Duke Han Chosen as GSA’s Next Psychological Sciences Editor

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — has named S. Duke Han, PhD, ABPP-CN, of the University of Southern California as the next editor-in-chief of the psychological sciences section of The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, effective January 2024.

“I am truly honored to serve in the role of editor-in-chief for this peer-reviewed publication, which has become one of the most prestigious journals in the world given the importance of psychological issues in aging,” Han said. “The preeminence of the journal has grown immensely due to the herculean efforts of its previous editors and contributors, and I look forward to working alongside the editorial board and staff to continue the journal’s growth into the future with a mindset towards interdisciplinary, innovative, and inclusive approaches.”

The Journals of Gerontology, Series B is published by Oxford Journals on behalf of GSA. Its psychological sciences section publishes peer-reviewed articles on development in adulthood and old age that advance the psychological science of aging processes and outcomes. These studies have clear implications for theoretical or methodological innovation in the psychology of aging or contribute significantly to the empirical understanding of psychological processes and aging.

The journal, with an all-time high impact factor of 6.2, is currently ranked fifth in the gerontology category of the Web of Science Social Science Citation Index.

“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Dr. Han, an internationally renowned professor who has led a highly productive career and mentored many scholars in the field of gerontology,” said Elham Mahmoudi, PhD, the chair of GSA’s Program, Publications, and Products Committee. “He has dedicated his career to improving the quality of life, well-being, and independence of older adults. His work also has frequently been featured in highly influential media outlets.”

At the University of Southern California, Han is the director of the Neuropsychology Division in Family Medicine and a tenured professor of family medicine, neurology, psychology, and gerontology at the Keck School of Medicine. His work focuses on factors that affect cognition and decision making in aging. He also has special interests in leveraging novel empirical approaches to better understand these factors, and in the advocacy of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion considerations in aging and neuroscience research. He is the primary investigator or co-investigator on multiple research grants extramurally funded by the National Institutes of Health and private foundations, and he was the recipient of the prestigious Paul B. Beeson fellowship, which is considered the premiere career development award of the National Institute on Aging

Han is a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Neuropsychology, and a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the National Academy of Neuropsychology. He also is a founding governance committee member of the Global Council on Brain Health, a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and the American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Neuropsychological Test Norming in Diverse Populations.

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The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences is a peer-reviewed publication of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), 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.

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