Meet Erin Kate.
“One of my favorite aspects of attending a GSA meeting is that I can go hear about how personality influences aging and then go listen to a talk about cells aging”
Q: Tell us a little about what you are doing right now?
A: I am in the process of writing up the findings of my dissertation. My dissertation research and most of my journal articles that I have published focus on the different types of older adult housing and relocation in later life and the factors (physiological, psychological, and sociological) that influence relocation in later life. I am also in the process of looking for a new position.
Q: Tell us about your most recent activities and accomplishments?
A: I finished up my dissertation in May. My dissertation is focused on how physiological, psychological, and social factors influence the decision to relocate in later life. I had two articles published in the past six months. One article I wrote with Ellen Rozek, PhD, an ESPO and GSA member, and Keith Diaz Moore, PhD, also a GSA member, about university based retirement communities. I co-authored another article with GSA fellow Kristine Williams, PhD, and GSA member Ruth Herman, PhD about cognitive interventions in assisted living facilities.
Q: Have you had an important mentor(s) in your career? If so, how did it make a difference?
A: The most important mentor I have had in my career is my dissertation chair and advisor, David Ekerdt, PhD who is also a GSA Fellow. Dr. Ekerdt taught me a lot about retirement, social security, Medicare, and the distributions of possessions in later life. However, I think the biggest influence Dr. Ekerdt has had on me as a professional is written and spoken communication. Dr. Ekerdt has done some really complicated research, but he always presents it in a way that is accessible to non-academics.
Q: What are your motivations for studying aging?
A: I started volunteering with older adults when I was eleven years old. In high school I ran a food co-op at a low-income senior housing complex in south Florida. I loved to hear the stories that the residents of the senior housing complex would tell me about growing up in the 1940’s or cane pole fishing in the swamps or canals. What I came to realize through these experiences is that I loved volunteering with older adults, and I wanted to improve their lives. I minored in gerontology as an undergraduate and focused on the discipline as a Master’s student. When I graduated from the University of Florida I knew I wanted to continue improving the lives of older adults and I thought the best way to do so was to continue my studies in gerontology.
Q: What has been your most memorable experience in gerontology and aging research?
A: My most memorable experience as a gerontologist came when conducting research with Kristine Williams lab at the University of Kansas. We were conducting research at an assisted living community in a very small town in rural Kansas. The residents were all lifelong residents of this town. We conducted research in this town for over six months. By the end of the year I knew all of the residents and all the assisted living community gossip, and I made some great friends while conducting the research. The most memorable experiences for me as a gerontologist are getting to connect with individuals who have such unique experiences and memories.
Q: Tell us about your involvement in GSA and which Section do you belong to?
A: I joined GSA in 2009, and attended my first GSA Annual Conference in November of 2010. It was so inspiring to see over 4,000 really smart people from all over the world interested in aging. Shortly, after I joined I became involved with ESPO leadership and was an ESPO representative to the membership committee and helped reorganize the Campus Ambassadors Program. I belong to the BSS section.
Q: How do you feel GSA serves the field of gerontology and aging research?
A: GSA provides a home for researchers who are interested in aging. I love the fact that when I get a copy of The Gerontologist or The Journals of Gerontology that there will be articles about policy and aging, psychology and aging, sociology and aging, health and aging, and biology and aging. I love how GSA brings these all together. One of my favorite aspects of attending a GSA meeting is that I can go hear about how personality influences aging and then go listen to a talk about cells aging.
Q: Is there anything unique about yourself and experiences that you would like to share?
A: One unique aspect of my career is that I have a career outside of academia. I realized early on in my PhD program at KU that I didn’t want to graduate and go straight into a career in academia. My education makes me uniquely qualified to consult on specific findings related to older adults or do statistical analysis. I am currently looking for a position!
Q: Do you have any tips for emerging gerontologists?
A: Think outside the box when it comes to your future career. I think a lot of emerging gerontologists feel pressure to go into academia once they have started on their PhD, but I have found that there are quite a few gerontologists in business or non-profits and they are doing great work and making a positive contribution to their field.
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