Faculty, students, and staff from the School of Aging Studies participated in the 2023 Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Annual Scientific Meeting. Hosted in Tampa, the meeting gave faculty and students the opportunity to share their expertise in the field of gerontology.
At the meeting, faculty and students represented the School of Aging Studies, tabling at the event and sharing resources with attendees. They passed out flyers with information about the School's programs and USF branded giveaways. CBCS Dean Julie Serovich, PhD and Associate Dean of Research Howard Goldstein, PhD stopped by the booth to show their support.
Goldstein and Dobbs attend the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting.
Faculty also participated in the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Eduucation (AGHE) faculty award presentations and lectures. Assistant Professor of Instruction Nasreen Sadeq, PhD, gave a presentation titled, "In Their Own Words – How Student Responses to Open-Ended Questions Can Improve Gerontology Education." Sadeq also received the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education Rising Star Early Career Faculty Award at the GSA meeting. This award recognizes new faculty whose teaching and/or leadership stands out as impactful and innovative.
PhD student Christina Mu also presented her research, "Health Equity, Intersectionality, and Climate Change: Public Health Considerations for Research," at the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting. Her presentation was part of the policy series, "Public Health and Aging Policy: Experience of 2023 GSA Summer Policy Interns."
Research Assistant Professor Lindsay Peterson, PhD, participated in the policy series, "Doctoral Programs in Gerontology: Providing Leadership in Policy and Aging." She gave a presentation covering research guiding policy and policy guiding research in aging at USF.
Kwak presents Dobbs with an award recognizing her service to GSA.
Interim Director and Professor Debra Dobbs, PhD received a plaque for her service as chair of the GSA Social Research, Policy, and Practice (SRPP) section. The plaque was presented to her by School of Aging Studies alum Jung Kwak, an associate professor at University of Texas at Austin College of Nursing, who will be the chair of SRPP in 2024.
The team took part in the Careers in Aging Day event, held on the last day of the conference.
Lindsay Peterson, PhD, joins participants at the Careers in Aging event.
Careers in Aging Day gave students a glimpse into the wide range of careers in aging studies, with speakers and roundtable discussants that covered topics such as the day-to-day role and responsibilities of their positions, favorite and most challenging parts of their jobs, how they found the field of aging, and their lessons learned.
Jeff Johnson, the state director of the Florida AARP gave the keynote address, "Careers in Aging: There's Something for Everyone." He described his journey, which began with theology studies, then in marketing for the Tampa Bay Rays, and finally the AARP, where he says he found the job he was looking for.
The School of Aging Studies team gathers at the 2023 GSA Annual Scientific Meeting.