The Gerontological Society of America Congratulates 2023 Awardees

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the country’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — is proud to acknowledge the work of 20 outstanding individuals through its prestigious awards program.

GSA salutes outstanding research, recognizes distinguished leadership in teaching and service, and fosters new ideas through a host of awards. Nominated by their peers, the recipients’ achievements serve as milestones in the history and development of gerontology.

The award presentations will take place at GSA’s 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 8 to 12 in Tampa, Florida.

Society-Wide

Donald P. Kent Award
Recipient: Kathleen Wilber, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, of the University of Southern California
This award is given annually to a GSA member who best exemplifies the highest standards for professional leadership in gerontology through teaching, service, and interpretation of gerontology to the larger society.

Robert W. Kleemeier Award
Recipient: David M. Almeida, PhD, FGSA, of The Pennsylvania State University
This award is given annually to a GSA member in recognition for outstanding research in the field of gerontology.

James Jackson Outstanding Mentorship Award
Recipient: Jacqueline L. Angel, PhD, FGSA, of The University of Texas at Austin
This award recognizes outstanding commitment and dedication to mentoring minority researchers in the field of aging.

Margret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation Award
Recipient: Reuben Ng, PhD, of the National University of Singapore
This award acknowledges outstanding early career contributions in behavioral and social gerontology. This award is given by GSA in conjunction with the Margaret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation.

Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Aging

Recipient: Bei Wu, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, of New York University
This award recognizes instances of practice informed by research and analysis, research that directly improved policy or practice, and distinction in bridging the worlds of research and practice. This award is funded by the New York Community Trust through a generous gift from the Maxwell A. Pollack Fund.

Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award
Recipient: J Taylor Harden, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, of the University of Texas at Austin
This award is presented to a GSA member who has a record of outstanding and sustained contribution to geriatric nursing research.

Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education

Clark Tibbitts Award
Recipient: Edward L. Schneider, MD, FGSA, FAGHE, of University of Southern California
This award is given to individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of gerontology and/or geriatrics education.

Hiram J. Friedsam Mentorship Award
Recipient: Harvey L. Sterns, Ph. D., FGSA, FAGHE, of The University of Akron
This award recognizes individuals who have contributed to gerontological and/or geriatrics education through excellence in mentorship to students, faculty, and administrators.

Distinguished Faculty Award
Recipient: Lisa Borrero, PhD, FAGHE, of University of Indianapolis
This award recognizes persons whose teaching stands out as exemplary, innovative, of impact, or any combination thereof.

Rising Star Early Career Faculty Award
Recipients: Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD, of University of Southern California; and Nasreen Sadeq, PhD, of University of South Florida

Student Leadership Award
Recipient: Giuliana Casanova, MSG, MSW, BA, of the University of Aveiro and University of Porto
This award recognizes a student whose leadership has advanced the goals and mission of the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) as well as the respective goals of his/her AGHE-affiliated institution.

Behavioral and Social Sciences Section

Distinguished Career Contribution to Gerontology Award
Recipient: Kenneth F. Ferraro, PhD, FGSA, of Purdue University
This award recognizes career contributions that have articulated a novel theoretical or methodological perspective or synthesis that addresses a significant problem in the literature.

Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award
Recipient: Susan T. Charles, PhD, FGSA, of the University of California, Irvine
This award is given to an individual who has fostered excellence in, and had a major impact on, the field by virtue of their mentoring, and whose inspiration is sought by students and colleagues.

Richard Kalish Innovative Publication Award
Recipient: Becca Levy, PhD, FGSA, of Yale University
For the book, “Breaking the Age Code: How Your Age Beliefs Determine How Long and Well You Live”
Recipient: Debra Umberson, PhD, FGSA, of the University of Texas
For the article, “Gender and Social Isolation Across the Life Course”
This award recognizes insightful and innovative publications on aging and life course development in the behavioral and social sciences in two categories: (1) Book Category and (2) Article Category.

Biological Sciences Section

Nathan Shock New Investigator Award
Recipient: Ming Xu, PhD, of the University of Connecticut
This award acknowledges outstanding contributions to new knowledge about aging through basic biological research.

Health Sciences Section

Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award
Recipient: Brad Manor, PhD, of Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research
This award acknowledges outstanding contributions in the field of rehabilitation of aging persons.

Joseph T. Freeman Award
Recipient: Joe Verghese, MD, FGSA, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine
This award acknowledges a prominent clinician in the field of aging, both in research and practice.

Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section

Carroll L. Estes Rising Star Award
Recipient: Sara G. Bybee, PhD, LCSW, of University of Utah
This award acknowledges outstanding early career contributions in social research, policy, and practice.

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The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society — and its 5,500+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA’s structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society.