David Almeida to receive Gerontological Society of America Mentorship Award

David Almeida, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State, has been selected as the 2024 recipient of the Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award, awarded by the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging.

The distinguished honor is given annually to a GSA member in recognition of their excellence in and impact on the field of gerontology through their mentoring, and whose inspiration is sought by students and colleagues. This includes mentorship of graduate, undergraduate, or professional students or junior colleagues. The awardee’s influence on the next generation of gerontologists can also be demonstrated through training programs, research and rewritten materials associated with pedagogy or supervising research.

“It is by far the pinnacle of my professional life to watch and experience all the wonderful, amazing and far-reaching contributions that my students have made and continue to make,” said Almeida, who has been at Penn State for 20 years. “Making me feel that I played some role in these achievements is truly heartwarming and uplifting—a feeling I will keep near and dear to me.”

Almeida’s research is focused on understanding the daily experiences of life and the broad impact those experiences and stressors have on health and well-being. His research has shown that mundane yet frequent daily stressors are often better predictors of important health outcomes for mid- to later life adults than major events.

“One of my favorite hypotheses is that children shape their parents more than the other way around, and I am convinced that the same is true for students and mentors,” said Almeida, speaking of his mentees. “In mentoring you, I have learned as much, if not more, than I ever hoped to impart. Your resilience, insights and passion have inspired me in countless ways, and I will carry those lessons with me forever.”

He is the principal investigator for the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE), a national study that is part of the larger Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project that is being carried out with the help of the Penn State Survey Research Center.

The award presentation took place at GSA’s 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting. The conference is organized to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators and practitioners who specialize in the study of the aging process.

Originally published in December 2024.