OVERVIEW

The Gerontological Society of America, the national professional association for researchers in the field of aging, fosters new ideas, recognizes leadership in gerontological teaching and service, and salutes outstanding and potential research through a host of awards.  The Society's awards program has a dual purpose--to honor outstanding leaders in the field of gerontology and to focus attention on new developments in the area of aging.  In a way, the Society's award winners serve as milestones in the history and development of gerontology.

The multidisciplinary breadth of the Society's membership is reflected in the awards given by GSA.  Whereas some awards honor outstanding achievement in gerontology irrespective of discipline, other awards are limited to members of each of the Society's four sections or disciplines--Biological Sciences; Health Sciences; Behavioral and Social Science; and Social Research, Policy, and Practice. What follows is a listing of all awards given or administered by the Society. They are of two types, Society-wide awards and Section awards. The latter are committee-reviewed by the sections of the Society.  For more information, contact Christina Leone. 

PLEASE SUBMIT ALL NOMINATIONS AND MATERIALS TO:

Awards Coordinator
The Gerontological Society of Society
1030 15^th Street, NW, Suite 250
Washington, DC 20005-1503

SOCIETY-WIDE AWARDS  

 The Donald P. Kent Award is given annually to a member of The Gerontological Society of America who best exemplifies the highest standards for professional leadership in gerontology through teaching, service, and interpretation of gerontology to the larger society.  The award was created in 1973 in memory of Donald P. Kent for his outstanding leadership in translating research findings into practical use.  

The winner of the Kent Award presents a lecture at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting the following year. The Kent Award Lecture is one of the highlights of the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.  

Nominees must be Fellows of the Society.  The Nomination Form must be accompanied by a nomination letter, a current curriculum vitae, no more than five letters of endorsement, and due no later than May 5, 2004.  

Nomination Form

  The Robert W. Kleemeier Award is given annually to a member of The Gerontological Society of America in recognition for outstanding research in the field of gerontology. The award, created in 1965, is in memory of a former president of the Society whose contributions to the quality of life through research in aging were exemplary.  

The winner of the Kleemeier Award presents a lecture at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting the following year. The Kleemeier Award Lecture is one of the highlights of the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.  

Nominees must be Fellows of the Society.  The Nomination Form must be accompanied by a nomination letter, a current curriculum vitae, no more than five letters of endorsement, and due no later than May 5, 2004.    

Nomination Form

The M. Powell Lawton Award sponsored by Philadelphia Geriatric Center's Polisher Research Institute of the Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life is presented annually to an individual to honor contributions from applied research that have benefited older people and their care. The award is named in memory of M. Powell Lawton for his outstanding contributions to applied gerontological research. The winner of the Lawton Award presents a lecture at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting the following year. The Lawton Award Lecture is one of the highlights of the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.

The award recognizes a significant contribution in gerontology that has led to an innovation in gerontological treatment, practice or service, prevention, amelioration of symptoms or barriers, or a public policy change that has led to some practical application that improves the lives of older persons.  Although research is the usual origin of such contributions, leadership in defining and implementing a creative program may also be recognized. The award also honors an individual for exemplifying one or more of the outstanding professional and personal qualities of the late M. Powell Lawton. 

Nominees can be a person from any discipline who has made such a contribution to applied gerontology.  Nominations must be made or endorsed by a member of The Gerontological Society of America although nominees need not be members of GSA.  Nomination should be as descriptive as possible drawing from the following guidelines:

• a description of the nominee's contribution
• documented application of the contribution (it is recommended that treatment programs have resulted in statistical analysis and have been conducted for at least a calendar year) and publication (with literature citation) as of the time of nomination
• an estimate of the intervention's achievement in relation to its cost
• demonstration of the innovation's having made a positive change over a sustained period, not simply showing the potential for change
• ease of duplication by others
• originality, creativity, and innovation
• the significance of the contribution in improving the lives of older persons.
• an explanation of how the candidate exemplifies one or more of the qualities of the late M. Powell Lawton, including intellectual leadership, commitment to mentorship, breadth of contributions, humility, and respect.

Nominations of candidates in the early or mid stages of their career are encouraged.

Presented annually at the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting, the award consists of a cash award of $2,500 and a certificate.  In addition, if the awardee has no support for attending the GSA Annual Meeting, up to $1,000 can be made available for the awardee's travel and per diem expenses.  

The Nomination Form must be accompanied by a nomination letter, a current curriculum vitae, two letters of endorsement, and due no later than May 5, 2004.  

Nomination Form

The Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Living, presented annually, recognizes instances of practice informed by research and analysis, research that directly improved policy or practice, and distinction in bridging the worlds of research and practice.  Individual(s) who are mid-career and actively engaged in the conception and development of innovative programs that demonstrate excellence in translating research into practical application or policy are eligible for this award.  The nominated individual(s) need not be a member of The Gerontological Society of America but nominations of non-members need an endorsement by at least one GSA member.

The deadline for nominations for the Maxwell A. Pollack Award has been extended to June 7, 2004.

Pollack award criteria

Pollack award nomination form

Pollack award nomination form (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

The Margret M. Baltes Early Investigator Award in Behavioral and Social Gerontology acknowledges outstanding early career contributions in behavioral and social gerontology.

The award will be given to a person from any discipline in the social sciences. Eligible nominees must have the Ph.D. degree and must not be more than 10 years past the date the Ph.D. was awarded. Nominations are not restricted to GSA members. International participation is encouraged.

Nominations made by others or self-nominations will be accepted. Nomination packages are due to the GSA office no later than May 5, 2004. Accompany the GSA Nomination Form with documentation as to why the nominee is deserving of this award, including:

• a nominating letter detailing the research and making the case for its impact on and contribution to the field,
• a current curriculum vitae, and
• up to three letters endorsing the nomination.

The award recipient will receive a plaque and a $1,000 cash award and is invited to present a lecture at the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting the following year.

Nomination Form

Section Awards

  BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SECTION   

Established in 1994, the Geron Corporation - Samuel Goldstein Distinguished Publication Award is awarded to the best paper published in the Society's Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences for the period of May of the previous year to March of the current year.  The paper chosen is selected and determined solely by the editorial board of the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences.  

This award carries a cash prize of $1500 and reimbursement of expenses up to $1000 for the person presenting the paper during a special lecture session held in conjunction with the Biological Sciences Scientific Program during the Annual Scientific Meeting.  Funding of this award is provided by the Geron Corporation of Menlo Park, CA.  

The Glenn Foundation Award, open to all scientists, regardless of field or nationality, is given for significant research contributions in the biology of aging.  The award, established in 1991, is sponsored by The Glenn Foundation for Medical Research of Santa Barbara, California.  The foundation was established by Paul F. Glenn in 1965 to support and encourage research in the biology of aging.  

A nominee's research must be recent, original and provide a significant addition to body of knowledge in the biology of aging.  Self-nominations are not acceptable.

The award carries a cash prize of $2,500 (plus travel expenses to the Annual Scientific Meeting).  

The Nomination Form must be accompanied by a nomination letter to include a two-page description of the research contribution to be recognized; reprints of up to five original, peer-reviewed publications based on the contribution; two letters supporting the significance of the contribution, a current curriculum vitae, and due no later than May 5, 2004.  

Nomination Form

The George Sacher Student Award is given to the best student presentation by a GSA member at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.   

To be eligible for the award, a student member of the Society must submit an abstract and be accepted for the Annual Scientific Meeting.  The abstract must be accompanied by a letter from the student's advisor verifying the submitted work is the student's.  The student must then present the work at the Annual Scientific Meeting.  

The annual $500 award is designed to encourage research and to foster interest among students in the Biological Sciences section to play an active role in the Society's annual meetings.  

Deadline for submission is the same as for BS section abstracts – March 15, 2004. After being accepted must apply for award by September 10, 2004.

The Nathan Shock New Investigator Award is given for outstanding contributions to new knowledge about aging through basic biological research.  The award was established in 1986 to honor Dr. Nathan Shock, a pioneer in gerontological research at the National Institutes of Health, and a founding member of The Gerontological Society of America.  

Nominees must have a PhD, MD, DDS, or equivalent degree and must be within seven years of their postdoctoral research. 

Nominations for the annual $1,500 award must include the Nomination Form, a current curriculum vitae, a summary of the research project (not to exceed 1,000 words), two letters of recommendation, three reprints of relevant research papers authored by the candidate, and due no later than May 5, 2004.

Nomination Form

Biological Sciences and Health Sciences Sections are offering The Austin Bloch Post-Doctoral Fellow Award to recognize an outstanding paper or poster contribution by a Post-Doctoral Fellow in biomedical sciences. The criteria for eligibility includes the first author’s abstract being accepted for presentation at the GSA annual meeting, being engaged in relevant research, and a support letter from an advisor. Following the selection of program by the Program Committee, individuals with accepted presentations will be notified to send the additional information needed for nomination. All nomination materials must be received in the GSA office by September 10, 2004.  Hot Poster presentation will also be eligible.   The award, which will be presented at the Annual Business Meeting most appropriate to the awardee (BS or HS), consists of a certificate and a cash award of $400.

HEALTH SCIENCES SECTION

The Joseph T. Freeman Award is a lectureship in geriatrics and is awarded to a prominent physician in the field of aging--both in research and practice--who is a member of the Society's Health Sciences section.  The Freeman Lecture is one of the highlights of the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.  

The award, which carries a prize of $250, was established in 1977 through a bequest from a patient's estate as a tribute to Dr. Joseph T. Freeman, a leading physician and one of the Society's distinguished members and past president.  

In addition to the nomination form, include a current curriculum vitae and a statement about the nominee’s contribution.  Nominations for the Freeman award are due no later than May 5, 2004.  

Nomination Form

The Person-in-Training Award is given to a student (enrolled in a graduate education program who does not have a doctoral degree) of the Health Sciences section for the best student presentation at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.  

The $500 award is designed to encourage research and to foster interest among students in the Health Sciences section and to encourage participation in the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.

To be eligible for the award, abstracts must be submitted (March 15, 2004) and accepted for presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting. After being accepted must apply for award by September 10, 2004. Once the abstract has been accepted, a 1,500-word paper by the trainee describing the research must be submitted.  The paper must be accompanied by a letter from the student's advisor verifying that the submitted work is the student's. The award is made on the basis of the paper.

The Health Sciences Research Award is given to a new investigator in the Health Sciences Section, who has received a doctoral degree within the last five years.

The $1000 award is designed to encourage postdoctoral research and encourage participation in the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting. To be eligible for the award, researchers must submit their work by the abstract deadline (September 10, 2004) and indicate a wish to be considered for the award on the abstract form. Once the abstract is accepted, a 1,500-word paper describing the research must be submitted. The award is made on the basis of the paper.

This award, presented by the Health Sciences section, in collaboration with the John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing, is given to a member of the Society in recognition of outstanding and sustained contribution to geriatric nursing research.  The person selected will present a special lecture at the nursing special interest group meeting during the Annual Meeting of GSA.  

A Nomination form must be accompanied by a one-page statement describing the nominee’s contribution, the nominee’s CV, and a statement of significance of the nominee’s contribution to improving the lives of older persons.  Due date, May 5, 2004  

Nomination Form

Austin Bloch Post-Doctoral Fellow Award

Biological Sciences and Health Sciences Sections are offering The Austin Bloch Post-Doctoral Fellow Award to recognize an outstanding paper or poster contribution by a Post-Doctoral Fellow in biomedical sciences. The criteria for eligibility includes the first author’s abstract being accepted for presentation at the GSA annual meeting, being engaged in relevant research, and a support letter from an advisor.; Following the selection of program by the Program Committee, individuals with accepted presentations will be notified to send the additional information needed for nomination All nomination materials must be received in the GSA office by September 10, 2004. Hot Poster presentation will also be eligible. The award, which will be presented at the Annual Business Meeting most appropriate to the awardee (BS or HS), consists of a certificate and a cash award of $400.

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES SECTION

The Distinguished Career Contribution Award is presented annually to an individual whose contributions over the course of her or his career have articulated a novel theoretical or methodological perspective or synthesis that addresses a significant problem in the literature. Previous award winners

To be eligible for the Distinguished Career Contribution Award, the individual must be (or if retired, must have been) a member of the BSS section and must have published within the past 5 years.

Nomination packages are due to the GSA office no later than May 5, 2004. Accompany the GSA Nomination Form with documentation as to why the nominee is deserving of this award, including;

• A nomination letter summarizing the individual's contribution and its impact on the field of gerontology, or on behavioral and social sciences more generally;
• A maximum of four additional letters of support that evaluate the contribution; and
• A copy of the nominee's current curriculum vitae.

In describing the scholarly contribution and influence, the letters should indicate how the nominee's works have advanced science, extended the understanding of a particular area, or led to new theoretical or methodological insights.

Nomination Form

To be eligible for the award, the nominee must be a member of the BSS Section of GSA. The mentor must have had an influence on graduate, undergraduate, or professional students or junior colleagues, as evidenced by the number and accomplishments of her or his protege's. The nominee's influence on the next generation of gerontologists also may be evident through training programs, research on and written materials associated with pedagogy (e.g., textbooks, articles), supervising research, or providing clinical training.

Nomination packages are due to the GSA office no later than May 5, 2004. Accompany the
Nomination Form with documentation demonstrating why the nominee deserves this award,
including:

• a short narrative about the mentor's influence on the students and colleagues;
• a list of the nominee's mentees, their occupations, and their professional accomplishments;
• a copy of the nominee's current curriculum vitae; and
• a maximum of four additional supporting letters. These letters should be written by the nominee's protege's, selected to reflect the range of the nominee's influence. The letters should provide specific information about mentoring, rather than focusing on the nominee's other professional accomplishments.
  

Nomination Form

The Richard Kalish Innovative Publication Award recognizes insightful and innovative publications on aging and life course development in the behavioral and social sciences. Previous award winners

The $500 Kalish Award is underwritten by Baywood Publishing Company, with whom Dr. Kalish was long associated. Any empirical or conceptual publication which represents state-of-the-art thinking in aging and life course development is eligible for the award provided it is in English and was published in the last three years. Nominations for the award must be made by a GSA member.

Nomination packages are due to the GSA office no later than May 5, 2004. Accompany the GSA Nomination Form with documentation as to why the publication is deserving of this award,
including:

• a statement of the impact of the work,
• at least one copy of the publication,
• a copy of the nominee's current curriculum vitae, and any published reviews (if the nominated work is a book).
  

Nomination Form

The BSS Student Research Award recognizes student research at the pre-dissertation and dissertation level (degree to have been awarded within 18 months of date of submission).  The winners receive a copy of the Handbook on Aging (the Social Sciences or the Psychology edition) and a one-year membership in the Society.  

Student members who wish to compete for this award must submit an abstract by the March 15, 2004 deadline and have it accepted for presentation on the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting program. Finalists will be requested to submit an article-length manuscript (due September 10, 2004) for final judging.  To be eligible, student papers must be primarily the work of the student (if co-authored, a letter from the other author should verify that the student had the primary responsibility for the work).

SOCIAL RESEARCH, POLICY & PRACTICE SECTION

The Student Research Award honors the best student paper on the SRPP Annual Scientific Meeting program.  

All GSA student members are eligible for the $500 award; they must submit an abstract (paper or poster only) by the March 15, 2004 abstract deadline and be accepted for the Annual Scientific Meeting.  After being accepted must apply for award by September 10, 2004. In addition, the paper must be research-based, conceptual or analytical, and must contribute to the body of knowledge.  

Following acceptance of the abstract, five copies of an article-length manuscript must be submitted for final judging. 

STUDENT ORGANIZATION

Student Organization offers a $250 cash award for the best interdisciplinary research paper on a topic related to aging by a GSA student member. Some examples might include how the biological aspects of aging are related to the social consequences of aging; using a theoretical perspective such as life course theory to explain various outcomes of communication and aging; or how public policy affects clinical, biological or psychological aspects of aging. Papers may be empirical or theoretical. To be eligible, students must have an abstract  (due by March 15, 2004) accepted for presentation at the annual meeting. Finalists will be requested to submit an article-length manuscript for final judging by September 10, 2004. 1.To be eligible, student papers must be primarily the work of the student (if co-authored, a letter from the other author should verify that the student had primary responsibility for the work).