About the IOA
History of the Institute on Aging
he University
of Wisconsin Institute on Aging was founded in 1973 as the Faye McBeath Institute
on Aging and Adult Life. Between 1973 and 1980, the Institute developed programs
in community service as well as graduate training and research under the leadership
of Professor Martin Loeb of the School of Social Work. Administratively, the
Institute was located within the Graduate School of the Madison campus.
Professor David Featherman of the Department of Sociology was named Director in 1980. Under his leadership there was steady growth in the research mission of the Institute. Four multidisciplinary research clusters were conceived: biology of aging, clinical geriatrics, life-span development, and social gerontology. The first two represented basic and applied research in the biomedical sciences, while the latter two reflected social behavioral perspectives on basic and applied research.
In 1989, Professor William Ershler from the Department of Medicine became Director of the Institute. He was also Head of the Section of Geriatrics in the Department of Medicine and Director of the VA Geriatrics, Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC). Under his leadership, the Institute was expanded to include support from the Medical School, which joined with the Graduate School to provide support and oversee the direction and activities of the Institute. In expanding the administrative structure of the Institute, Dr. Ershler named four Associate Directors: Dr. Michael Hunt to oversee the educational programs of the Institute; Dr. Carol Ryff to advance social behavioral research programs; Dr. Richard Weindruch to advance biomedical research initiatives; and Mr. James Sykes to promote community outreach.
Dr. Carol Ryff, Professor of Psychology, served as Interim Director of the
Institute from 1995 to 1998, and in 1998, was named Director. One Associate
Director, representing the biomedical sciences, was also appointed, a position
first held by Dr. Joanne Robbins and then Dr. Neil Binkley, both from Department
of Medicine. 
Under
their leadership, the Institute on Aging continues to pursue its research, educational,
and outreach objectives. Particularly prominent on the research side is the
MIDUS (Midlife in the U.S.) national study of Americans, funded by a grant from
the National Institute on Aging and directed by Dr. Ryff. MIDUS constitutes
the leading edge of multidisciplinary aging research and involves many scientists
from around the U.S., including many investigators from different departments on
the UW-Madison campus. Its major objective is to understand the interplay of
biological, psychological, and social factors as people age from early adulthood
through later life. Also prominent is the Biology of Aging Training Grant (funded
by the National Institute on Aging), first headed by Dr. Richard Weindruch and
subsequently by Dr. Sanjay Asthana (Head of the Geriatrics Section in the Department
of Medicine and Director of the Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical
Center). This initiative has been a key mechanism for bringing talented new
investigators to the field of aging. The IOA is currently based in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education at the UW-Madison.
Current information about the IOA: