Gerontology Faculty

Gayle J. Acton, PhD, RN, CNS

Assistant Professor
School of Nursing
Mail Code: D0100
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-9081, (512) 471-4910 (fax)
Email Gayle J. Acton

Gayle J. Acton is interested in theory development and testing, particularly theories related to aging and older adults. Her research area focuses on health promotion, stress, coping, and outcomes in older adults. Specific populations of interest are community dwelling older adults and family caregivers of adults with dementia. She conducts research to investigate variables related to health-promoting self-care in older adults and interventions to assist family members cope with the stress of caregiving. She has received funding from the National Institutes of Nursing Research, American Nurses Foundation, Pine Family Foundation, and Sigma Theta Tau. Currently, she is conducting research to determine by meta-analytic methods, the most effective interventions for caregivers of adults with dementia. In addition she is testing a theoretical model of health-promoting self-care in community dwelling older adults and family caregivers. Acton is a member of an interagency research team (Texas Veterans Administration and Scott and White Hospital) investigating communication from persons with dementia. She has authored numerous articles concerning theory, family caregiving, and health promotion in older adults.

Jacqueline L. Angel, PhD

Associate Professor
LBJ School of Public Affairs
Mail Code: E2700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-2956, (512) 471-1835 (fax)
Email Jacqueline L. Angel

Jacqueline L. Angel is an associate professor of Public Policy and Sociology at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and a Faculty Research Associate at the Center for Health and Social Policy at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on social policy issues associated with the demography of minority aging and health, particularly, how cultural heterogeneity among the elderly affects the design of programs for the cost-effective delivery of health services and for the provision of long-term care. Currently, she is collaborating with investigators from the UT medical schools in Galveston and San Antonio on a National Institute on Aging (NIA) benchmark study of elderly Mexican Americans' health in the Southwestern United States.

Her publications include more than 30 articles and chapters on health and aging issues as well as three books - Health and Living Arrangements of the Elderly (Garland Publishing, 1991), and with Ronald. J. Angel, Painful Inheritance: Health and the New Generation of Fatherless Families (University of Wisconsin Press, 1993) and Who Will Care For Us? Aging and Long-term Care in Multicultural America (New York University Press, 1997).

At the LBJ School, she teaches courses on policy development with respect to health care and the politics of aging, disability and long-term care. Currently, Dr. Angel is President of the Board of Family Eldercare, Inc., a not-for-profit organization 501(c)(3) which helps older adults and persons with disabilities live independently in the community with dignity and respect. She is also a Faculty Fellow at the Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch.

Ronald J. Angel, PhD

Chair and Professor
Department of Sociology
Mail Code: A1700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-1122, (512) 471-1748 (fax)
Email Ronald J. Angel

Ronald J. Angel is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin and Editor of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. He was on the sociology faculty at Rutgers University for seven years before coming to Austin, Texas. Angel's training is in social demography, epidemiology, and medical sociology. His research focuses on the role of culture and social class on health and health care use. His work has appeared in numerous journals, and he has served on several peer review committees of the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Mental Health. Currently he is a principle investigator with the UT medical schools in Galveston and San Antonio on a benchmark study of the health of elderly Mexican Americans in the Southwestern United States.

He co-authored two books with Jacqueline L. Angel: Painful Inheritance: Health and the New Generation of Fatherless Families (University of Wisconsin Press, 1993), and Who Will Care For Us?: Aging and Long-term Care in Multicultural America (New York University Press, 1997).

Janet Boes, MSW, PhD

Lecturer
School of Social Work
Mail Code: D3500
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-9825, (512) 471-9600 (fax)
Email Janet Boes

Janet Boes teaches courses in the School of Social Work including Loss and Grief, Grief Counseling and Social Work Practice with Women. Her areas of interest include death and grief, aging, medical social work, minority student retention and women's issues. Her research has focused on a longitudinal survey of the "oldest old" (85+) women and aging, grief groups for those who have lost a loved one to HIV/AIDS, and the use of technology in the classroom.

Ann K. Brooks, EdD

Associate Professor
College of Education - Curriculum/Instruction
Mail Code: D5700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-4611, (512) 471-8460 (fax)
Email Ann K. Brooks

Ann K. Brooks' research is on transformative learning and identity development. She also studies group learning. Her research has received several awards, including one from the International Society of Performance and Instruction and the National Association of Continuing Education. She is the co-author of The Emerging Power of Action Inquiry Technologies.

Carolyn Brown, PhD

Associate Professor
College of Pharmacy - Pharmacy Administration Division
Mail Code: A1930
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-2374, (512) 471-8762 (fax)
Email Carolyn Brown

Carolyn Brown's research primarily involves the study of the cultural and social elements that may impact both quality of care and therapeutic outcomes of patients, particularly ethnic minority patients. Extant research including her own studies indicates that patients simultaneously use formal and informal health care systems. As a result, her research focuses on such issues as consumer decision-making in medical care, particularly as it relates to prescribed medication and alternative treatment practices of "at-risk" populations. Additional research interests include patient satisfaction with pharmacy care services, pharmacy service quality, and pharmaceutical education of ethnic minorities.

Cynthia Buckley, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Sociology
Mail Code: A1700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 232-6337, (512) 471-1748 (fax)
Email Cynthia Buckley

Cynthia Buckley is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology, training director at the Population Research Center, associate director of the Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, and faculty affiliate of the Women's Studies Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Buckley's research focuses on population processes and social support, specifically in Central Asia and the Russian Federation. Her current research focuses on aging and health in the former Soviet Union and the United States. She teaches courses on research methodology.

Patricia A. Carter, PhD, RN, CNS

Assistant Professor
School of Nursing
Mail Code: D0100
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 232-4709, (512) 471-3688 (fax)
Email Patricia A. Carter

Patricia A. Carter explores the relationship between chronic sleep deprivation and the development of mood disturbances (e.g., depression, anxiety) in family caregivers of persons with chronic illnesses. Many family caregivers are elderly spouses. The focus of this research is two-fold: 1) to explore the longitudinal predictive relationship between sleep and mood disturbances and 2) to determine the effectiveness of non-pharmacological sleep interventions to prevent or lessen mood disturbances in this elderly population. Both physiologic and self-report instruments are utilized to measure sleep/activity and mood disturbances in the naturalistic caregiver recipient environment.

Namkee G. Choi, MSW, PhD

Professor
School of Social Work
Mail Code: D3500
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 232-9590, (512) 471-9600 (fax)
Email Namkee G. Choi

Namkee Choi's research areas include policy analysis of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs, long-term care service utilization, housing, elder abuse and neglect, and minority aging. In addition to her research involving analysis of large secondary data sets, Dr. Choi has conducted many community-based research projects in collaboration with state and county senior services and mental health departments and nonprofit social service agencies, notably Meals on Wheels and home health care programs, in New York and Oregon.

Chiquita Collins, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology
Mail Code: A1910
Population Research Center
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-8338, (512) 471-4886 (fax)
Email Chiquita Collins

Dr Collins received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the UT Department of Sociology, she had been awarded a post-doctoral fellowship with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research Program (1999-2001) at the University of California (Berkeley and San Francisco). Her research interests include medical sociology, social demography, race and ethnicity, and social epidemiology. She is currently working on a research project that seeks to illuminate the effects of institutional racism on health by examining the extent to which racial residential segregation impacts mortality rates for African Americans and whites in urban areas.

M. Lynn Crismon, PHARMD

Professor & Southwestern Drug Corporation
Centennial Fellow in Pharmacy College of Pharmacy
Mail Code: A1910
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 232-2630, (512) 206-4529 (fax)
Email M. Lynn Crismon

Dr Crismon's research and practice focuses on pharmacotherapeutic interventions to improve the clinical outcomes of individuals with severe mental illnesses and brain disorders.

Richard T. Eakin, PhD

Senior Systems Analyst
Mathematical Support Services Consultant and Supervisor
Research Consulting Division, Information Technology Services
Mail Code: G2700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 475-9262
Email Richard T. Eakin

Richard Eakin received a PhD in physics from The University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in biochemistry from California Institute of Technology. Dr. Eakin was a research/engineering scientist at the Center for High Performance Computing at The University of Texas at Austin. Earlier, he was a visiting staff member at the University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Dr. Eakin researches mortality rate changes and analyzes human survival dynamics. Currently, he is applying these mathematical techniques to compare tremor and force control dynamics in older persons with Parkinson's Disease to those of older adults.

Christopher G. Ellison, PhD

Elsie and Stanley E. (Skinny) Adams, Sr. Centennial Professor
Department of Sociology
Research Associate Population Research Center
Mail Code: G1800
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-8355, (512) 471-4886 (fax)
Email Christopher G. Ellison

Christopher Ellison's major research interests include (1) the effects of various dimensions of religious involvement on mental and physical health outcomes and mortality risk; (2) the conceptualization and measurement of religion and spirituality for health and aging research; (3) the role of religious institutions, values, and practices in aging, particularly among racial and ethnic minority populations; and (4) religious influences on family life, including norms of intergenerational coresidence and caregiving. He is currently the principal investigator of a project funded by the National Institute on Aging that explores racial/ethnic variations in the effects of religious involvement on health behaviors, health outcomes, and mortality in a nationwide longitudinal study of older Americans.

Roger P. Farrar, PhD

Professor
Department of Kinesiology and Health Education
Mail Code: D3700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-8621, (512) 471-0946 (fax)
Email Roger P. Farrar

Roger P. Farrar measures the ability of neuromuscular systems to adapt to changes in external functional demands, as well as changes in internal milieu. Many of these changes occur during the aging process. The focus of the research is to better understand the stimulus for change that occurs during aging and to determine whether exercise may slow or attenuate these declines in function and mass. Various models of exercise are employed including changes in neural stimulation, load upon the muscle, and work output.

Parker Frisbie, PhD

Professor
Department of Sociology
Population Research Center
Mail Code: G1800
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-5514, (512) 471-4886 (fax)
Email Parker Frisbie

A major dimension of Parker Frisbie's research agenda involves the study of race/ethnic differentials in morbidity and mortality. In addition to the often-documented African American-white disparities in risk, this work has focused on what has become known as the "epidemiologic paradox." For example, despite the fact that the U.S. population of Mexican Origin (both Mexican Americans and immigrants from Mexico) have a more disadvantageous socioeconomic and demographic risk profile, they have a life expectancy at birth that closely resembles that of non-Hispanic whites ("Anglos"). This overall equality occurs within the context of very different cause-of-death structures. For example, persons of Mexican origin have lower risk of death due to chronic and degenerative conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and malignant neoplasms at most sites than do Anglos. However, the former group is more at risk from pneumonia and influenza, external causes (e.g., accidents), and diabetes. He has recently published work on the health of immigrants of various origins which indicates an erosion of health as length of duration in the U.S. increases.

Gail Giebink, BA

Foundation Relations
UT Development Office
Mail Code: F1000
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 475-9628, (512) 471-7868 (fax)
Email Gail Giebink

Gail Giebink works in the area of foundation relations in the UT Development Office, providing interface between faculty members and charitable foundations. She promotes private support of university programs through prospect research, assistance in proposal development, and pursuit of funding opportunities.

M. Beth Gillham, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Human Ecology
Mail Code: A2700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-0633, (512) 471-5630 (fax)
Email M. Beth Gillham

M. Beth Gillham teaches graduate courses in Clinical Nutrition at The University of Texas at Austin.

Roberta R. Greene, PhD

Centennial Chair in Gerontology
Mail Code: D3500
The University of Texas at Austin
512-232-4168, 512-232-2165 fax
Email Roberta Greene

Dr. Roberta Greene is the Louis and Ann Wolens Centennial Chair in Gerontology at the School of Social Work, University of Texas, Austin. Dr. Greene served as the Dean of Indiana University School of Social Work between 1994-1999, and as Professor and Associate Dean of the University of Georgia, School of Social Work from 1991 to 1994. Since 1985 she has received 16 grants totaling $765,000 and written over 35 juried books and articles in the areas of aging, human behavior theory and social work. Dr. GreeneÍs major research interest includes family caregiving and best practices, and curriculum design. Her latest books include Human Behavior Theory and Social Work Practice (2nd edition), Social Work with the Aged and their Families (2nd edition), and Resiliency: An Integrated Approach to Practice, Policy, and Research. She currently is working on a book and distributive learning materials entitled Teaching Professionals to Meet Crises and Promote Resilience.

Joyce L. Harris, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Speech and Hearing Center
Mail Code: A1100
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-5406; (512) 471-2957 (fax)
Email Joyce L. Harris

Joyce L. Harris, associate professor of speech-language pathology, received her Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin in 1992. Before returning to UT in 2001, she held a nine-year appointment at The University of Memphis, where her research focused on language and cognitive aging. Much of her research involves the study of text comprehension in aging, particularly the investigation of factors related to the comprehension of text-based health information. Harris is the author of The Source for Reminiscence Therapy (LinguiSystems, 1998) and editor and chapter contributor for Literacy in African American Communities (Erlbaum, 2001). Her print scholarship also includes some 25 journal articles and book chapters on topics related to normal and disordered communicative process across the lifespan. Currently, Harris serves as an associate editor for language for the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.

Shirley M. Haulotte, LMSW, ACP

Field Specialist
School of Social Work
Mail Code: D3500
The University of Texas at Austin
(512)471-8226, (512)471-9600 (fax)
Email Shirley M. Haulotte

Shirley Haulotte supervises student interns who work in home health and long term care settings. She has published articles on long term care issues, and most recently an article, "Integrating Didactic and Experiential Aging Curricula," was accepted by The Journal of Gerontological Social Work. She conducts field research with home bound elderly and is currently developing measurement tools for assessing depression in older adults in institutional settings. Her students are also involved in field research on end-of-life decision making by older adults with dementia (Advance Directive Awareness Measure).

Martha Hilley, MA

Professor
School of Music
Mail Code: E3100
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-0751, (512) 471-2333 (fax)
Email Martha Hilley

Martha Hilley is coordinator of group piano and pedagogy at the University of Texas at Austin. She has served administratively as Associate Director of the School of Music and Director of Undergraduate Studies and currently chairs the university-wide Faculty Council. She is co-investigator with Waneen Spirduso on grant from the Hogg Foundation, "The Impact of a University Piano Instruction Program on the Hand Function and Psychological Well-being of Adults Over the Age of 70." Professor Hilley's articles have been published in Clavier, Piano Quarterly and Keyboard Companion. She is co-author of the following college piano texts: Piano for the Developing Musician and Piano for Pleasure.

Carole K. Holahan, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Kinesiology and Health Education
Mail Code: D3700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-4405, (512) 471-3845 (fax)
Email Carole K. Holahan

Carole K. Holahan is a life-span developmental psychologist with research interests in life-span development and health, coping with chronic illness, and p0sychosocial issues in womenÍs health. She has studied successful aging for many years with the Terman Study of the Gifted, and is the author (with Robert R. Sears) of The Gifted Group in Later Maturity (Stanford University Press). She is currently collaborating on a study of social resources and aging funded by the National Institute on Aging, and she is also funded at present by the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health to study social support, coping, and mental health in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white cardiac patients.

Robert A. Hummer, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Sociology
Mail Code: G1800
Research Associate
Population Research Center
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-8391, (512) 471-4886 (fax)
Email Robert A. Hummer

Robert A. Hummer's research focus is on the social and behavioral factors that influence health and mortality in the U.S., particularly as they relate to race and ethnic differentials. He recently published a book along with Richard Rogers and Charles Nam entitled Living and Dying in the USA: Social, Behavioral, and Health Differences in Adult Mortality (Academic Press).

Jody L. Jensen, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Kinesiology and Health Education
Mail Code: D3700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 232-2685 (Direct line), (512) 232-2686 (Lab), (512) 471-1273 (Main office),
(512) 471-8914 (fax)
Email Jody L. Jensen

Jody L. Jensen studies balance and locomotion and how those skills change across the lifespan. Specific areas of research include the mechanics of balance control, the muscular force requirements for maintaining stability during stance and locomotion, and the contribution of the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems to balance and locomotor skills. Dr Jensen's work is currently funded by the National Science Foundation. Past support has come from the American Federation for Aging Research and the National Institute on Aging.

Christopher Jolly, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Human Ecology
Mail Code: A2700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-7290, (512) 471-6175 (fax)
Email Christopher Jolly

Dr Jolly's laboratory examines the influence of aging on lipid metabolism and signal transduction in the immune system. The current focus is on the T-lymphocyte using aged rats as a model. Since lipid composition in immune cells can be dramatically influenced by diet, the lab also attempts to design specific dietary interventions by which age-dependent changes in lipid composition can be offset. The ultimate goal is to be able maintain youthful immune function in the aged leading to a better quality of life.

Shirley Cloutier Laffrey, PhD, MPH, APRN, BC

Associate Professor
School of Nursing
Mail Code: D0100
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-9949, (512) 471-4910 (fax)
Email Shirley Cloutier Laffrey

Shirley Cloutier Laffrey studies physical activity and exercise in Mexican American women aged 60 and older. Currently she is conducting a 12-month intervention study of sedentary women, based on Stage of Change and Self-Efficacy theories. Physiological and psycho-social measures are administered at baseline, and followed by 12 weeks of supervised stretching and walking at increasing intensity and duration up to 35 minutes, 3 times weekly at 55-75% of heart rate reserve. Following re-administration of the measures, the women are asked to continue to walk on their own for 9 months, with regular monitoring and support. The measures are administered again at 12 months. The women in the intervention group changes will be compared with a control group at baseline, 12 weeks and 12 months.

Martita Lopez, PhD

Adjunct Associate Professor
Department of Psychology
Mail Code: B3800
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 232-4626; (512) 471-6175 (fax)
Email Martita Lopez

Martita Lopez is a clinical psychologist with a special interest in health and aging. She spent 20 years at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago where she directed the clinical geropsychology program, along with the psychology internship program. While there, she served as the co-principal investigator of a NCNR grant that studied the relationship between aerobic exercise and physical and cognitive functioning in older adults. More recently, Dr. Lopez and colleagues have been studying insomnia and aging. She is currently the co-investigator on a grant from the National Institute on Aging to explore the efficacy of behavioral techniques for insomnia with older adults who are medically ill, a group until now excluded from most sleep research.

Guy J. Manaster, PhD

Charles H. Spence Centennial Professor In Education
Department of Educational Psychology
Mail Code: D5800
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-2755, (512) 471-1288 (fax)
Email Guy J. Manaster

Guy J. Manaster is a life span developmentalist and psychologist and, as such, has long standing interests in aging. His research in the area has focused on attitudes toward aging and the aged by others and the aged themselves, and on adjustment to aging, satisfaction with aging, and the roles of the aged, with particular attention to grandparenting.

Thomas P. Marquardt, PhD

Professor
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Mail Code: A1105
The University of Texas at Austin
(512)471-6831, (512)471-2957 (fax)
Email Thomas P. Marquardt

Thomas P. Marquardt studies the effects of left hemisphere brain damage on speech motor control, specifically, segmental and prosodic aspects of word and phrase production. He also investigates hemispheric asymmetries in the processing of emotional messages. His research as been supported by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke. He is the author of Appraisal and Diagnosis of Speech and Language Disorders (3rd ed.).

Graham J. McDougall, PhD

Professor
School of Nursing
Mail Code: D0100
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-7936, (512) 471-4910 (fax)
Email Graham J. McDougall

Graham J. McDougall, Jr. is interested in cognitive aging and educational gerontology. The emphasis of his research is on modifying risk factors and developing interventions to improve the cognitive performance of older adults. This includes the effects of physical, emotional, and control beliefs on subjective and objective memory performance. His projects have been designed for various environments where older adults live, recreate, and work. Participants have been not only Caucasian elderly, but also African-American and Hispanic elders. His various research projects have been funded by the National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institute of Nursing Research. In addition, the American Nurses Foundation and the Rehabilitation Nursing Association have funded his studies. Dr. McDougall publishes scholarly and popular topics of interest for aging professionals. In 1999 he was the recipient of the Springer Award in Geriatric/Gerontological Nursing at the Gerontological Society of America for his study entitled "Mnemonic Training to Improve Memory Performance and Memory Self-efficacy in Cognitively Impaired Nursing Home Residents." Dr. McDougall, a gerontological nurse practitioner of 20 years, developed a novel in-home service delivery model for medicare-certified home health agencies to provide mental health services to homebound elderly, which has now become the standard of care in home health practice.

Marc Musick, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology
Mail Code: A1700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-8382; (512) 471-4886 (fax)
Email Marc Musick

Marc Musick received his Ph.D. in sociology from Duke University. His interests include medical sociology - social factors and health; religion and health; sociology of aging and the life course; and social psychology.

Dannielle C. O'Donnell, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Assistant Professor
Pharmacy Practice and Administration Division
College of Pharmacy
Mail Code: A1910
The University of Texas at Austin
Clinical Assistant Professor
Division of Pharmacotherapy Clinical Pharmacy Programs at San Antonio University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
(512) 232-2622, (254) 724-7458 (Clinical site), (254) 724-7488 (fax), (254) 724-7248 (Scott & White) and (254) 724-7508 x2166 (Pager)
Email Dannielle C. O'Donnell

Dannielle C. O'Donnell studies the risk factors for heart disease with an emphasis on lipid disorders. Areas of interest include differential patient outcomes and economic analyses of health system interventions in the ambulatory setting. Additional studies address comprehension of informed consent information presented during study enrollment. Her work has been published in several peer-reviewed journals.

Marilyn Pattillo, PhD, RN, CS, NP

Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing
School of Nursing
Mail Code: D0100
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-7970, (512) 471-4910 (fax)
Email Marilyn Pattillo

Marilyn Pattillo is certified as a clinical nurse specialist and as a nurse practitioner. Her research focuses on validation of the advanced practice nurse model and program evaluation of health care delivery models in different community health sites, such as parish nursing. She is director of the Clinical Research Laboratory at the Austin Groups for the Elderly, a program of the Institute of Gerontology. Present research is on optimizing cognitive functioning of older adults. Dr. Pattillo is also on the National Asian Pacific Islander Center for Aging board, an advocacy organization for Asian elders in America.

Marv Shepherd, PhD

Clifford L. Klinck, Jr. Centennial Professor
Pharmacy Administration
Director, Center for Pharmacoeconomic Studies
College of Pharmacy
Mail Code: A1930
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-6892, (512) 471-8762 (fax)
Email Marv Shepherd

Marv Shepherd's general research interests are in the pharmacoeconomics of drug therapies, pharmaceutical care services, and drug use by the elderly. He also does research on documenting the amount of prescription drugs that come from Mexico and the impact these drugs have on health.

Waneen Spirduso, EdD

Oscar and Anne Mauzy Regents Professorship for Educational Research and Development
Department of Kinesiology and Health Education
Mail Code: D3700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-4168, (512) 471-0946 (fax)
Email Waneen Spirduso

Waneen W. Spirduso studies the relationship of health and fitness to the cognitive support system, specifically, short term memory, attention, and information processing. She also conducts research in motor control of hand function. Her research has been funded by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute for Neurological Disease and Stroke, the National Institute of Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Abuse, and she is currently collaborating with Pamela New, M.D., of the University of Texas Health Science Center -San Antonio, in a study of the manual force control of persons who have Parkinson's Disease. She is author of the book, Physical Dimensions of Aging.

Dr. Spirduso was the founder and director of The University of Texas at Austin Institute of Gerontology from 1997 - 2004.

Joseph W. Starnes, PhD

Professor
Department of Kinesiology and Health Education
Mail Code: D3700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-8589, (512) 471-0946 (fax)
Email Joseph W. Starnes

Joseph W. Starnes studies the effects of exercise, aging, and nutrition on the heart. He makes extensive use of the isolated perfused rat heart to study the physiological and pathological impact of aging and lifestyle choices. He also studies the role of antioxidants in protecting the heart against ischemic injury. His research has been supported by the National Institute on Aging, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the American Heart Association. Aging-related projects currently underway in his laboratory include a grant from the American Heart Association titled "Effects of aging on exercise-induced cardioprotective adaptations."

Hirofumi Tanaka, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Kinesiology and Health Education
Mail Code: D3700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 232-4801, (512) 471-0946 (fax)
Email Hirofumi Tanaka

The research effort of Hirofumi Tanaka has been directed toward the influence of aging and lifestyle modifications on cardiovascular disease risk and functions in humans. In particular, he is interested in determining the efficacy of regular physical activity for primary and secondary prevention of age-related changes in arterial function and structure. A number of different experimental approaches (e.g., meta-analysis, cross-sectional study, and intervention study) and a variety of experimental techniques (e.g., Doppler ultrasound, venous occlusion plethysmography, and pressure arteriograph) are used to address the research question. Dr. Tanaka's work is currently supported by the National Institute on Aging.

John W. Traphagan, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Asian Studies
Population Research Center
Mail Code: G1800
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-8315, (512) 471-4886 (fax)
Email John W. Traphagan

John Traphagan's research agenda focuses on culture and aging in Japan. He is particularly interested in the cultural construction of senile dementia and on the intersection between culture and policies related to disability in later life. Traphagan has also conducted research on care issues for older people that arise with out-migration of young people from rural areas, elder suicide, and religion, well being and aging in Japan. He has spent approximately three years doing ethnographic fieldwork in northern Japan. Traphagan is the author of Taming Oblivion: Aging Bodies and the Fear of Senility in Japan (SUNY Press, 2000) and is co-editor (with John Knight) of Demographic Change and the Family in Japan's Aging Society (SUNY Press, 2002). Traphagan is also editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology.

Debra Umberson, PhD

Professor
Department of Sociology
Mail Code: A1700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-1122, (512) 471-1748 (fax)
Email Debra Umberson

Debra Umberson was a research fellow at The University of Michigan from 1985-1988 and joined the faculty at The University of Texas in 1988. Her research focuses on the structural determinants of psychological and physical health, gender and relationships, and bereavement and the family. She is writing a book on the impact of a parent's death on adult children and families based on research supported by a first award from the National Institute on Aging. Her newest research, supported by the National Institute on Aging, examines how the effect of marital quality on health changes over the life course.

David Warner, PhD

Professor
LBJ School of Public Affairs
Mail Code: E2700
Visiting Professor of Public Health
School of Public Health
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-4962, (512) 471-1835 (fax)
Email David Warner

David Warner specializes in health economics, health finance and health policy. He is currently doing work on the cost of diabetes, trade in health services especially between the US and Mexico, and mental health policy. A current policy concern is the portability of Medicare and possibly Medicaid in certain circumstances to Mexico. He has served as Chair of the Texas Diabetes Council and on the board of Brackenridge Hospital. Dr. Warner teaches courses in health finance and health policy. Currently, he is working on a project to examine options for expanding health care coverage for all Texans.

Patrick Wong, PhD

Associate Professor
LBJ School of Public Affairs
Mail Code: E2700
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 471-8962, (512) 471-1835 (fax)
Email Patrick Wong

Patrick Wong's research interests are in social policy and anti-poverty programs. His recent work includes evaluating the use of managed care models in the Texas Medicaid system as well as in the Texas mental health service system. He is also working with local non-profit agencies on service integration and strategic alliance issues.



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About the School Message from the Dean Mission Quick Facts Administration Organizations Learning Center Contact Information News Academics BSN Program ADN-BSN Program Alternate Entry MSN Program MSN Programs Alternate Entry PhD Program PhD Program Research The Cain Center for Nursing Research Center for Health Promotion Research Faculty Research Funded Research Links News Events Featured Events Calendar In the Community Children's Wellness Center Family Wellness Center Women's Wellness Center Disaster Preparedness Sigma Theta Tau International Support the School Giving Foundation Advisory Council School Advisory Council	SoN Home > Current Students > Academic > Gerontology Gerontology Faculty Gayle J. Acton, PhD, RN, CNS Assistant Professor School of Nursing Mail Code: D0100 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-9081, (512) 471-4910 (fax) Email Gayle J. Acton Gayle J. Acton is interested in theory development and testing, particularly theories related to aging and older adults. Her research area focuses on health promotion, stress, coping, and outcomes in older adults. Specific populations of interest are community dwelling older adults and family caregivers of adults with dementia. She conducts research to investigate variables related to health-promoting self-care in older adults and interventions to assist family members cope with the stress of caregiving. She has received funding from the National Institutes of Nursing Research, American Nurses Foundation, Pine Family Foundation, and Sigma Theta Tau. Currently, she is conducting research to determine by meta-analytic methods, the most effective interventions for caregivers of adults with dementia. In addition she is testing a theoretical model of health-promoting self-care in community dwelling older adults and family caregivers. Acton is a member of an interagency research team (Texas Veterans Administration and Scott and White Hospital) investigating communication from persons with dementia. She has authored numerous articles concerning theory, family caregiving, and health promotion in older adults. Jacqueline L. Angel, PhD Associate Professor LBJ School of Public Affairs Mail Code: E2700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-2956, (512) 471-1835 (fax) Email Jacqueline L. Angel Jacqueline L. Angel is an associate professor of Public Policy and Sociology at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and a Faculty Research Associate at the Center for Health and Social Policy at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on social policy issues associated with the demography of minority aging and health, particularly, how cultural heterogeneity among the elderly affects the design of programs for the cost-effective delivery of health services and for the provision of long-term care. Currently, she is collaborating with investigators from the UT medical schools in Galveston and San Antonio on a National Institute on Aging (NIA) benchmark study of elderly Mexican Americans' health in the Southwestern United States. Her publications include more than 30 articles and chapters on health and aging issues as well as three books - Health and Living Arrangements of the Elderly (Garland Publishing, 1991), and with Ronald. J. Angel, Painful Inheritance: Health and the New Generation of Fatherless Families (University of Wisconsin Press, 1993) and Who Will Care For Us? Aging and Long-term Care in Multicultural America (New York University Press, 1997). At the LBJ School, she teaches courses on policy development with respect to health care and the politics of aging, disability and long-term care. Currently, Dr. Angel is President of the Board of Family Eldercare, Inc., a not-for-profit organization 501(c)(3) which helps older adults and persons with disabilities live independently in the community with dignity and respect. She is also a Faculty Fellow at the Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch. Ronald J. Angel, PhD Chair and Professor Department of Sociology Mail Code: A1700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-1122, (512) 471-1748 (fax) Email Ronald J. Angel Ronald J. Angel is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin and Editor of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. He was on the sociology faculty at Rutgers University for seven years before coming to Austin, Texas. Angel's training is in social demography, epidemiology, and medical sociology. His research focuses on the role of culture and social class on health and health care use. His work has appeared in numerous journals, and he has served on several peer review committees of the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Mental Health. Currently he is a principle investigator with the UT medical schools in Galveston and San Antonio on a benchmark study of the health of elderly Mexican Americans in the Southwestern United States. He co-authored two books with Jacqueline L. Angel: Painful Inheritance: Health and the New Generation of Fatherless Families (University of Wisconsin Press, 1993), and Who Will Care For Us?: Aging and Long-term Care in Multicultural America (New York University Press, 1997). Janet Boes, MSW, PhD Lecturer School of Social Work Mail Code: D3500 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-9825, (512) 471-9600 (fax) Email Janet Boes Janet Boes teaches courses in the School of Social Work including Loss and Grief, Grief Counseling and Social Work Practice with Women. Her areas of interest include death and grief, aging, medical social work, minority student retention and women's issues. Her research has focused on a longitudinal survey of the "oldest old" (85+) women and aging, grief groups for those who have lost a loved one to HIV/AIDS, and the use of technology in the classroom. Ann K. Brooks, EdD Associate Professor College of Education - Curriculum/Instruction Mail Code: D5700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-4611, (512) 471-8460 (fax) Email Ann K. Brooks Ann K. Brooks' research is on transformative learning and identity development. She also studies group learning. Her research has received several awards, including one from the International Society of Performance and Instruction and the National Association of Continuing Education. She is the co-author of The Emerging Power of Action Inquiry Technologies. Carolyn Brown, PhD Associate Professor College of Pharmacy - Pharmacy Administration Division Mail Code: A1930 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-2374, (512) 471-8762 (fax) Email Carolyn Brown Carolyn Brown's research primarily involves the study of the cultural and social elements that may impact both quality of care and therapeutic outcomes of patients, particularly ethnic minority patients. Extant research including her own studies indicates that patients simultaneously use formal and informal health care systems. As a result, her research focuses on such issues as consumer decision-making in medical care, particularly as it relates to prescribed medication and alternative treatment practices of "at-risk" populations. Additional research interests include patient satisfaction with pharmacy care services, pharmacy service quality, and pharmaceutical education of ethnic minorities. Cynthia Buckley, PhD Associate Professor Department of Sociology Mail Code: A1700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 232-6337, (512) 471-1748 (fax) Email Cynthia Buckley Cynthia Buckley is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology, training director at the Population Research Center, associate director of the Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, and faculty affiliate of the Women's Studies Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Buckley's research focuses on population processes and social support, specifically in Central Asia and the Russian Federation. Her current research focuses on aging and health in the former Soviet Union and the United States. She teaches courses on research methodology. Patricia A. Carter, PhD, RN, CNS Assistant Professor School of Nursing Mail Code: D0100 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 232-4709, (512) 471-3688 (fax) Email Patricia A. Carter Patricia A. Carter explores the relationship between chronic sleep deprivation and the development of mood disturbances (e.g., depression, anxiety) in family caregivers of persons with chronic illnesses. Many family caregivers are elderly spouses. The focus of this research is two-fold: 1) to explore the longitudinal predictive relationship between sleep and mood disturbances and 2) to determine the effectiveness of non-pharmacological sleep interventions to prevent or lessen mood disturbances in this elderly population. Both physiologic and self-report instruments are utilized to measure sleep/activity and mood disturbances in the naturalistic caregiver recipient environment. Namkee G. Choi, MSW, PhD Professor School of Social Work Mail Code: D3500 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 232-9590, (512) 471-9600 (fax) Email Namkee G. Choi Namkee Choi's research areas include policy analysis of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs, long-term care service utilization, housing, elder abuse and neglect, and minority aging. In addition to her research involving analysis of large secondary data sets, Dr. Choi has conducted many community-based research projects in collaboration with state and county senior services and mental health departments and nonprofit social service agencies, notably Meals on Wheels and home health care programs, in New York and Oregon. Chiquita Collins, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Sociology Mail Code: A1910 Population Research Center The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-8338, (512) 471-4886 (fax) Email Chiquita Collins Dr Collins received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the UT Department of Sociology, she had been awarded a post-doctoral fellowship with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research Program (1999-2001) at the University of California (Berkeley and San Francisco). Her research interests include medical sociology, social demography, race and ethnicity, and social epidemiology. She is currently working on a research project that seeks to illuminate the effects of institutional racism on health by examining the extent to which racial residential segregation impacts mortality rates for African Americans and whites in urban areas. M. Lynn Crismon, PHARMD Professor & Southwestern Drug Corporation Centennial Fellow in Pharmacy College of Pharmacy Mail Code: A1910 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 232-2630, (512) 206-4529 (fax) Email M. Lynn Crismon Dr Crismon's research and practice focuses on pharmacotherapeutic interventions to improve the clinical outcomes of individuals with severe mental illnesses and brain disorders. Richard T. Eakin, PhD Senior Systems Analyst Mathematical Support Services Consultant and Supervisor Research Consulting Division, Information Technology Services Mail Code: G2700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 475-9262 Email Richard T. Eakin Richard Eakin received a PhD in physics from The University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in biochemistry from California Institute of Technology. Dr. Eakin was a research/engineering scientist at the Center for High Performance Computing at The University of Texas at Austin. Earlier, he was a visiting staff member at the University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Dr. Eakin researches mortality rate changes and analyzes human survival dynamics. Currently, he is applying these mathematical techniques to compare tremor and force control dynamics in older persons with Parkinson's Disease to those of older adults. Christopher G. Ellison, PhD Elsie and Stanley E. (Skinny) Adams, Sr. Centennial Professor Department of Sociology Research Associate Population Research Center Mail Code: G1800 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-8355, (512) 471-4886 (fax) Email Christopher G. Ellison Christopher Ellison's major research interests include (1) the effects of various dimensions of religious involvement on mental and physical health outcomes and mortality risk; (2) the conceptualization and measurement of religion and spirituality for health and aging research; (3) the role of religious institutions, values, and practices in aging, particularly among racial and ethnic minority populations; and (4) religious influences on family life, including norms of intergenerational coresidence and caregiving. He is currently the principal investigator of a project funded by the National Institute on Aging that explores racial/ethnic variations in the effects of religious involvement on health behaviors, health outcomes, and mortality in a nationwide longitudinal study of older Americans. Roger P. Farrar, PhD Professor Department of Kinesiology and Health Education Mail Code: D3700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-8621, (512) 471-0946 (fax) Email Roger P. Farrar Roger P. Farrar measures the ability of neuromuscular systems to adapt to changes in external functional demands, as well as changes in internal milieu. Many of these changes occur during the aging process. The focus of the research is to better understand the stimulus for change that occurs during aging and to determine whether exercise may slow or attenuate these declines in function and mass. Various models of exercise are employed including changes in neural stimulation, load upon the muscle, and work output. Parker Frisbie, PhD Professor Department of Sociology Population Research Center Mail Code: G1800 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-5514, (512) 471-4886 (fax) Email Parker Frisbie A major dimension of Parker Frisbie's research agenda involves the study of race/ethnic differentials in morbidity and mortality. In addition to the often-documented African American-white disparities in risk, this work has focused on what has become known as the "epidemiologic paradox." For example, despite the fact that the U.S. population of Mexican Origin (both Mexican Americans and immigrants from Mexico) have a more disadvantageous socioeconomic and demographic risk profile, they have a life expectancy at birth that closely resembles that of non-Hispanic whites ("Anglos"). This overall equality occurs within the context of very different cause-of-death structures. For example, persons of Mexican origin have lower risk of death due to chronic and degenerative conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and malignant neoplasms at most sites than do Anglos. However, the former group is more at risk from pneumonia and influenza, external causes (e.g., accidents), and diabetes. He has recently published work on the health of immigrants of various origins which indicates an erosion of health as length of duration in the U.S. increases. Gail Giebink, BA Foundation Relations UT Development Office Mail Code: F1000 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 475-9628, (512) 471-7868 (fax) Email Gail Giebink Gail Giebink works in the area of foundation relations in the UT Development Office, providing interface between faculty members and charitable foundations. She promotes private support of university programs through prospect research, assistance in proposal development, and pursuit of funding opportunities. M. Beth Gillham, PhD Associate Professor Department of Human Ecology Mail Code: A2700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-0633, (512) 471-5630 (fax) Email M. Beth Gillham M. Beth Gillham teaches graduate courses in Clinical Nutrition at The University of Texas at Austin. Roberta R. Greene, PhD Centennial Chair in Gerontology Mail Code: D3500 The University of Texas at Austin 512-232-4168, 512-232-2165 fax Email Roberta Greene Dr. Roberta Greene is the Louis and Ann Wolens Centennial Chair in Gerontology at the School of Social Work, University of Texas, Austin. Dr. Greene served as the Dean of Indiana University School of Social Work between 1994-1999, and as Professor and Associate Dean of the University of Georgia, School of Social Work from 1991 to 1994. Since 1985 she has received 16 grants totaling $765,000 and written over 35 juried books and articles in the areas of aging, human behavior theory and social work. Dr. GreeneÍs major research interest includes family caregiving and best practices, and curriculum design. Her latest books include Human Behavior Theory and Social Work Practice (2nd edition), Social Work with the Aged and their Families (2nd edition), and Resiliency: An Integrated Approach to Practice, Policy, and Research. She currently is working on a book and distributive learning materials entitled Teaching Professionals to Meet Crises and Promote Resilience. Joyce L. Harris, PhD Associate Professor Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Speech and Hearing Center Mail Code: A1100 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-5406; (512) 471-2957 (fax) Email Joyce L. Harris Joyce L. Harris, associate professor of speech-language pathology, received her Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin in 1992. Before returning to UT in 2001, she held a nine-year appointment at The University of Memphis, where her research focused on language and cognitive aging. Much of her research involves the study of text comprehension in aging, particularly the investigation of factors related to the comprehension of text-based health information. Harris is the author of The Source for Reminiscence Therapy (LinguiSystems, 1998) and editor and chapter contributor for Literacy in African American Communities (Erlbaum, 2001). Her print scholarship also includes some 25 journal articles and book chapters on topics related to normal and disordered communicative process across the lifespan. Currently, Harris serves as an associate editor for language for the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. Shirley M. Haulotte, LMSW, ACP Field Specialist School of Social Work Mail Code: D3500 The University of Texas at Austin (512)471-8226, (512)471-9600 (fax) Email Shirley M. Haulotte Shirley Haulotte supervises student interns who work in home health and long term care settings. She has published articles on long term care issues, and most recently an article, "Integrating Didactic and Experiential Aging Curricula," was accepted by The Journal of Gerontological Social Work. She conducts field research with home bound elderly and is currently developing measurement tools for assessing depression in older adults in institutional settings. Her students are also involved in field research on end-of-life decision making by older adults with dementia (Advance Directive Awareness Measure). Martha Hilley, MA Professor School of Music Mail Code: E3100 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-0751, (512) 471-2333 (fax) Email Martha Hilley Martha Hilley is coordinator of group piano and pedagogy at the University of Texas at Austin. She has served administratively as Associate Director of the School of Music and Director of Undergraduate Studies and currently chairs the university-wide Faculty Council. She is co-investigator with Waneen Spirduso on grant from the Hogg Foundation, "The Impact of a University Piano Instruction Program on the Hand Function and Psychological Well-being of Adults Over the Age of 70." Professor Hilley's articles have been published in Clavier, Piano Quarterly and Keyboard Companion. She is co-author of the following college piano texts: Piano for the Developing Musician and Piano for Pleasure. Carole K. Holahan, PhD Associate Professor Department of Kinesiology and Health Education Mail Code: D3700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-4405, (512) 471-3845 (fax) Email Carole K. Holahan Carole K. Holahan is a life-span developmental psychologist with research interests in life-span development and health, coping with chronic illness, and p0sychosocial issues in womenÍs health. She has studied successful aging for many years with the Terman Study of the Gifted, and is the author (with Robert R. Sears) of The Gifted Group in Later Maturity (Stanford University Press). She is currently collaborating on a study of social resources and aging funded by the National Institute on Aging, and she is also funded at present by the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health to study social support, coping, and mental health in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white cardiac patients. Robert A. Hummer, PhD Associate Professor Department of Sociology Mail Code: G1800 Research Associate Population Research Center The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-8391, (512) 471-4886 (fax) Email Robert A. Hummer Robert A. Hummer's research focus is on the social and behavioral factors that influence health and mortality in the U.S., particularly as they relate to race and ethnic differentials. He recently published a book along with Richard Rogers and Charles Nam entitled Living and Dying in the USA: Social, Behavioral, and Health Differences in Adult Mortality (Academic Press). Jody L. Jensen, PhD Associate Professor Department of Kinesiology and Health Education Mail Code: D3700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 232-2685 (Direct line), (512) 232-2686 (Lab), (512) 471-1273 (Main office), (512) 471-8914 (fax) Email Jody L. Jensen Jody L. Jensen studies balance and locomotion and how those skills change across the lifespan. Specific areas of research include the mechanics of balance control, the muscular force requirements for maintaining stability during stance and locomotion, and the contribution of the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems to balance and locomotor skills. Dr Jensen's work is currently funded by the National Science Foundation. Past support has come from the American Federation for Aging Research and the National Institute on Aging. Christopher Jolly, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Human Ecology Mail Code: A2700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-7290, (512) 471-6175 (fax) Email Christopher Jolly Dr Jolly's laboratory examines the influence of aging on lipid metabolism and signal transduction in the immune system. The current focus is on the T-lymphocyte using aged rats as a model. Since lipid composition in immune cells can be dramatically influenced by diet, the lab also attempts to design specific dietary interventions by which age-dependent changes in lipid composition can be offset. The ultimate goal is to be able maintain youthful immune function in the aged leading to a better quality of life. Shirley Cloutier Laffrey, PhD, MPH, APRN, BC Associate Professor School of Nursing Mail Code: D0100 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-9949, (512) 471-4910 (fax) Email Shirley Cloutier Laffrey Shirley Cloutier Laffrey studies physical activity and exercise in Mexican American women aged 60 and older. Currently she is conducting a 12-month intervention study of sedentary women, based on Stage of Change and Self-Efficacy theories. Physiological and psycho-social measures are administered at baseline, and followed by 12 weeks of supervised stretching and walking at increasing intensity and duration up to 35 minutes, 3 times weekly at 55-75% of heart rate reserve. Following re-administration of the measures, the women are asked to continue to walk on their own for 9 months, with regular monitoring and support. The measures are administered again at 12 months. The women in the intervention group changes will be compared with a control group at baseline, 12 weeks and 12 months. Martita Lopez, PhD Adjunct Associate Professor Department of Psychology Mail Code: B3800 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 232-4626; (512) 471-6175 (fax) Email Martita Lopez Martita Lopez is a clinical psychologist with a special interest in health and aging. She spent 20 years at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago where she directed the clinical geropsychology program, along with the psychology internship program. While there, she served as the co-principal investigator of a NCNR grant that studied the relationship between aerobic exercise and physical and cognitive functioning in older adults. More recently, Dr. Lopez and colleagues have been studying insomnia and aging. She is currently the co-investigator on a grant from the National Institute on Aging to explore the efficacy of behavioral techniques for insomnia with older adults who are medically ill, a group until now excluded from most sleep research. Guy J. Manaster, PhD Charles H. Spence Centennial Professor In Education Department of Educational Psychology Mail Code: D5800 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-2755, (512) 471-1288 (fax) Email Guy J. Manaster Guy J. Manaster is a life span developmentalist and psychologist and, as such, has long standing interests in aging. His research in the area has focused on attitudes toward aging and the aged by others and the aged themselves, and on adjustment to aging, satisfaction with aging, and the roles of the aged, with particular attention to grandparenting. Thomas P. Marquardt, PhD Professor Communication Sciences and Disorders Mail Code: A1105 The University of Texas at Austin (512)471-6831, (512)471-2957 (fax) Email Thomas P. Marquardt Thomas P. Marquardt studies the effects of left hemisphere brain damage on speech motor control, specifically, segmental and prosodic aspects of word and phrase production. He also investigates hemispheric asymmetries in the processing of emotional messages. His research as been supported by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke. He is the author of Appraisal and Diagnosis of Speech and Language Disorders (3rd ed.). Graham J. McDougall, PhD Professor School of Nursing Mail Code: D0100 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-7936, (512) 471-4910 (fax) Email Graham J. McDougall Graham J. McDougall, Jr. is interested in cognitive aging and educational gerontology. The emphasis of his research is on modifying risk factors and developing interventions to improve the cognitive performance of older adults. This includes the effects of physical, emotional, and control beliefs on subjective and objective memory performance. His projects have been designed for various environments where older adults live, recreate, and work. Participants have been not only Caucasian elderly, but also African-American and Hispanic elders. His various research projects have been funded by the National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institute of Nursing Research. In addition, the American Nurses Foundation and the Rehabilitation Nursing Association have funded his studies. Dr. McDougall publishes scholarly and popular topics of interest for aging professionals. In 1999 he was the recipient of the Springer Award in Geriatric/Gerontological Nursing at the Gerontological Society of America for his study entitled "Mnemonic Training to Improve Memory Performance and Memory Self-efficacy in Cognitively Impaired Nursing Home Residents." Dr. McDougall, a gerontological nurse practitioner of 20 years, developed a novel in-home service delivery model for medicare-certified home health agencies to provide mental health services to homebound elderly, which has now become the standard of care in home health practice. Marc Musick, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Sociology Mail Code: A1700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-8382; (512) 471-4886 (fax) Email Marc Musick Marc Musick received his Ph.D. in sociology from Duke University. His interests include medical sociology - social factors and health; religion and health; sociology of aging and the life course; and social psychology. Dannielle C. O'Donnell, PharmD, BCPS Clinical Assistant Professor Pharmacy Practice and Administration Division College of Pharmacy Mail Code: A1910 The University of Texas at Austin Clinical Assistant Professor Division of Pharmacotherapy Clinical Pharmacy Programs at San Antonio University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (512) 232-2622, (254) 724-7458 (Clinical site), (254) 724-7488 (fax), (254) 724-7248 (Scott & White) and (254) 724-7508 x2166 (Pager) Email Dannielle C. O'Donnell Dannielle C. O'Donnell studies the risk factors for heart disease with an emphasis on lipid disorders. Areas of interest include differential patient outcomes and economic analyses of health system interventions in the ambulatory setting. Additional studies address comprehension of informed consent information presented during study enrollment. Her work has been published in several peer-reviewed journals. Marilyn Pattillo, PhD, RN, CS, NP Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing School of Nursing Mail Code: D0100 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-7970, (512) 471-4910 (fax) Email Marilyn Pattillo Marilyn Pattillo is certified as a clinical nurse specialist and as a nurse practitioner. Her research focuses on validation of the advanced practice nurse model and program evaluation of health care delivery models in different community health sites, such as parish nursing. She is director of the Clinical Research Laboratory at the Austin Groups for the Elderly, a program of the Institute of Gerontology. Present research is on optimizing cognitive functioning of older adults. Dr. Pattillo is also on the National Asian Pacific Islander Center for Aging board, an advocacy organization for Asian elders in America. Marv Shepherd, PhD Clifford L. Klinck, Jr. Centennial Professor Pharmacy Administration Director, Center for Pharmacoeconomic Studies College of Pharmacy Mail Code: A1930 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-6892, (512) 471-8762 (fax) Email Marv Shepherd Marv Shepherd's general research interests are in the pharmacoeconomics of drug therapies, pharmaceutical care services, and drug use by the elderly. He also does research on documenting the amount of prescription drugs that come from Mexico and the impact these drugs have on health. Waneen Spirduso, EdD Oscar and Anne Mauzy Regents Professorship for Educational Research and Development Department of Kinesiology and Health Education Mail Code: D3700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-4168, (512) 471-0946 (fax) Email Waneen Spirduso Waneen W. Spirduso studies the relationship of health and fitness to the cognitive support system, specifically, short term memory, attention, and information processing. She also conducts research in motor control of hand function. Her research has been funded by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute for Neurological Disease and Stroke, the National Institute of Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Abuse, and she is currently collaborating with Pamela New, M.D., of the University of Texas Health Science Center -San Antonio, in a study of the manual force control of persons who have Parkinson's Disease. She is author of the book, Physical Dimensions of Aging. Dr. Spirduso was the founder and director of The University of Texas at Austin Institute of Gerontology from 1997 - 2004. Joseph W. Starnes, PhD Professor Department of Kinesiology and Health Education Mail Code: D3700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-8589, (512) 471-0946 (fax) Email Joseph W. Starnes Joseph W. Starnes studies the effects of exercise, aging, and nutrition on the heart. He makes extensive use of the isolated perfused rat heart to study the physiological and pathological impact of aging and lifestyle choices. He also studies the role of antioxidants in protecting the heart against ischemic injury. His research has been supported by the National Institute on Aging, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the American Heart Association. Aging-related projects currently underway in his laboratory include a grant from the American Heart Association titled "Effects of aging on exercise-induced cardioprotective adaptations." Hirofumi Tanaka, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Kinesiology and Health Education Mail Code: D3700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 232-4801, (512) 471-0946 (fax) Email Hirofumi Tanaka The research effort of Hirofumi Tanaka has been directed toward the influence of aging and lifestyle modifications on cardiovascular disease risk and functions in humans. In particular, he is interested in determining the efficacy of regular physical activity for primary and secondary prevention of age-related changes in arterial function and structure. A number of different experimental approaches (e.g., meta-analysis, cross-sectional study, and intervention study) and a variety of experimental techniques (e.g., Doppler ultrasound, venous occlusion plethysmography, and pressure arteriograph) are used to address the research question. Dr. Tanaka's work is currently supported by the National Institute on Aging. John W. Traphagan, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Asian Studies Population Research Center Mail Code: G1800 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-8315, (512) 471-4886 (fax) Email John W. Traphagan John Traphagan's research agenda focuses on culture and aging in Japan. He is particularly interested in the cultural construction of senile dementia and on the intersection between culture and policies related to disability in later life. Traphagan has also conducted research on care issues for older people that arise with out-migration of young people from rural areas, elder suicide, and religion, well being and aging in Japan. He has spent approximately three years doing ethnographic fieldwork in northern Japan. Traphagan is the author of Taming Oblivion: Aging Bodies and the Fear of Senility in Japan (SUNY Press, 2000) and is co-editor (with John Knight) of Demographic Change and the Family in Japan's Aging Society (SUNY Press, 2002). Traphagan is also editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology. Debra Umberson, PhD Professor Department of Sociology Mail Code: A1700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-1122, (512) 471-1748 (fax) Email Debra Umberson Debra Umberson was a research fellow at The University of Michigan from 1985-1988 and joined the faculty at The University of Texas in 1988. Her research focuses on the structural determinants of psychological and physical health, gender and relationships, and bereavement and the family. She is writing a book on the impact of a parent's death on adult children and families based on research supported by a first award from the National Institute on Aging. Her newest research, supported by the National Institute on Aging, examines how the effect of marital quality on health changes over the life course. David Warner, PhD Professor LBJ School of Public Affairs Mail Code: E2700 Visiting Professor of Public Health School of Public Health The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-4962, (512) 471-1835 (fax) Email David Warner David Warner specializes in health economics, health finance and health policy. He is currently doing work on the cost of diabetes, trade in health services especially between the US and Mexico, and mental health policy. A current policy concern is the portability of Medicare and possibly Medicaid in certain circumstances to Mexico. He has served as Chair of the Texas Diabetes Council and on the board of Brackenridge Hospital. Dr. Warner teaches courses in health finance and health policy. Currently, he is working on a project to examine options for expanding health care coverage for all Texans. Patrick Wong, PhD Associate Professor LBJ School of Public Affairs Mail Code: E2700 The University of Texas at Austin (512) 471-8962, (512) 471-1835 (fax) Email Patrick Wong Patrick Wong's research interests are in social policy and anti-poverty programs. His recent work includes evaluating the use of managed care models in the Texas Medicaid system as well as in the Texas mental health service system. He is also working with local non-profit agencies on service integration and strategic alliance issues.
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