Halvorsen Elected to Officer Role With Gerontological Society of America Myra López 8/16/2024 Faculty; Social Work Share this Story: Halvorsen Cal J. Halvorsen, an associate professor at the Brown School, has been elected Vice-Chair of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA)’s Social Research, Policy and Practice (SRPP) section. Halvorsen will begin his term on January 1, 2025. GSA, the country’s oldest and largest organization devoted to the field of aging, has over 5,500 members including researchers, educators, and practitioners. The new officers, elected by GSA’s membership, will oversee matters of leadership and strategic planning. The SRPP section focuses on improving policies and services for older adults and their families. Halvorsen is grateful to GSA for the significant impact the organization has had on his professional journey. “The Gerontological Society of America has been integral to my development as a scholar since I first joined more than 15 years ago. GSA, and particularly the SRPP section, has expanded my professional network and exposed me to new research methods and ideas. In short, I’m a better researcher due to GSA,” he said. “Looking forward, I am thrilled that I will be able to give back to an organization that has given so much to me.” Alongside his new role, Halvorsen is an elected member of GSA’s Public Policy Advisory Panel. His research, which focuses on aging societies, paid and unpaid work, and social purpose and impact, has appeared in top journals and media outlets such as The New York Times, Forbes, and BBC. His work is supported by both public and private sources, including the U.S. Social Security Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Institutes of Health, and AARP. Halvorsen was also honored with the Carroll L. Estes Rising Star Award from GSA for his research and public scholarship. The Brown School has a strong track record of leadership within GSA. In 2015, Nancy Morrow-Howell, the Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy and co-director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging, was elected president of GSA.