Spring 2022 Transitions - GSA
Director Lichtenberg Leads Nation's Top Gerontology Organization
IOG Director Dr. Peter Lichtenberg is the 2022 president of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging. He was elected by GSA's membership of more than 5,500 researchers, educators, practitioners and other professionals. As president, Dr. Lichtenberg provides leadership for its members across a variety of current issues related to aging, and strategic planning for the organization's goals, as well as overseeing its many member committees and advisory boards. Perhaps most importantly, he sets the program theme for the GSA's 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting in November.
"It is a tremendous honor and pleasure to be the president of GSA," Dr. Lichtenberg said. "I have several goals, but chief among them will be expanding the impact of gerontology through new areas of research and promoting the value of older adults while combatting ageism."
Dr. Lichtenberg has directed the IOG since 1999 and has worked as a clinical geropsychologist, researcher, program director and national leader in gerontology for the past 34 years. He has held several leadership positions within GSA, including chair of the Behavioral and Social Sciences section, creator and head of the Gerontology Program Leader Network, and chair of the GSA Publications Committee. At Wayne State, he helped create and lead the Lifespan Cognitive Neuroscience research program, a pre-doctoral training program in urban aging and health, and for 24 years has co-directed Michigan's Urban African American Aging Center, funded by the National Institute on Aging. He created an ongoing, award-winning, community engagement program and recently led the creation of a currently $2.3 million endowment. Originally the endowment goal was $1.5 million. With the success of the endowment campaign the Board of Visitors, led by Chairman Michael Damone, raised the goal to $2.5 million.
Dr. Lichtenberg is nationally known for his work on financial decision-making, vulnerability, exploitation, and capacity in older adults. "Dr. Lichtenberg's expertise in the growing field of financial capacity assessment and financial exploitation of older adults is especially relevant given the challenges faced by families nationwide in supporting aging loved ones," said GSA CEO James Appleby, BSPharm, MPH. "The importance of this work has been further magnified by the social isolation that has accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting increase in exploitation of older adults."
In his first letter to GSA members, Dr. Lichtenberg outlined these conference themes and goals:
- "Embracing our Diversity: Diversity is found in our members' disciplinary backgrounds, and their methodological and measurement approaches. This interdisciplinary and often 'team science' approach deepens our understanding of aging across the life course. Embracing diversity also means embracing social justice.
- "Enriching our Discovery: From research on how to best care for the frailest older adults and those who give care to them, to discoveries that aim to transform the biological experience of aging, GSA continues to promote the highest quality research in our journals and in our members. There will undoubtedly be new discovery regarding the many impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- "Reimagining Aging: This theme was inspired by the realization that perceptions of older people during the pandemic were largely unflattering. For all of us, at all ages, we seek meaningful lives as we age the vision of our Society. This requires all of us to understand that each phase of life comes with opportunities and challenges, and to re-imagine our lives, push away any stigmas and instead think of possibilities."
GSA has guided the study of aging for 75 years. It was instrumental in establishing the National Institute on Aging and has helped shaped the agenda for every White House Conference on Aging. Dr. Lichtenberg is the 78th president of the GSA and the first Wayne State University faculty member to be elected president. "I hope my experiences and leadership are a testament to my commitment to growing gerontology programs and fostering environments in which colleagues and students can flourish," he said.
WSU Institute of Gerontology Profile: Peter A, Lichtenberg PhD
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