The Gerontological Society of America Congratulates New 2022 Awardees
| For Immediate Release | Contact: Todd Kluss | 
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 34 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 awardees were honored at various events associated with the GSA 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting, which was held from November 2 to 6 in Indianapolis, Indiana. This conference is organized to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners who specialize in the study of the aging process.
Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education
Student Leadership Award
Erta Cenko, MSPH
 University of Florida
 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 their institution.
Graduate Student Paper Award
 Renata Komalasari
 Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services
 This award recognizes excellence in scholarly work by a student at an AGHE member institution or has selected AGHE as a primary or secondary section, and who presents his or her work at the GSA Annual Meeting.
Administrative Leadership Honor
 Marla J. De Jong, PhD, RN, CCNS, FAAN
 University of Utah College of Nursing
 This award honors administrators on AGHE member campuses who have made exceptional efforts in support of gerontology and/or geriatrics education.
Mildred M. Seltzer Distinguished Service Honor
 Margaret A. Perkinson, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, FSfAA
 Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology
 This honor is presented annually to recognize colleagues who are near retirement or recently retired.                      
Part Time/Adjunct Faculty Honor
 Josh Johnson
 University of Southern California
 This honor recognizes the efforts and dedication of part-time or adjunct faculty members for contributions to gerontology and/or geriatrics education.
Part Time/Adjunct Faculty Honor
 Joe DeMattos
 University of Maryland Baltimore County
This honor recognizes the efforts and dedication of part-time or adjunct faculty members for contributions to gerontology and/or geriatrics education. 
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Moroni D. Fernandez Cajavilca
University of Utah/New York University
This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney.
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Ke Li
 University of Pittsburgh
 This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney. 
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Chad Federwitz
 Western Colorado Community College/Pitkin County Senior Services
 This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney.
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Claire Grant
 Cleveland State University
 This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney.
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Elizabeth Handing
 Colorado State University
This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney.
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Kallol Kumar Bhattacharyya
 University of South Florida
 This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney. 
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Caroline Buse
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
 This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney.
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Amy Powell-Versteeg
 University of Utah
 This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney.
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Giuliana Casanova
 University of Aveiro
 This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney.
James McKenney Student Travel Award
 Janelle E. Fassi
 University of Massachusetts Boston
 This award advances student education on aging in memory of James McKenney.
Behavioral and Social Sciences Section
Student Research Award, Pre-Dissertation
 Eunyoung Choi, PhD
 New York University
This award honors an excellent student paper with a topic of relevance to the Behavioral and Social Sciences section of GSA. 
Student Research Award, Dissertation
 Crystal Ng
 University of Michigan
 This award honors an excellent student paper with a topic of relevance to the Behavioral and Social Sciences section of GSA.
Boaz Kahana Student Poster Award
 Christina X. Mu
 University of South Florida
This award recognizes a current BSS student member for original and innovative research relevant to mental health and aging. 
T.J. McCallum Memorial Student Registration Award
 Athena Koumoutzis       
 Miami University
 This award honors student members with a focus on caregiving or technology.
T.J. McCallum Memorial Student Registration Award
 Soonhyung Kwon
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
 This award honors student members with a focus on caregiving or technology.
Biological Sciences Section
Austin Bloch Post-Doctoral Fellow Award
 Lei Zhang
 University of Minnesota
 This award is given to recognize an outstanding paper or poster contribution by a Postdoctoral Fellow in biological sciences. 
George Sacher Award
 Bhaswati Ghosh
 Louisiana State University
 This award is given to the best student paper or poster contribution by a GSA member at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.
Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization
Douglas Holmes Award
 Xiang Qi, BS, PhD Candidate
 New York University
 This award recognizes research with potential to improve quality of life and/or quality of care in long-term care.
Interdisciplinary Paper Award
 Aparajita Sur
University of Minnesota
This award honors the best interdisciplinary research paper on a topic related to aging by a GSA student member. 
Poster Award
 Xiang Qi, BS, PhD candidate
 New York University
 This award honors exceptional posters presented by GSA student members.
Poster Award
 Alexis Reeves, MPH, PhD
 Stanford University
 This award honors exceptional posters presented by GSA student members.
Poster Award
 Elizabeth Zambrano Garza
 University of British Columbia
 This award honors exceptional posters presented by GSA student members.
Poster Award
 Peter Sun
 Washington University in St. Louis
 This award honors exceptional posters presented by GSA student members.
Poster Award
 Donncha S. Mullin, MBChB, MRCPsych
 University of Edinburgh
 This award honors exceptional posters presented by GSA student members.
Poster Award
 Julia Nolte
 Cornell University
 This award honors exceptional posters presented by GSA student members.
Minority Issues in Gerontology Committee Student Poster Award
 Xiang Qi, BS, PhD candidate
 New York University
 This award honors an exceptional poster presented by a GSA student member from an underrepresented racial and ethnic group.
Health Sciences Section
Person-In-Training Award
 Anisha Suri
 University of Pittsburgh
This award honors a student of the Health Sciences section for the best student paper at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.
Research Award
 Samaneh Farsijani
 University of Pittsburgh
 This award honors a new investigator in the Health Sciences Section.
Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section
Carroll L. Estes Rising Star Award
Jessica M. Finlay, PhD
University of Michigan
This award honors outstanding early career contributions in social research, policy, and practice.
Outstanding Student Poster Award
Taylor Jansen, PhD
University of Massachusetts Boston
This award recognizes a current SRPP student member, graduate or undergraduate, for excellence in research as reflected in an outstanding research poster presentation.
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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.



