CEO Blog

I’d like to introduce you to GSA’s newest workgroup, the members of which are guiding the Society’s efforts to nurture more age-inclusive higher education environments. This topic has been a priority area since GSA’s Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education section endorsed the 10 principles of the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Global Network. We’ve been spreading the word nationwide ever since, supported by meeting presentations, publications, and webinars.

The workgroup is chaired by Joann Montepare and its roster includes members Carrie Andreoletti, Elizabeth Bergman, Marilyn Gugliucci, Judy Howe, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Michelle Porter, John Schumacher, and Nina Silverstein. We welcomed everyone to GSA headquarters for a kickoff meeting in late January.

The National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) convenes three times annually. NACA plays many roles. It reviews new proposed concept clearances, reviews applications for grants and cooperative agreements for research and training, and recommends approval of applications for projects that show promise, along with other duties. The next meeting is January 21 and 22.

The GSA meetings team just completed a wonderful site visit to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the host city for the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting, taking place November 4 to 8. We toured the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, which will serve as the headquarters hotel. This is in central location, meaning attendees will be able to take advantage of a thriving restaurant scene and explore historic Reading Terminal Market.

Bill Gates’ well-known quote, “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten,” is a useful reminder to the aging research, practice and education communities as we collectively march into the World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed Decade of Healthy Aging (2020-2030).

There are a lot of reasons to be excited about GSA’s upcoming Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston. People are eager to attend and share in the advancement of aging research. We’ve already got more than 3,000 pre-registrants, with many more expected. This year, GSA received a total of 4,395 abstract submissions (including individual symposium abstracts) — a 21 percent increase from the 3,612 received in 2016! Submissions were received from 45 countries, with the majority coming from the U.S., Canada, Japan, China, and the U.K.