Member Spotlight
Q&A with Anthony L. Kupferschmidt, MA, from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
 |
"...share your understanding of gerontology with others and challenge ageist sentiments. Gerontology is still a field in its infancy and unfamiliar to many, and its value to our society is worth sharing..." | |
Meet Anthony. |
Q: How long have you been a GSA member?
A: I have been a member of the Canadian Association on Gerontology for many years, but I also became a Student Member of GSA in early 2006 because I felt (and still feel) strongly about being connected to professional organizations in the field of gerontology. Shortly after becoming a member, I made sure to join relevant Interest Groups. Within days, I was unexpectedly invited to present a paper in an Interest Group symposium at the Annual Meeting. The first GSA members I met through this group and in Dallas that year were incredibly constructive and supportive, not to mention welcoming of this intimidated Canadian. Having completed my MA in the last year, I have now become a Transitional Student Member.
Q: How has membership in GSA benefited you?
A: In addition to reading the journals, attending Annual Meetings and making enduring relationships through GSA, I have also been active within ESPO. I was the ESPO Representative to the GSA Membership Committee, working closely with GSA staff and taskforce members to launch the Campus Ambassadors program. I served as Campus Ambassador for Simon Fraser University (SFU) during my MA degree. I have reviewed BSS section abstracts and founded Epsilon Eta, the first Canadian chapter of Sigma Phi Omega. All of these opportunities have helped me to grow as a professional and meet new colleagues and friends.
Q: How did you get interested in the field of aging?
A: My mom worked as a nurse in a long-term care facility. As a result, I had a lot of exposure to older adults at an early age. In high school I worked as an Activation staff person in a different facility, where I was encouraged to pursue gerontology. These early experiences, when paired with the right mentors in the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University, steered me toward the study of aging at McMaster University and ultimately at SFU.
Q: Why is it important for other individuals to join GSA?
A: GSA and ESPO have so much to offer to students pursuing an interest in aging. From leadership and networking opportunities to career postings and information on available funding and cutting-edge research, GSA membership is a bargain. GSA brings together international professionals as a unit in a manner that supports the advancement of this field.
Q: What are your key responsibilities at your job?
A: I am a psychometrist and research coordinator with the Clinic for Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders at the University of British Columbia Hospital. In addition to an assessment role in clinical trials, I am active in research initiatives on early detection of frontotemporal dementia, measurement of clinically meaningful symptom change in Alzheimer disease (AD), and computerized cognitive training in mild cognitive impairment. Longitudinal follow-up also continues with spousal caregivers of persons with AD in a study of psychological resilience through the clinic that formed the foundation of my MA thesis.
I particularly enjoy the face-to-face time I spend with patients and their family members. I also have the pleasure of helping train volunteers who conduct brief cognitive tests with clinic patients. It is very rewarding to play a role in fostering an interest in aging in undergraduate students.
Q: What is your most memorable research/patient experience?
A: I have had many meaningful experiences with both patients and research participants in my current position and other memory clinic settings. However, an important early experience remains vivid and highlighted for me the importance of teamwork in this field.
I met M.B. while working in Activation. He would rub his head, attempt to get out of his wheelchair, and perseverate with shouts of “H!”. Through team meetings, a thorough understanding of his past and broken one-on-one conversations, the other facility staff and I came to understand how AD was affecting him. M.B. had been a coal miner. We believe he thought the seatbelt of his wheelchair was his tool belt and that he sought “H!”, his helmet. I’ve never known anyone more delighted to be wearing any form of hat.
Q: Do you have any tips for emerging gerontologists?
A: Be prepared to share your understanding of gerontology with others and challenge ageist sentiments. Gerontology is still a field in its infancy and unfamiliar to many, and its value to our society is worth sharing in casual conversation. Don’t just join GSA and ESPO, but be active in them by volunteering for a task force or committee (or two). Get your name on a ballot. Step out of your comfort zone and introduce yourself to that big-name professional you admire or whose work you follow. In addition to the other multitude of ways in which you and your academic supervisor should be a good fit, seek out someone who encourages and supports a balance of service and scholarly endeavours that is right for you.
Q: Tell us a little about your most recent activities/accomplishments?
A: I value my volunteer efforts as highly as I do to my paid work. I recently shifted into the role of Immediate Past President of the CAG-ACG Student Connection - Connexion Étudiante (SC-CÉ). With the generous support of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) I organized and chaired a meeting of the International Council of Gerontology Student Organizations (ICGSO), a standing committee of the IAGG, at the IAGG 2009 World Congress in Paris. At this meeting, I had the great privilege of being voted to serve as Acting President of an interim executive committee to oversee the development of a formal structure for the ICGSO.
Q: Have you had an important mentor in your career? If so, how did it make a difference?
A: I have benefitted from the mentorship and wisdom of multiple clinicians, researchers and peers over the past decade. I have learned much about the kind of professional I want to become from my experiences with supervisors and colleagues.
One particular recent influence is worth noting. Having studied in the Department of Gerontology at SFU here in Vancouver, I had the good fortune to meet and get to know Dr. Gloria Gutman, Past President of the IAGG. Gloria has been and continues to be a strong leader and force in the field of gerontology both in Canada and abroad. I soon saw the potential in working with fellow students and recent graduates around the globe to help build the ICGSO, an initiative from her time as IAGG President. Her insights and encouragement have been invaluable. As any good mentor should, she has helped guide without showing the way.
