CEO Blog

Happy New Year! If one of your resolutions is to make a positive difference in people’s lives, the first new resource we’ve added to the GSA website in 2021 is an essential tool: COVID-19 vaccine information for older adults.

We recognize that our members are working with older adults and may get questions from family, friends, and colleagues about the COVID-19 vaccine. This fact sheet gives answers to common questions so that GSA members can share accurate information.

The GSA family begins 2021 mourning the loss of our friend, colleague, role model, and Board Chair Kathryn Hyer, MPP, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE.

Many of you had the opportunity to work with Kathy over her more than 30 years of active involvement in GSA. Kathy served as AGHE treasurer, SRPP Section chair, and member of the GSA Executive Committee. And she had the distinction of serving as the first GSA president under the Society’s new governance model.

GSA is offering emerging scholars the opportunity to be immersed in aging-related policy development and participate in this process at the national level! We’re now accepting applications for the 2021 cycle of the Greg O’Neill Student Policy Internship, which will be conducted remotely in the summer months. I invite you to apply or help spread the word! The application deadline is January 29.

As of January 1, GSA welcomes three new editors-in-chief to its peer-reviewed journals! I extend my congratulations to these successors who are about to embark upon four-year terms, and thank the outgoing editors for their tremendous contributions which have led to the journals’ continued growth as leading journals in the field of gerontology and associated disciplines.

To the 4,000+ researchers, clinicians and educators who’ve joined us so far for the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting Online: Thank you for making a difference.

In the middle of a pandemic, the science and insights you presented moved the field forward. You made the meeting a success and paved the way for GSA to host more online conferences for you in the future should the need arise.

The content on the meeting platform will be accessible through the end of this year. (We’re still accepting new registrations through the end of the year, too.) This new format brought a valuable alternative to in-person meetings. Chief among the benefits is the easy access to so much scholarship.