Visitor Research Program

Introduction

The Network will bring one or two of our International Collaborators to Australia each year, linking them to priority development in our Theme Areas. Where possible visitors will be invited jointly with the Australian Association of Gerontology, other national organisations related to ageing, or the Universities of Network Participants. They also will be encouraged to present seminars and workshops in as many States as possible.

Activities to date

The NSW hub organised several seminars delivered by Professor Jacqui Smith, Deputy Director from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, a world authority on longitudinal research in ageing. Professor Smith visited Sydney with support from a NSW Expatriates award and the University of Sydney. In September she presented a seminar on ‘Aging Differently: Potential and Limits, Findings from the Berlin Aging Study (BASE)’ and in December she presented a seminar on ‘Determinants of Successful Ageing: The Research Evidence’. These seminars were well-attended, with more than 50 and 100 attendees respectively, and links to the presentations with audio commentary are provided below:

Jacqui Smith – September 2005 – link here

Jacqui Smith – December 2005 – link here

Professor Marcia Ory, Director of the US Active for Life program, visited Professor Browning at La Trobe University. During her visit she presented an address and contributed to the Health Interventions workshop organised by the Healthy Ageing theme. She also presented an address "Translating research into practice: Results from the US Active for Life Program, Texas US" for a public seminar at the University of Sydney. A copy of the presentation is available here

The Victorian hub co-sponsored Professor Bob G. Knight, Professor of Gerontology and Psychology, University of Southern California to talk on “Mental Health and Older People: an International Perspective” in November at La Trobe University. A copy of Professor Knight’s presentation will be available shortly.

Professor Scott Hofer from Pennsylvania State University, along with Dr Lesa Hoffmann, presented workshops on longitudinal methods. More details about the Methodology Workshops is available here.