Interim Director Named for U.Va.'s Institute on Aging

Nov. 29, 2006 -- John Nesselroade, professor in the Department of Psychology and renowned expert in aging research, has been named interim director of the University of Virginia’s Institute on Aging.

Nesselroade is a pioneer in the field of lifespan developmental psychology—the scientific study of the psychological changes that occur with age.  Nesselroade received his Ph.D. in psychology in 1967 from the University of Illinois and went on to hold a variety of research, teaching, and administrative positions at both West Virginia University and Pennsylvania State University.  Nesselroade has also served as a visiting senior fellow with the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Education in Berlin.

In 1991, Nesselroade began his career at the University of Virginia as the Hugh Scott Hamilton Professor of Psychology.  He is founder and director of U.Va.’s Center for Developmental and Health Research Methodology, a leading training program for undergraduate through postgraduate education in quantitative research methods that relate to process and change.

“John Nesselroade has shaped the course of research in his field,” said R. Ariel Gomez, vice president for research and graduate studies.  “His dedication assures that the Institute on Aging will continue to grow and positively influence not only the University and its research in aging but also our community.”

Nesselroade has now contributed over 40 years of work to his discipline, and he continues to research, teach, and innovate.  The Gerontological Society of America awarded Nesselroade a “Distinguished Career Contribution Award” in 2003, and he has been named a fellow of a number of prestigious associations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Psychological Society, and the Society for Multivariate Experimental Psychology.

Created in 2004, the mission of the Institute on Aging is to enrich the lives of those who are old today and those who will be old tomorrow by acting as a catalyst and coordinator for interdisciplinary research, education, and service programs within the University.

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