Karen Roberto, a University Distinguished Professor in Human Development and Family Science at Virginia Tech, has been appointed to The Gerontological Society of America Board of Directors.

The organization is dedicated to the scientific study of aging driving innovation in the field by delivering the newest information to scientists, decision makers, and the general public.

Board members are chosen by the society’s membership, consisting of more than 5,000 researchers, educators, and practitioners. The board is designed to include a full representation of the organization’s disciplinary groups.

Responsibilities for board members include developing the organization’s governing policies and carrying out the mission of the organization.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1996, Roberto’s scholarship focuses on health and social support in late life, with particular interests in health of older women, rural areas, and elder abuse and neglect. Roberto serves as director of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment at Virginia Tech and a senior fellow in the university’s Center for Gerontology.

Roberto is an internationally recognized leader in the field of social gerontology and an award-winning professor. In 2012, The Gerontological Society of America awarded her with the Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences section.

She has written numerous scholarly articles, including those published in The Gerontologist, Elder Abuse & Neglect, and the Australasian Journal on Ageing.

In addition, Roberto has written multiple books on the topic of aging, including “Resilience in Aging: Concepts, Research, and Outcomes”; “Community Resources for Older Adults: Programs and Services in an Era of Change”; and “Aging Social Policies.”

Written by Grace Baggett