Behavioral and Social Sciences Section
What are the benefits of choosing this section?
The Behavioral and Social Sciences Section (BSS) is the largest membership section of The Gerontological Society of America — offering the most opportunities for meeting others in the field, finding others with similar research interests, and attending the most presentation sessions at the Annual Scientific Meeting. Members of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Section represent behavioral and social science researchers, educators, policy makers, and practitioners from many disciplines. They are interested in both aging individuals in societies as well as the societies themselves, which are increasingly made up of aged individuals. BSS members come from all over the United States and from many countries around the world.
What types of professionals affiliate with this section?
The Behavioral and Social Sciences Section has members from all social science disciplines, including economists, epidemiologists, political scientists, psychologists, sociologists, social workers, and others who study or teach about the social or psychological aspects of aging in small and large populations, in clinical settings, and in the community. BSS members study the distribution and impact of illness and disability in society, the relationships of aging individuals with their families and communities, the ways in which individuals cope with adversity in old age, programs and services for aging individuals and their families, and differences in the experiences of aging around the world.
What sort of GSA activities and networking opportunities are available to members of this section?
The BSS section offers many opportunities for researchers to network with others. BSS members organize symposia as well as and chair and provide discussions at paper, poster, and roundtable sessions at the Annual Scientific Meeting. They serve in leadership positions in BSS and in GSA committees and Interest Groups. They mentor junior colleagues and students both formally and informally, at the Annual Scientific Meeting and throughout the year. BSS is a large and friendly section that welcomes new members and is eager to facilitate new collaborations.
What opportunities are available for emerging scholars and professionals in this section?
Students, emerging scholars, and young professionals are welcome and highly valued members of BSS. BSS sponsors mentorship and research consultancy sessions at the Annual Scientific Meeting that give students and emerging professionals the chance to meet one-on-one with experienced researchers in their field. BSS offers travel scholarships to support students attending and presenting at the meeting and every year it presents two student paper awards at its annual section meeting. BSS even presents an award every year to recognize an excellent mentor.
