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Symposium

Interdisciplinary

ESPO and NIA’s Butler Williams Program: Resources and Supports to Cultivate the Fortitude Factor

Thursday, November 14, 2024
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM PST
Location: Room 2A
CE: 1.5

Aging research, education, and practice all continue to expand in their diversity across methods, scope, and reach. Navigating a career in any of one of these sectors requires many elements of fortitude – curiosity, discipline, collaboration, creativity, and resilience. The Gerontological Society of America’s Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization (ESPO) has long collaborated with the National Institute on Aging to support students, trainees, and emerging professionals in their scientific and professional development. The Butler Williams Scholars Program, hosted by the NIA’s Office of Special Populations, is an annual immersive program for advanced postdoctoral fellows and early career faculty. For many attendees, participating in this program is an opportunity to engage with Program Officers, exchange ideas among colleagues with diverse training and interests, and develop a national network of scientific and professional collaborators. This symposium features work by past Butler Williams participants, including reflections on how GSA and NIA have each helped to shape professional and research trajectories. Specifically, Dr. Matos-Moreno will discuss ongoing work around kinship structures in different migratory scenarios. Dr. Hughes will discuss a portfolio of interdisciplinary research focused on the scale and spread of health promotion programs for older adults. Dr. Dotson will discuss a career composed of diverse funding mechanisms and initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles and optimize brain health. The session will close with remarks by staff from NIA’s Office of Special Populations and other program areas.

Learning Objectives:

  • After attending this session, participants will be able to appreciate the importance of scientific network and professional development across diverse career stages.
  • After attending this session, participants will be able describe opportunities for career development available through the NIA's Butler Williams Scholars Program and GSA's Emerging Scholars and Professionals Organization.

Presentations:

  • 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM PST
    Building an Interdisciplinary Career to Advance Health Promotion for Healthy Aging

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Jaime M. Hughes, PhD, MPH, MSW (she/her/hers) – Wake Forest University School of Medicine

  • 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM PST
    Strategies to Age Well: Building a Creative and Impactful Career in Brain Health

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Vonetta M. Dotson, PhD – Georgia State University

  • 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM PST
    The Importance of Understanding Kinship Structures for Left Behind Older Adults in High Outmigration Contexts

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Amilcar Matos-Moreno, PhD, MPH (he/him/his) – The Pennsylvania State University