About Us
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At the Stony Brook University Aging Interest Network, we recognize that aging is more than just a euphemism for getting old. Aging is a lifelong developmental process through which many experience incredible growth! At the same time, the aging process can be accompanied by increasing discomfort and difficulty in doing activities in the same way as in earlier periods of life. For example, some people experience trouble with everyday tasks like remembering names, climbing the stairs, calling friends, or making coffee; other people may experience difficulty in completing more complex daily tasks such as driving, exercising, or completing a crossword puzzle.
Because the aging process can be unique to each individual, our multidisciplinary faculty seek to better understand the processes and contexts that affect how aging impacts health status, neurobiology, cognitive functioning, and quality of emotional and social life at both the individual level and the population level. Our overall goal is to better understand both the positive and the negative aspects of the aging process. A unique strength of the Stony Brook University Aging Interest Network is our expertise on the lifelong role of severe and/or chronic stress as a cause and consequence of aging. To that end, we have researchers engaged in studying the multiple ways that stress may cause small changes that accumulate over time, the multiple outcomes that may emerge when minorities are subjected to stressors over a lifetime, and the role of severe traumatic stressors can play in causing aging-related diseases in the brain and throughout the body. We also study factors that may help promote resilience in the face of adversity and positive coping with stress. A second core strength is a focus on aging in both suburban and urban environments. Across the multiple domains of functioning (cognition, health, well-being) we study, we are also interested in developing strategies and interventions to improve functioning, reduce risk, and support adaptation. Welcome to our website! Learn more about our members, see advertisements for our recent and upcoming events, check out our schedule of interest group meetings and lectures, and contact us if you’d like to receive our community newsletter or join us as a researcher! |