The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — has chosen Jacqueline L. Angel, PhD, FGSA, of the LBJ School at The University of Texas at Austin as the 2023 recipient of the James Jackson Outstanding Mentorship Award.
This distinguished honor is given annually and recognizes individuals who have exemplified outstanding commitment and dedication to mentoring minority researchers in the field of aging. It was renamed in 2021 in memory of James Jackson, PhD, FGSA, a pioneering psychologist in the fields of race and culture and the impact of racial disparities on minority health, and himself a previous recipient of the award.
The award presentation will take place at GSA’s 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 8 to 12 in Tampa, Florida. This conference is organized to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners who specialize in the study of the aging process.
At The University of Texas at Austin, Angel is the Wilbur J. Cohen Professor of Health and Social Policy and Professor of Sociology and a faculty affiliate at the Population Research Center. Her research examines health and retirement issues in the U.S., with a focus on older minorities and the impact of social policy on the Hispanic population and Mexican-American families.
Angel has also served as an exemplary mentor. Over the years, she has served on more than 45 dissertation committees or post-doctoral projects and served as a reader for more than 80 additional theses. She has also mentored graduate students and early-career faculty through the process of publishing over 30 manuscripts.
As a previous chair of the American Sociological Association’s Section on Aging and the Life Course and GSA’s Behavioral and Social Sciences Section, Angel helped initiate or enhance mentoring opportunities to a diverse array of students and junior faculty. In these leadership roles, she has been a champion for emerging professionals studying ethnic comparisons over the life course. In her past role as treasurer of the IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics, she has worked to integrate and mentor international students and junior faculty into the profession.
Angel has also contributed to mentorship through decades of grant leadership. She has continually secured funding for students, either to work with her on research projects, such as National Institutes of Health R01 Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health Related Research, or to support the International Conference on Aging in the Americas, where she has enabled travel funding for junior Mexican and Mexican-American scholars.
Angel is a GSA fellow, which represents the highest category of membership within the Society.