Faculty Directory
CORE FACULTY BIO & CONTACT INFO
Michael S. Caserta, Ph.D.
Practicum Coordinator
(801) 581-3572
michael.caserta@nurs.utah.edu
Michael Caserta, Ph.D. is a Professor in the University of Utah Center of Aging. He teaches courses in research design and health promotion and coordinates the student practicum experiences for the Gerontology program. In addition to his teaching and scholarship activities, he is active in several professional organizations including the Gerontological Society of America (where he co-convened an interest group on death, dying, bereavement and widowhood), the American Society on Aging, Association for Death Education and Counseling, and the American Association for Health Education. He also is a founding member of the Utah Gerontological Society, serving as its president in 2000.
Dr. Caserta has co-authored numerous journal articles and book chapters in the areas of spousal bereavement, family caregiving, and health promotion and self-care. He and his colleagues have conducted projects examining the effectiveness of self-help groups for bereaved older adults, exercise interventions for sedentary overweight older women, and the development of Video Respite TM, an innovative resource for Alzheimer's caregivers. His recent work involves the development of the Pathfinders Program (funded by the Ben B. and Iris M. Margolis Foundation), that focuses on ways to improve the self-care practices of older widows and widowers. Pathfinders received Honorable Mention from the Archstone Foundation Award for Excellence in Program Innovation, sponsored by the Gerontological Health Section of the American Public Health Association, 2000. Dr. Caserta is currently principal investigator on a 5-year study (funded by the National Institute on Aging) that is testing a bereavement intervention based on Stoebe and Schut's (1999) dual process model. Dr. Caserta also received the College of Nursing Excellence in Research Award in 1998. In addition to his own work, he regularly reviews manuscripts for professional scientific journals and sits on five editorial boards.
Scott D. Wright, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
(801) 585-9542
scott.wright@nurs.utah.edu
Scott D. Wright, Ph.D., has educational training in human development and gerontology. His area of emphasis is in adult development and aging, and environment & aging issues (retirement "hot spots" in the United States, particularly the intermountain west). At the University of Utah, he teaches several gerontology courses with an emphasis on online education. He has recently developed a complete web-based curriculum, which will count toward a certificate in gerontology at the University of Utah, He is a member of the Gerontological Society of America and the Utah Gerontological Society (UGS). He has served as President of the Society for Human Ecology and served as Editor of the journal Human Ecology Review.
Dr. Wright's area of research expertise is in investigating and understanding the retirement migration patterns of older adults and the subsequent economic and environmental impact of local communities (also known as retirement "hot spots"). His focus is primarily on retirement hot spots in the intermountain west (or the "New West") and is currently conducting research on environmental attitudes and awareness of retirees in terms of residency status (e.g., native, long-term resident, short-term, newly arrived, seasonal). He is also investigating the input of environmental hazards & the health & well-being of older adults. Dr. Wright is working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) & their "aging initiative." In summary, he has an interest in "Gray and Green" issues.
CENTER ON AGING
Executive Director - Dr. Mark Supiano
Dwight Adams, M.S., Adjunct Instructor
Kathy Bell, Ph.D., Adjunct Instructor
Mark Bergstrom, Ph.D. Adjunct Associate Professor
Denise Brooks, M.S., Adjunct Instructor
Rebecca Burrage, R.N., M.S., Adjunct Instructor
Anna Dresel, B.A., Adjunct Instructor
Jacqueline Eaton, M.S., Adjunct Instructor
Valerie Lambert, M.S., Adjunct Instructor
Connie Madden, M.S., R.N., Adjunct Assistant Professor
Nanci McCleskey, R.N., M.C.G., M.Div., Adjunct Instructor
Ginny Pepper, Ph.D. R.N. Professor
Bruce Rigby, M.S., Adjunct Instructor
Lesele H. Rose, M.S. Adjunct Instructor
Sonia Salari, Ph.D., Adjunct Associate Professor
Jacqueline Telonidis, M.S., Adjunct Instructor
Wendy Thomas, M.S., Adjunct Instructor
Rebecca Utz, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor
Jo Anne Wright, Ph.D., Adjunct Associate Professor (Clinical)
Sonnie Yudell, B.S., Adjunct Instructor