IGERT in Healthy Aging: LIFE in an Aging Society

Pamela Allen

I am a first year Ph.D. student in Human Development and Family Sciences with interest in understanding the processes by which individuals change their self-concepts and goal structures to cope with the losses associated with aging and adopt preventive health behaviors that preserve functioning.  I anticipate related focuses for my research to include an emphasis on the socially constructed nature of age, the impact of aging stereotypes on optimal aging, and cross-cultural and subjective perceptions of age. Other general areas of interest include philosophy of science and research methods.

Jennifer Davidson

I am a PhD student in Human-Computer Interaction at Oregon State University. My current research area is in the realm of studying how Open Source Software communities operate. Particular to the IGERT, I am interested in involving retired programmers in the development of an open source application to study health metrics. This would benefit the research community by determining how retired programmers can help and change the open source climate.

Laura Lien

I am a current Ph.D. student at Oregon State University (Department of Design and the Human Environment) studying person-environment fit and place-making, or how older adults relate, attach to, and identify with their home environments. More specifically, I am interested in how older adults define “home” and self in relation to their physical environment. My research primarily focuses on design and policy, and how a further understanding of home and sense of self concepts can contribute to better design and housing policy for older adults throughout the lifespan.

Shannon Mejía

I am a doctoral student studying Human Development and Family Sciences. The social side of aging and relationships are my area of study. Specifically, I am interested in how social networks and relationships grow with individuals across their life spans, and the interdependencies between social partners. In my research, I focus on within person processes of social support, social strain, and relationship satisfaction to understand how individuals shape their social worlds on a day to day basis, and how their efforts to form meaningful relationships, influence their quality of life and well-being in older age. I am also interested the processes by which, through meaningful relationships, individuals co-create a sense of community and place.

Ritwik Nath

I am Doctoral student in Human Development and Family Sciences at Oregon State University. I am interested in understanding how psycho-social factors may influence biomedical markers such as inflammation in older adults’ health outcomes of chronic diseases.

Kuntol Rakshit

I am a graduate student in the Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) program at OSU. My research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms behind age-related changes in the circadian system using the fruit fly as a model. I also plan to conduct functional studies using genetic manipulations to see if the amplitude of the aging clock can be enhanced and if so, would it have an impact on healthspan and longevity.

As an IGERT trainee, I would obtain interdisciplinary education with focus on molecular biology of aging, and chronobiology. Additionally, I would learn to integrate basic research at a cellular level with the field of applied gerontology that could benefit the aging human population.

Nicholas Thomas

I am beginning my second year in the Biochemistry and Biophysics PhD program at Oregon State University. I am interested in characterizing the biochemical and physiological changes in stress response that occur with aging. I work with Dr. Tory Hagen in the Linus Pauling Institute to study “Age-Essential” micronutrients and their potential ability to diminish the detriments of aging and enhance healthspan as well as lifespan

Jeff Proulx

I am a Native American scholar, National Academies Ford Fellow, and graduate student in Human Development and Family Sciences. I have experience with Native American mental health and homelessness research. My current research on the effect of neuroticism and coping on long-term stress is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging. I intend to build on my current research and work with Dr. Turner Goins to study long-term stress in Native American elder communities and the benefits of mindfulness meditation as a means to reduce stress.

Han-Jung Ko (Kokoro)

I am a graduate student in Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) program. I am interested in psychosocial and self development in aging, particularly how self-concepts could motivate behaviors, influence health and well-being and contribute to goal pursuit.