The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — has chosen Chandra Mehrotra, of the College of St. Scholastica as the 2011 recipient of the Task Force on Minority Issues in Gerontology Outstanding Mentorship Award.
This distinguished honor is given annually to an individual who has exemplified outstanding commitment and dedication to mentoring minority researchers in the field of aging.
The award presentation will take place at GSA's 64th Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 18 to 22 in Boston, MA. This conference is organized to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners who specialize in the study of the aging process. Visit www.geron.org/annualmeeting for further details.
Mehrotra is a professor of psychology, dean of special projects, and director of research training programs in aging at the College of St. Scholastica. He directs faculty training programs in aging research with support provided by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institutes of Health, and the John A. Hartford Foundation. He specifically was instrumental in developing the annual Institute on Aging and Social Work, a training and mentoring program for social work faculty with a special emphasis on serving ethnic minority faculty. To date the program has served 105 faculty members, 40 percent of whom have been members of ethnic minority populations.
Mehrotra's books include "Teaching and Aging," "Distance Learning: Principles for Effective Design, Delivery and Evaluation," "Measuring Up: Educational Assessment Challenges and Practices for Psychology," and "Aging and Diversity, Second Edition." He has guest-edited two special issues of Educational Gerontology: "Strengthening Gerontology and Geriatrics Education" and "Fostering Aging Research in Undergraduate Psychology Programs."
His work with the United Nations Population Fund has focused on the evaluation of training programs for gerontology professionals from developing countries. Mehrotra's activities with Native American communities include civic engagement among elders, culturally appropriate program evaluation, intergenerational relationships, and improvement of teaching and learning in tribal colleges. He currently serves as a member of America Psychological Association's Committee on International Relations in Psychology, the Minnesota Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators, and the Benedictine Health System. He has previously received the Mentor Award from Division 20 of the American Psychological Association, the Public Service Award from the Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Health Care Administrators, and the Scholastica Inspiration Award and Lavine Award for Teaching Excellence from the College of St. Scholastica. Mehrotra is a GSA fellow, which represents the Society's highest class of membership. He received his PhD in psychology from Ohio State University.
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society — and its 5,400+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA's structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society, and an educational branch, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.