Andrew V. Wister, PhD is Director of the Gerontology Research Centre at Simon Fraser University and Professor in the Department of Gerontology, where he spearheaded the development of the Masters and PhD programs. He is an internationally recognized expert on aging issues, policies, research and training. Dr. Wister has written extensively on healthy aging and health promotion. Substantive areas of research include baby boomer health dynamics; population aging and population health; resilience and aging; social isolation; and environmental adaptation among older adults. His research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, utilizing multiple methods, including mixed-methods, in order to disentangle the inherent complexity of aging over the life course. Dr. Wister has also been active in the Canadian Association on Gerontology, receiving the Distinguished Member Award in 2014 and is past Chair of the National Seniors Council of Canada. As the lead on the Simon Fraser University Data Collection Site and Computer Assisted Telephone Interview Site, Dr. Wister is an active core member of the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging (CLSA).
Theodore D. Cosco, PhD began volunteering at age 12 at a long-term care facility, beginning what would become a life-long passion for gerontology and the aging process. Using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, Dr. Cosco examines a range of factors that promote healthy aging and resilience in older adults, from digital interventions to physical activity. He is an Assistant Professorship in the Department of Gerontology, Simon Fraser University and is a Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, University of Oxford. Dr. Cosco is a Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society) trained in applied social research methods (MSc, Trinity College Dublin), and epidemiology (PhD, University of Cambridge). Recently, he received the Early Career Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association and European Health Psychology Society, as well as becoming the youngest recipient of the Canadian Association on Gerontology’s Recognition Award for Excellence in Longitudinal Research in Honour of Betty Havens.
