Dr. Pianosi Proud to Announce New International Partnership

The Gerontology Department at Huntington University is honoured to announce their Project Award from Fulbright Canada.


Dr. Birgit Pianosi, Chair of the Gerontology Department at Huntington University has successfully been welcomed into Fulbright Canada’s community of scholars hosting a Fulbright Specialists Projects. The Fulbright Specialists Award is greatly recognized, and recipients are selected on the basis of academic and/or professional development. Among the many prominent Fulbright Scholar Alumni are: Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize-winning economist, Rita Cove, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, and Craig Barrett, Chairman of the Board of Intel Corporation. Becoming a part of a community with such reputable associations, Dr. Pianosi hopes that such affiliation will help mature the professionalization of the Gerontology Program here in Sudbury. Dr. Pianosi stated, “I am so honoured to be able to work with such a distinguished scholar. This is truly a great experience and I am sure a life-long friendship and research partnership will develop out of this opportunity.”


Representing the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America is Fulbright Specialist, Dr. Jo Ann Damron-Rodriguez, a professor in the School of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). With an extensive resume, Dr. Damron-Rodriquez is a highly decorated academic in the field of aging and, she has worked directly in clinical services, program and policy development for older adults at the national and international level. She brings much knowledge and experience to the field of Geriatrics and Gerontology and Huntington University is thrilled to host her. On how this partnership began, Dr. Damron-Rodriquez explained, “Dr. Pianosi and I met at the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education Annual Meeting and developed a strong commitment for working together on gerontology competencies that could enhance the services provided to older persons. Fulbright Canada made this work a reality.”


Throughout the month of October, Dr. Pianosi and Dr. Damron-Rodriquez will be working together to evaluate the Gerontology curriculum in efforts to advance the field. Dr. Damron-Rodriquez will be completing a Competency Profile of Huntington’s Gerontology Program and will be providing resources and potential opportunities for linkages with other departments.


For further information about the Fulbright Specialist Program, please consult www.cies.org.

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