bereavement After Dementia Caregiving: A Turning Point for Immune Health”

This award recognizes insightful and innovative publications on aging and life course development in the behavioral and social sciences in two categories: (1) Book Category and (2) Article Category.

Biological Sciences Section

Nathan Shock New Investigator Award

Recipient: Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD, of the University of Southern California

This award recognizes outstanding contributions to new knowledge about aging through basic biological research.

Health Sciences Section

Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award

Recipient: Gregory E. Hicks, MPT, PhD, of the University of Delaware

This award acknowledges outstanding contributions in the field of rehabilitation of aging persons.

Joseph T. Freeman Award

Recipient: Pamela Z. Cacchione, PhD, CRNP, BC, FGSA, FAAN, of the University of Pennsylvania

This award acknowledges a prominent clinician in the field of aging, both in research and practice.

Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section

Barbara J. Berkman Award for Outstanding Interdisciplinary Research, Practice, or Policy in Aging and Health Care

Recipient: Susan Lane Hughes, MS, PhD, FGSA, of the University of Illinois at Chicago

This award acknowledges many years of significant and substantive career contributions to research, practice and policy in aging and health care services.

Elaine M. Brody SRPP Thought Leader Award

Recipient: Larry Polivka, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, of Florida State University

This award acknowledges outstanding career contributions in social research, policy, and practice.

Carroll L. Estes SRPP Rising Star Award

Recipient: Kyeongmo Kim, MSW, PhD, of Virginia Commonwealth University

This award acknowledges outstanding early career contributions in social research, policy, and practice.

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The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society — and its 5,500+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA’s structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society, and an educational section, the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education.