The award presentation will take place at GSA's 56th Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 21st-25th, 2003 in San Diego, California. The meeting is organized to foster interdisciplinary interactions among gerontological health care clinical, administrative, and research professionals.
McConnell has worked for both the House and Senate Aging Committees. He worked to apply research to many key issues for older Americans, including employment and retirement options, eliminating mandatory retirement, changes in Medicare payment systems, and improving quality of long-term care.
According to incoming GSA President Terrie Wetle, McConnell has worked to insure that research is addressing the right questions, research findings are appropriately interpreted and applied to policy and practice, and there is feedback from the real world to researchers regarding need for more research.
Individuals 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 prize. The winner traditionally presents a lecture at the Annual Scientific Meeting the following year. The award is made possible through a generous grant from The New York Community Trust's Maxwell A. Pollack fund.
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), founded in 1945, is the oldest and largest national multidisciplinary scientific organization devoted to the advancement of gerontological research. Its membership includes some 5,000+ researchers, educators, practitioners, and other professionals in the field of aging. The Society's principal missions are to promote research and education in aging and to encourage the dissemination of research results to other scientists, decision makers, and practitioners.
Information about the Gerontological Society of America, its awards, and its 56th Annual Scientific Meeting can be found online at http://www.geron.org.