Q&A with Brent J. Small, PhD from the School of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL.
“The extent to which cancer-related cognitive deficits overlap or will exacerbate typical aging-related losses will be an important field of inquiry in the future.”
Q: How long have you been a GSA member?
A: I have been a member of GSA since my second year of graduate school, which was a very long time ago. The annual meetings are always a highlight as it allows me to be exposed to exciting new research, but also to reconnect with the friends and colleagues that I have made over the years. In November, I will begin my term as Member-at-Large for the Behavioral and Social Sciences division. I look forward to giving back to the Society in this role.
Q: How has membership in GSA benefited you?
A: GSA has benefited me in many direct and indirect ways. Directly, my attendance at the Annual Scientific Meeting allows me to hear interesting research that often shapes and informs my own work. GSA’s journals have given me high impact outlets for my work. Indirectly, the advocacy efforts that GSA is involved in makes sure that funding for aging research is made a priority at the national level.
Q: How did you get interested in the field of aging?
A: I was interested in memory processes as an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto and in graduate school I was very fortunate to work with GSA Fellow David Hultsch, PhD at the University of Victoria. I arrived in Victoria just as the first wave of the Victoria Longitudinal Study was being finished. This study, which includes a host of measures of memory and cognitive performance provided an excellent opportunity to apply my interest in memory to an older adult population.
Q: How do you feel GSA serves the field of gerontology and aging research?
A: GSA provides a forum for aging research, in print, at Annual Scientific Meetings, and through advocacy efforts. It is the leading organization for aging-related research and my membership allows my voice to be heard.
Q: What are your key responsibilities at your job?
A: The three key components of my job are research, teaching and service. In the fall, I will become Director of the School of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida and so I will take on administrative responsibilities. I look forward to this new role as the School of Aging Studies is a vibrant department with 13 faculty who research different aspects of aging. In the future, we hope to continue our growth in terms of faculty recruitment, grant dollars received and students trained. It is an exciting time to be at the University of South Florida and I look forward to my tenure as Director of our school.
Q: What is your most memorable research/patient experience?
A: Receiving the Margret M. and Paul B. Baltes Early Career Award in Social and Behavioral Gerontology in 2004 has been my most memorable research experience. I was thrilled to have my name associated with the Baltes’, persons who I had read and admired throughout my training. Moreover, my Baltes award presentation allow me to publically thank many of the colleagues that had helped shaped my work and contributed to my research, something that we are not often able to do.
Q: Do you have any tips for emerging gerontologists?
A: For students that I work with, I encourage them to develop their own research area, but also try and develop a general skill that can be used widely and will be sought out by other collaborators. Throughout my training, I have been able to develop quantitative statistical expertise, especially as it pertains to longitudinal data. This general skill has allowed me to conduct my own research, but also work with colleagues in oncology, pediatrics, neuroscience and other fields that collect repeatedly measured data. I have greatly enjoyed these collaborative activities and my work with them has allowed me to cover my salary in my role as co-investigator on grants.
Q: Tell us a little about your most recent activities/accomplishments?
A: Over the past several years my research has focused on cognitive deficits following treatment for cancer. The colloquial term “chemobrain” was coined to describe a mental fogginess or attentional problems that are reported by many cancer survivors. This area has real relevance for the GSA as approximately two-thirds of cancer survivors are over 65 years of age. The extent to which cancer-related cognitive deficits overlap or will exacerbate typical aging-related losses will be an important field of inquiry in the future.
Q: Have you had an important mentor in your career? If so, how did it make a difference?
A: I have been fortunate to have many important people who have had an impact on my career, including Mary Lou Smith, PhD at the University of Toronto, GSA Member Roger Dixon, PhD at the University of Alberta and Lars Bäckman, PhD from the Karolinska Institute. However, my doctoral supervisor GSA Fellow David Hultsch, PhD from the University of Victoria was an outstanding role model and probably has the greatest impact on me as a scientist, as well as how I mentor students of my own. He had a quiet mentoring style that encouraged independent work and provided many opportunities for his mentees. He also stressed the importance to contributing significant scientific research to the broader field and was not focused on sheer number of publications, but the quality of the work that you produced.