February 1998
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In Depth With Frank Caro & Ellen Bruce Within the walls of the Gerontology Institute and Center, doctoral and certificate program students, researchers, program staff, and volunteers create a flood of activities. Overseeing all this energy is newly appointed director Frank Caro, long-time director of the Institute's research division and the Ph.D. program in gerontology, who has served as the Institute's acting director since 1996.
How are the goals of the Institute and Center evolving under new leadership? "Broadly speaking, the themes that the Institute developed in the early period are sound," says Caro. "The emphasis on productive aging is right. The gerontology program got off to a resounding start in 1979 with the Frank R. Manning Certificate program, and with more and more people retiring early, this will continue to be important," Caro says.
Statistics bear this out. Of the more than 500 people (median age 64) to have completed this one-year certificate program in gerontology, approximately 30% have used the certificate for paid employment, and approximately 43% have pursued volunteer work in the field of gerontology. These figures highlight the important roles that retired and elder citizens play in their communities.
Building further on the Ph.D. program is high on Caro's priority list. He believes that the doctoral program may be the most ambitious undertaking of the Institute.
"Gerontology is a small field. We were the second university in the country to offer a doctoral program in social gerontology, and we have the potential to have great impact in the field by graduating Ph.D.'s. So it is important that we do it well." The challenge, he says, is to build the program with the limited resources at hand.
While Caro believes in building on existing strengths, he also believes that the research capacity of the Institute should be further expanded. "We should also develop the capacity to do more significant research, which will then allow us to attract more research funding," he says.
Caro recently received approval to advertise for three vacant positions within the Institute, and he expects to widen the Institute's research capacity by bringing in people who have strength in different research areas. Widening the research base of the Institute also provides necessary opportunities for doctoral students and others to gain knowledge and experience. "It is very important for research-oriented graduate students to have opportunities to gain experience, both because it is a training opportunity, and because the projects are important in and of themselves," say Caro.
Ellen Bruce, who has served as the Institute's acting associate director, has also had her title made official recently. Bruce oversees the policy initiatives of the institute, including the Pension Assistance Program, the National Pension Lawyers Referral Service, and work on contracted policy-related publications. She is also responsible for planning forums and conferences, and she works closely with elected officials on gerontological issues.
"Frank and I complement each other--with his background in research and mine in policy. And while he leads the Institute, we work closely on administrative issues like the budget and personnel," says Bruce, who came to UMass Boston in 1988. She earned her law degree at Northeastern University, and a BA from Wellesley College.
Caro's past work experience is firmly grounded in research. "The continuity in my professional life comes from getting into evaluation research," he says. "For a long time, I've been interested in the connection between academic life, public policy, and social intervention programs, " he says. Caro is a sociologist who earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, and a BS degree from Marquette University.