Ask the Expert: Odette van der Willik

AFAR is proud to participate in 2022 Careers in Aging Week, organized by our long-time partner Gerontological Society of Aging. In celebration this week, AFAR spotlights several of our Grants Program staff, who spearhead our funding and professional support for investigators.

Odette van der Willik is AFAR's Deputy Executive Director and Director of Grant Programs. She began her work at AFAR 25 years ago, first as a Program Manager, then Director of Grant Programs, and Deputy Executive Director.

Tell us about your journey into the field of aging research. How did you end up working in grant funding and at AFAR?

Before I joined AFAR I worked as a project manager at the Institute for International Education. First working with agricultural research centers across the globe, then providing management assistance to small- and medium-sized companies in developing countries through a project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. So my background was in nonprofit program management, but aging research was a completely new field for me when I started at AFAR.

Describe how your roles and responsibilities support aging researchers or the field at large.

In a nutshell, I develop and oversee AFAR’s portfolio of grant programs. Each program has specific objectives, and they often include scientific reviews and grant-making, scientific meetings, workshops and symposia, and career development activities, to name a few. AFAR also manages several Coordinating Centers that are funded by NIA, focusing on different aging research communities and through these Coordinating Centers’ activities we aim to maximize their respective strengths, and support integrated scientific research approaches that contribute to (and maybe even accelerate) the field of aging research.

What excites you about the current state of the field?

Aging research is coming of age, so to speak. The aging of our population is transforming our society in a way we have never experienced before, and it’s gratifying to see the scientific progress that has been made. As a result, there is a growing interest in the field, not only from the scientific community but also from philanthropists, federal funders, biotech and the general public. I like being a cog in the enormous wheel that is called aging research!

What advice would you give to someone looking to begin a career in aging, specifically in grant funding?

Be prepared to get sucked in! Being able to support scientists in their research and careers is incredibly gratifying!