This application has been designed to address the continuing need to expand the pool of investigators engaged in aging research and to nurture the untapped potential of junior and mid-career psychology faculty from colleges and universities across the country. By further increasing the national capacity for conducting high quality aging research, the proposed program will significantly enhance the health status of older adults. Fifteen psychology faculty will receive advanced training in research methodology in order to build a community of college teachers committed to developing an active research agenda and to integrating teaching and research in aging. Specific objectives include: (1) increasing participants' knowledge, skills, and motivation for pursuing an ongoing program of aging research; (2) providing participants an opportunity to interact intensively with each other, senior investigators, and members of previous cohorts and to promote the development of networking relationships among them; (3) increasing participants' awareness of grant ? support available for exploring new directions in aging research and providing them extended opportunities to interact with NIA program staff; and (4) increasing the number of strong research proposals that are submitted to the National Institute on Aging. The program will be promoted through a collaborative liaison with the American Psychological Association. Program design includes an initial two-week institute, ongoing consultation during the academic year, a mid-year meeting, and a summer follow-up institute. Topics include: Research Design & Analysis (K. Warner Schaie); Conducting Research with African American Elders (Keith Whitfield); Field Studies (Neil Charness); Cognitive Aging (Timothy Salthouse); Social Psychological Aging (Fredda Blanchard-Fields); Conducting Research in Teaching-Oriented Institutions (Chandra Mehrotra); Publication and Dissemination (Margaret Gatz); and Seeking Grant Support (Charness, Mehrotra, and NIA staff). A systematic evaluation will be conducted to determine the effectiveness of the program in achieving the intended outcomes. In order to promote dissemination of program content, faculty will be invited to contribute to a special theme issue of Educational Gerontology focusing on methodological issues in aging research. The PI and the participants will also disseminate their NIA-supported activities via conference presentations, publications, and Web sites. ? ? ?
