The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — has chosen XinQi Dong, MD, MPH, of Rush University as the 2011 recipient of the Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Aging.
This honor, given annually, recognizes instances of practice informed by research and analysis, research that directly improved policy or practice, and distinction in bridging the worlds of research and practice. 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. The award is made possible through a generous grant from The New York Community Trust's Maxwell A. Pollack Fund.
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.
Dong is the associate director of the Rush Institute for Health Aging and an associate professor of medicine, nursing, and behavioral sciences at the Rush University Medical Center. Having emigrated from China, he has had long standing interests in human rights and social justice issues in vulnerable populations. Dong's research focuses on the epidemiological studies of elder abuse and neglect both in the U.S. and China, with particular emphasis on its adverse health outcomes across different racial and ethnic groups. He currently is an American Political Science Association congressional policy fellow/health and aging policy fellow, working with a diverse group of policy leaders at the national, state, and local levels on issues relevant to elder abuse and neglect. He additionally serves as a senior policy and research advisor for the U.S. Administration on Aging and a senior policy advisor for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Dong also is a recipient of the Paul B. Beeson Scholar in Aging Award, the National Physician Advocacy Merit Award, and the Nobuo Maeda International Aging and Public Health Research Award.
Dong actively works with Chinese communities to promote understanding and civic engagement on the issues of elder abuse and neglect through innovative culturally and linguistically appropriate ways. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Chinese American Service League, the largest social services organization in the Midwest serving the needs of Chinese population. He is a fellow of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago and a nominated member of the Institute of Medicine Global Violence Prevention Forum. He received his BA in biology and economics from the University of Chicago, his MD in the problem-based curriculum at Rush University College of Medicine, and his MPH in epidemiology at University of Illinois at Chicago. He completed his internal medicine residency and geriatric fellowship at Yale University Medical Center.
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.