The mission of the Purdue University Center on Aging and the Life Course is to promote aging-related interdisciplinary research and education at Purdue University that enhances quality of life. We seek to generate, integrate, disseminate, and apply gerontological knowledge that addresses complex life course topics.
Purdue University has offered courses related to aging at the undergraduate and graduate levels for over 20 years. In addition, Purdue faculty have acquired research grants from numerous federal and private foundations to support their research during the past two decades (e.g., National Institute on Aging, AARP Andrus Foundation, Retirement Research Foundation).
Purdue established the Center for Research on Aging in April, 1985, under the leadership of Vice President for Research Struther Arnott with Robert Eichhorn, Professor of Sociology, as Director. This Center was transformed into the Gerontology Program 10 years later, with Kenneth Ferraro as Director. The Gerontology Program has experienced considerable success since its founding in 1996, and the Center on Aging and the Life Course represents a new stage in the evolution of interdisciplinary research and education on aging at Purdue University. The focus of the Center on Aging and the Life Course (CALC) is discovery. Dr. Ken Ferraro, Professor of Sociology, has been named Director of the Center. Dr. David Waters, Professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, serves as its Associate Director.
The Gerontology Program will continue, but is being transformed into the educational arm of the Center. Dr. Gerry Hyner, Professor of Health Promotion, was named Director of the Gerontology Program and will have full responsibility related to educational matters, including curriculum, degree and minor offerings, and student advising. Two associate directors were added in 1998. Three faculty currently share the leadership of the Center on Aging and the Life Course.