May 11, 2012

Congratulations to Daniel K. Mroczek, PhD, newly named the Bill and Sally Hanley Professor of Gerontology in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies.

Mroczek has been a professor of human development and family studies since he came to Purdue in 2005. Before that he was on the faculty as an assistant and associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Fordham University.

His academic interests are changes in personality and well-being, particularly during midlife and older adulthood. He has shown that factors such as marriage, divorce, remarriage and death of a spouse play a key role in altering personality.

He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association in the adult development and aging division, and he also served on the social personality and interpersonal processes study section at the National Institutes of Health.

Mroczek received his bachelor's degree from Loyola University in Chicago and his master's degree and doctorate from Boston University.

November 28, 2011

Pictured here with some of his mentees are (from left to right): Jessica Kelley-Moore (PhD, Purdue, C' 2002), Roland J. Thorpe, Jr. (PhD, Purdue, C' 2004), Patricia Morton (Purdue graduate student), Ferraro, Tetyana Pylypiv Shippee (PhD, Purdue, C' 2008), and Janet Wilmoth (Purdue faculty, 1995-2002).

Ken Ferraro receives the Distinguished Mentor Award from the Gerontological Society of America

The Gerontological Society of America — the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — at the 2011 annual meeting in Boston.

At Purdue University, Ferraro is Distinguished Professor of Sociology and founding director of the Center on Aging and the Life Course. His recent research focuses on health inequality over the life course; current projects examine minority health, obesity and health, and the long term consequences of childhood misfortune on health. Ferraro is the author of over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles.

According to GSA, the Distinguished Mentor Award is given to individuals "who have not only fostered excellence in the field, but have made a major impact by virtue of their mentoring, and whose inspiration is sought by students and colleagues."

August 22, 2011

CALC Launches Facebook Page

Stay current with the news of the Center on Aging and the Life Course. CALC launched our facebook page this summer, as a way to communicate quickly and effectively with our interested students, faculty, and community. Let us know what you think and send links you would like to have added to: calc@purdue.edu.

August 11, 2011

Swiss Scholar Visits CALC

Dario Spini, a behavioral scientist at the University of Lausanne, recently visited Purdue’s Center on Aging and the Life Course to explore collaborative training opportunities. Dr. Spini studies aging and the life course, with specific interests on the antecedents of frailty and the sense of timing as people age.

Professor Spini directs PRN LIVES, which aims to better understand the emergence and evolution of life course vulnerability and ways to overcome it (http://lives-nccr.ch/). The project places a premium on studying life trajectories, especially those over the entirety of the life course. Biographical trajectories of some 25,000 people will be studied in various fields (health, family, labor and institutions).

Purdue was one of four North American centers that Spini visited to learn more about life course studies.

August 2, 2011

Ferraro Elected Section Chair of Gerontological Society of America

Kenneth Ferraro, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center on Aging and the Life Course, was recently elected Chair of the Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS) of the Gerontological Society of America. With a membership of nearly 3,000, BSS is the largest section of the GSA, which was founded in 1945.

In discussing the professional organization, Ferraro noted that it "provides an excellent intellectual home for scholars to reach beyond their disciplinary backgrounds to explore what it means to be a gerontologist."

Since receiving his PhD in sociology in 1981, Ferraro has held appointments in sociology departments and twice founded and directed gerontology centers. Professor Ferraro recently completed a 4-year term as Editor of the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences and previously served as Chair of the American Sociological Association's Section on Aging and the Life Course (2004-2005). His research interests include life course health, especially health disparities, and the development of cumulative inequality theory. He is the author of over 80 refereed-journal articles. Recent publications include: "Aging and Cumulative Inequality: How Does Inequality Get Under the Skin?" (The Gerontologist), "Assistive Device Use as a Dynamic Acquisition Process in Later Life" (The Gerontologist), and "Children of Misfortune: Early Adversity and Cumulative Inequality in Perceived Life Trajectories" (American Journal of Sociology).

May 31st, 2011

Research Awards Received by Faculty Associates

Edward L. Bartlett, biomedical engineering, from American
Federation for Aging Research, "A Comparison of Auditory Temporal Processing Assessed Non-Invasively in Aged vs. Young Rats." $73,500.

John A. Christian, comparative pathobiology, from Dennis B & Janice L Denicola, "Cytology Resource Center." $1,000.

John A. Christian, comparative pathobiology, from SE Michigan Veterinary Medicine Assoc., "Cytology Resource Center." $2,550.

John A. Christian, comparative pathobiology, from Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, "Cytology Resource Center." $3,525.

John A. Christian, comparative pathobiology, from IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., "Cytology Resource Center." $3,000.

Nancy E. Edwards, nursing, from PHS-HRSA National Center for Health Services Research, "Rural Advanced Practice Nursing: Post BSN to MS/DNP." $307,803.

Stephen J. Elliott, industrial technology, from U.S. Department of Homeland Security, "Enhancing High Fidelity Ten Print Capture for Department of Homeland Security Applications." $86,734.

Kenneth F. Ferraro, Daniel K. Mroczek, and Sarah A.Mustillo, sociology, child development & family studies, from PHS-NIH National Institute on Aging, "Enduring Eff ects of Early Adversity on Adult Health." $262,786.

Kenneth F. Ferraro, and Markus H. Schafer, sociology, from National Science Foundation, "Doctoral Dissertation Research: Does Health Divide? Social Networks and Emergent Social Boundaries in a Retirement Community." $3,450.

James C. Fleet, and Min Zhang, foods & nutrition, statistics, from National Institutes of Health, "Diet by Gene Interactions Aff ecting Calcium and Bone Metabolism." $375,407.

James C. Fleet, foods & nutrition, from Purdue Research Foundation: SIRG, "Vitamin D Status & Prostate Cancer." $16,795.

James C. Fleet, foods & nutrition, from PHS-NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, "Intestinal Calcium Absorption: Molecular Mechanism." $289,391.

Melissa M. Franks, Jakob Jensen, Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, Carol J. Boushey, and Connie M. Weaver, child development & family studies, communication, consumer & family sciences, foods & nutrition, from PHS-NIH National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, "Emerging Research on Families and Health." $6,000.

Melissa M. Franks, child development & family studies, from Kent State University, "Mind-Body Interactions in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes." $96,029.

Harm Hogenesch, veterinary medicine administration, from Jackson Laboratory, "CPDM: Cloning a Gene that Regulates Eosinopil, Amendment 3." $51,410.

Jessica E. Huber, Kirk S. Foster, and James T. Jones, speech, language & hearing sciences, biomedical engineering, from AMIPurdue, "Hypophonia Th erapy Device SFA." $60,082.

Amy R. Mobley, foods & nutrition, from Indiana State Department of Health, "Indiana’s Food for the Hungry." $77,000.

Michael D. Murray, pharmacy practice, from Regenstrief Institute Inc, "RCHIR Project." $61,785.

Michael D. Murray, pharmacy practice, from University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, "Health Literacy and Aging: A Process- Knowledge Approach." $77,808.

Robert E. Novak, speech, language & hearing sciences, from National Institutes of Health, "Electrophysiological Indices of Attention in Language Processing." $365,189.

Fred E. Regnier, chemistry, from National Institutes of Health, "APT: the Analytical Proteomics Team." (a Discovery Park award — Bindley Bioscience Center) $44,592.

Fred E. Regnier, chemistry, from National Institutes of Health, "APR: the Analytical Proteomics Team." (a Discovery Park award — Bindley Bioscience Center) $45,156.

Fred E. Regnier, and Springer, John A; chemistry, computer and information technology, from National Institutes of Health, "APT: the Analytical Proteomics Team." (a Discovery Park award — Bindley Bioscience Center) $1,032,527.

Laura P. Sands, nursing, from VA Medical Center/San Francisco, "Improving Assessment of Patient Preferences in Localized Prostate Cancer." $20,000.

Laura P. Sands, nursing, from University of California - San Francisco, "Pathophysiology of Postoperative Delirium in Older Patients; Amendment 1." $46,654.

J. Jill Suitor, sociology, from PHS-NIH National Institute on Aging, "Parent Adult- Child Relations: Within Family Diff erences." $442,130.

Renee K. McKee, Charles A. Hibberd, and Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, agriculture administration, consumer & family sciences, from National Institute of Food & Agriculture, "Military Community, Family and Youth Extension Program." $6,600,314.

Shelly MacDermid Wadsworth, child development and family studies, from Science Applications International Corp., "Navy Family Diversity Project." $37,000.

Shelly MacDermid Wadsworth, child development and family studies, from Science Applications International Corp., "Navy Family Diversity Project." $70,000.

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, child development and family studies, from University of Texas at San Antonio, "Military Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers." $3,061.

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, child development and family studies, from Michigan Department of Military & Veterans Aff airs, "IPA Agreement for Shelley MacDermid-Wadsworth." $8,437.

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, child development and family studies, from National Healthy Marriage Research Center, "Fact Sheet on Infi delity in Military Service Member Marriages." $3,000.

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, and Karen E. Diamond, child development & family studies, from Zero to Th ree, "Evaluation of Coming Together Around Military Families." $553,377.

David J. Waters, veterinary clinical science, from Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation, "Activities that Support the Research and Communication Eff orts of Professor David J. Waters." $41,887.

Connie M. Weaver, Richard J. Kuhn, Carol J. Boushey, Wayne W. Campbell, Alan H. Rebar, Jon A. Story, George R. Wodicka, James F. Leary, George P. McCabe, John J. Turek, Stephen R. Byrn, Lynetta Freeman, Richard D. Mattes, Stacey L. Mobley, George E. Moore, Dorothy Teegarden, William G. Van Alstine, and Steven M.Witz, foods and nutrition, biological sciences, Offi ce of the Vice President for Research, graduate school administration, biomedical engineering, basic medical sciences, science administration, industrial and physical pharmacy, veterinary clinical sciences, comparative pathobiology, Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering, from IU School of Medicine, "Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) - Year 3 Funding." (a Discovery Park award — Bindley Bioscience Center) $806,728.

Connie M. Weaver, foods and nutrition, from Sugar Association, Inc. "Corporate Affi liates Fund." $6,000.

Connie M. Weaver, and George P. McCabe, foods and nutrition, science administration, from National Institutes of Health, "Calcium Metabolism in Mexican American Adolescents." $563,249.

Connie M. Weaver, George S. Jackson, Elsa M. Janle, and George P. McCabe; foods & nutrition, physics, statistics, from National Institutes of Health, "Bridge Funding for Purdue/UAB Botanicals Center for Age Related Diseases." $292,859.

Connie M. Weaver and Cindy H. Nakatsu, foods & nutrition, agronomy, from Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas, Inc., "SCF and Calcium Utilization in Adolescents." $344,932.

Connie M. Weaver, foods & nutrition, from University of Georgia, "Supplemental Vitamin D and Functional Outcomes in Early Adolescence, Amendment 2." $573,975.

Connie M. Weaver, and George P. McCabe, foods & nutrition, statistics, from Nestec Ltd. Research Centre, "Ca-41 Heperidin Project." $405,435.

Karen S. Yehle, and Kimberly S. Plake, nursing, pharmacy practice, from American Association of Heart Failure Nurses Inc., "Health Literacy and Medication Hassles in Informal Caregivers of Patients with Heart Failure." $1,000.

Karen S. Yehle, and Kimberly S. Plake, nursing, pharmacy practice, from Sigma Th eta Tau International, "Health Literacy, Medication Hassles, and Self-Care in Heart Failure: A Longitudinal Study." $1,000.

Min Zhang, statistics, from Indiana University, "Early Cancer Detection and Prognosis through Glycomics." $70,779.

Marietta L. Harrison, Ann C. Catlin, Dabao Zhang, Min Zhang, David S. Ebert, and Michael D. Murray, medicinal chemistry & molecular pharmacology, Rosen Center for Advanced Computing, statistics, electrical and computer engineering, pharmacy practice, from Indiana University, "Warfi ghter Cancer Care Engineering." (a Discovery Park award — Oncological Sciences Center) $1,208,307.