AFAR is proud to recognize the outstanding contributions of Kali Thomas, MA, PhD, with the inaugural Terrie Fox Wetle Rising Star Award in Health Services and Aging Research.
This award honors a health services researcher in an early or middle phase of his/her career who has already made important contributions with work that respects the value of multidisciplinary health services science and that is likely to be highly influential in shaping practice and research for decades to come.
Dr. Thomas is recognized for her work in applying health services research to inform policies and practices that secure better health and quality of life outcomes for individuals who are aging and disabled, particularly those who require long-term services and supports (LTSS). She is Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice at Brown University's School of Public Health and a Research Health Science Specialist in the Center of Innovation in Long-Term Services and Supports at the Providence VA Medical Center.
The award is named in honor of Terrie Fox Wetlehttps://vivo.brown.edu/display/twetle, PhD, who has devoted her professional career to three related domains: She has been a tireless advocate for inclusion of aging-related health services research in Public Health. She has lovingly and effectively mentored hundreds of new investigators in a broad array of disciplines. As inaugural Dean, she built a thriving School of Public Health at Brown University, while leading efforts to improve aging-relevant content in public health curricula. Professor Wetle sets an example of visionary leadership, mentoring and administrative excellence. In her honor, AFAR established the Terrie Fox Wetle Rising Star Award in Health Services and Aging Research in 2019.
Nominations for the award are by invitation, and are judged by an independent panel of leading aging researchers.
The award is a framed citation and carries a cash prize of $5,000.
Dr. Thomas will have an opportunity to present research findings at the AFAR Symposium at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America in 2020.
Read a press release of the award announcement here.
Learn more about the award here.
