A National Training Program in Aging Research for Social Work Faculty

Abstract

Given the untapped potential of social work faculty to conduct aging research, we have designed, implemented, and evaluated a faculty training program in aging research in the United States. Specific aims included: strengthening participants' knowledge and skills related to research methodology, enhancing their awareness of grant support available for aging research, building participants' professional network and opportunities for mentorship, and increasing the number of strong applications they submit to external funding agencies. This special issue presents participants' experiences with the training program and how it contributed to their ability to effectively conduct aging research in a range of contexts. In particular, participants share the steps they took to secure grant support from agencies such as National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Alzheimer's Association, and the research they conducted with this support. Program participants also describe how they involved undergraduate and graduate students in their research projects, what activities the students undertook, and how the students benefited from these experiences. Since the visiting faculty played a key role in the training program as instructors and mentors, we have also included a paper that focuses on their reflections regarding why they agreed to serve as faculty, in what ways they contributed to the training activities, how their work in the program affected them, and what suggestions they would give to junior faculty who are growing their research in aging.