USC Launches New Institute on Aging

On behalf of University of Southern California President Steven B. Sample, Provost C. L. Max Nikias has announced the establishment of the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology. The institute is a research and education center devoted to improving the health and health care of older persons and their families, with particular emphasis on low-income and multiethnic communities.

The institute, which was formerly housed at California State University, Los Angeles, will be based at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, as part of the USC Andrus Gerontology Center. It will expand upon USC’s established leadership in the field of aging education and research in the Davis School and Andrus Center, as well as in the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

“Minority ethnic groups comprise the fastest growing segment within the U.S. aging population — and there is an increasing need for research, education and outreach to address the particular needs of these groups,” said Nikias. “The USC Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology will become a leader in this area, and we are honored to welcome it to USC. Our shared goals of innovative education, socially relevant research and community service will make this an important and productive partnership.”

During his lifetime, Edward R. Roybal — who served in Congress for 30 years — was a champion of societal response to issues related to public health, aging, education and minority groups. In bringing this institute to USC, his family seeks to further his goals by developing programs that emphasize health promotion and disease prevention, aging demographics and cultural dimensions to aging.

“USC’s commitment to the causes my father cared so much about and its demonstrated tradition of serving the community makes the USC campus an ideal setting for the Roybal Institute,” said Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, representative for California’s 34th district. “This is a wonderful opportunity to promote and advance his commitment to training young people in the field of health and his vision of bringing together university and the community for the benefit of students, older persons and their families.”

A primary goal of the new institute will be to establish a repository for research data that contributes to an understanding of the needs of low-income and minority communities and allows for the development of programs that improve services locally, nationally and internationally. The institute will also provide education and training for students interested in careers in the field of aging, as well as training for volunteers and for older persons and their families or caregivers.

“Through his extensive public service efforts, Edward R. Roybal created or co-created many new innovations and public programs to address issues affecting the elderly and their families,” said Gerald Davison, dean of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and executive director of the Andrus Gerontology Center. “The variety of services and opportunities provided by the Roybal Center will continue this legacy as we seek to address aging and its impact on all members and all aspects of our society.”

Jorge J. Lambrinos, who directed the institute at Cal State L.A., will be the director of the institute at USC. Lambrinos has been actively involved in the field of aging for more than three decades. Lambrinos was for many years Congressman Roybal’s chief of staff, where his primary focus was on aging issues. He also served as staff director of the House Select Committee on Aging. Lambrinos has also worked as a consultant to Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard. He is member of the AARP California executive council and was also appointed to the California Commission on Aging. He is a veteran of the United States Army, having served in Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort.

“The increased diversity of a global aging society requires a strong link between academia and community,” said Lambrinos. “USC and the Roybal Institute will become the focal point for the expansion of knowledge about diverse populations, ensuring the improvement and effectiveness of service delivery to our elders and their families.”

About the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and the USC Andrus Gerontology Center

The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology is the nation’s leader in the field of gerontology. Over the years since its founding in 1975, the school has consistently pioneered innovative educational programs, including the world’s first Ph.D. in Gerontology, the first joint master’s degree in Gerontology and Business Administration, and the first undergraduate Health Science Track in Gerontology. With faculty members representing various disciplines, the school is able to offer students a wide range of scientific and professional gerontology courses. Gerontology students at USC enjoy the personal attention found at a small school combined with the resources of a world-class university.

The USC Andrus Gerontology Center is the research arm of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Its mission is to encourage basic and applied research in aging. As the nation’s first multidisciplinary research center devoted to human development and aging, the primary focus of the center is to provide scientific information about the processes of aging — and to understand how that information can be applied to individuals, families, organizations and society.

About Edward R. Roybal

Throughout his lifetime, Edward R. Roybal was a champion for education, public health and the rights of the underprivileged and the aged. He began his political career in 1949 on the Los Angeles City Council; he was the first person of Mexican descent to sit on the council since 1881. In 1962, Roybal became the first Latino from California to be elected to Congress since 1879. He was a charter member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He served in Congress for 30 years and worked tirelessly to win increased funding for public health care and research.

Roybal was one of the founding members of the House Select Committee on Aging and served as its chairman for many years. There, he emerged as a national advocate for the elderly, particularly on such issues as consumer protection, congregate housing and health care. He was a leading supporter of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute on Aging and the Administration on Aging. Roybal worked to increase awareness for public health issues such as tuberculosis, national health insurance and research on Alzheimer’s disease.

Roybal’s accomplishments include securing the federal government’s first funding for AIDS research and programs. In 1999, saying his leadership in this area “prevented the illness and death of many Americans,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dedicated its main campus in Atlanta to him.

Prior to entering Congress, Roybal worked as a public health educator with the California Tuberculosis Association and later served as director of Health Education for the Los Angeles County TB and Health Association.

After retiring from Congress in the 1990s, Roybal continued to advocate for older persons by providing scholarships to students wishing to pursue careers in gerontology. His lifelong leadership was acknowledged in 2000, when he received the highest civilian award in the nation, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The congressman passed away in 2005.

Contact: Orli Belman at (213) 740-0252 or obelman@usc.edu