Karen Fredriksen Goldsen, School of Social Work professor and internationally recognized scholar who has made substantial contributions to the field of gerontology, was recently selected to receive the 2018 Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Aging by the Gerontological Society of America. She is the first UW faculty member to receive this prominent and highly competitive award.
“It is an honor to receive this award, which reflects the courageous lives of those who have been vital in my research,” says Fredriksen Goldsen. “It’s been a wonderful opportunity to move this program of scholarship forward in a spirit of innovation and collaboration, and I deeply appreciate the recognition of the Gerontological Society of America and the Pollack Award committee.”
Fredriksen Goldsen has devoted much of her career to investigating and promoting health equity and well-being among older adults. Among her many breakthrough studies is Aging with Pride—the first national longitudinal project that explores how life experiences relate to changes in aging, health and well-being for LGBTQ adults aged 50 and older. Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Aging, the study has garnered widespread coverage in national and international news outlets.
“The Pollack Award recognizes truly outstanding scholars who have made substantial contributions not only to gerontology but to the communities we serve,” said Edwina S. Uehara, dean, School of Social Work. “We are thrilled that Karen’s influential body of work has been acknowledged and recognized by her peers. This is an exceptionally well-earned award.”
Fredriksen Goldsen also serves as director of the Healthy Generations Hartford Center of Excellence, housed at the School of Social Work. One of five in the nation, the center incorporates a multigenerational perspective to address health disparities and promote well-being among older adults, their families and caregivers.
She has received many awards and honors throughout her distinguished career. In 2017, she was selected a fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, and she was also named one of PBS’s Next Avenue’s top 50 influencers in aging. She is the author of more than 100 articles and three books, and has presented her work at conferences sponsored by the White House, U.S. Congress and the United Nations as well as at numerous professional meetings.
The Pollack Award from the Gerontological Society of America—the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging—recognizes a researcher who has made outstanding contributions to aging by bridging the worlds of research, policy and practice. Fredriksen Goldsen will receive the award at the Society’s annual scientific meeting in Boston, Mass., on November 15, 2018.