University Of Southern California Research Articles

Inside the April 2024 Issue.

Dear Readers,   We are thrilled to bring you the first issue of the ninth volume of POCUS Journal. Published since 2016, POCUS Journal is the only multi-disciplinary, peer-reviewed, POCUS-focused journal that is free for authors and readers alike. We are grateful for the vision of our founder Dr. Amer and for the support of CINQUILL Medical Publishers, Inc. as we enter our ninth year of publication. POCUS is an ever-changing field as clinicians seek out better and faster solutions for patient care at the bedside. We at POCUS Journal continue to evolve as well. Our editorial board is growing to meet the demands of our high volume and high-quality manuscript submissions. We welcome Dr. Andre Kumar of Stanford University and Dr. Manpreet Malik of Emory University to the Internal Medicine section. We also welcome Dr. Andrea of the University of Southern California to the Pediatrics section. Natalie joins us from Queen’s University as the Social media Editor. If you haven’t seen her high-yield on social media I highly encourage you to visit POCUS Journal on X and Instagram for summaries of research articles and other content published in our journal. A journal our size also needs help with statistics, and we are excited that Nicholas has joined our team from the University of Toronto as Statistical Editor. We also have a new Editorial Director of Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Bredon Crawford. We are the first journal to feature an AI bot on our website, which is thanks to Dr. Crawford. Its name is “PJ” and you can find it on the bottom right of our website: www.pocusjournal.com. And finally, we are excited to have had Kathryn Matsushita join our team as , helping us preserve our standard of high quality publishing as the volume of submitted articles and size of our issues continues to grow.   With the addition of these new members, I also share the bittersweet news that our Managing Editor Braeden Hill will be leaving POCUS Journal to pursue MD/PhD studies at The University of Toronto. started at POCUS Journal in 2020 as Social Media Editor and his contributions these past few years have been remarkable. We welcome Laura Guzman of Queen’s University into the role of Managing Editor.   Every issue I oversee at POCUS Journal strikes me as better than the last, with fascinating cases and important research that answers key questions related to point of care ultrasound. This issue is no exception.   Please find our author guidelines here: https://pocusjournal.com/author-guidelines/   Sincerely, Benjamin T. Galen, MD Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY Editor-In-Chief POCUS Journal

Prophylactic Use of Biologic Mesh in Ileal Conduit (PUBMIC): A Randomized Clinical Trial.

We assessed the effect of prophylactic biologic mesh on parastomal hernia (PSH) development in patients undergoing cystectomy and ileal conduit (IC). This phase 3, randomized, controlled trial (NCT02439060) included 146 patients who underwent cystectomy and IC at the University of Southern California between 2015 and 2021. Follow-ups were physical exam and CT every 4 to 6 months up to 2 years. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive FlexHD prophylactic biological mesh using sublay intraperitoneal technique vs standard IC. The primary end point was time to radiological PSH, and secondary outcomes included clinical PSH with/without surgical intervention and mesh-related complications. The 2 arms were similar in terms of baseline clinical features. All surgeries and mesh placements were performed without any intraoperative complications. Median operative time was 31 minutes longer in patients who received mesh, yet with no statistically significant difference (363 vs 332 minutes, P = .16). With a median follow-up of 24 months, radiological and clinical PSHs were detected in 37 (18 mesh recipients vs 19 controls) and 16 (8 subjects in both arms) patients, with a median time to radiological and clinical PSH of 8.3 and 15.5 months, respectively. No definite mesh-related adverse events were reported. Five patients (3 in the mesh and 2 in the control arm) required surgical PSH repair. Radiological PSH-free survival rates in the mesh and control groups were 74% vs 75% at 1 year and 69% vs 62% at 2 years. Implementation of biologic mesh at the time of IC construction is safe without significant protective effects within 2 years following surgery.

Blood-based liquid biopsy: A promising noninvasive test in diagnosis, surveillance, and prognosis of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma

ObjectivesTo assess the efficacy of blood-based liquid biopsy in the diagnosis, surveillance, and prognosis of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Methods and MaterialsIn this prospective study, peripheral blood samples were collected from patients with primary UTUC before surgery with curative intent and follow-up visits at University of Southern California between May 2021 and September 2022. The samples were analyzed using the third-generation comprehensive high-definition single-cell assay (HDSCA3.0) to detect rare events, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and oncosomes, based on the immunofluorescence signals of DAPI (D), cytokeratin (CK), CD45/CD31 (CD), and vimentin (V). The findings of pre-surgery liquid biopsies were compared with those of blood samples from normal donors (NDs) and matched follow-up liquid biopsies. The association between liquid biopsy findings and clinical data, including recurrence-free survival (RFS), was also assessed. ResultsTwenty-eight patients with UTUC were included, of whom 21 had follow-up samples. Significant differences in specific rare analytes were detected in the preoperative samples compared to the NDs. In the post- vs. presurgery matched analysis, a significant decrease was detected in total-, CK-, and CK|V oncosomes, as well as in D-, D|V-, and D|V|CD cells. With a median follow-up of 11 months, 8 patients had disease recurrence. Survival analysis demonstrated that patients with >1.95 preoperative CK|V oncosomes (p = 0.020) and those with >4.18 D|CK|V cells (p = 0.050) had worse RFS compared to other patients. ConclusionsThis study demonstrated promising initial evidence for the biomarker role of CTCs and oncosomes in the diagnosis and surveillance of patients with UTUC.

Five Perspectives on Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering

ABSTRACTThis article offers insights from five INCOSE Fellows on the evolution and significance of transdisciplinarity in systems engineering. Michael Pennotti reviews the origins of systems engineering, emphasizing its inherent transdisciplinary nature and the need for continuous evolution. Azad Madni considers transdisciplinarity as systems engineering's true calling, crucial for the 21st century, and highlights his TRASEE™ education paradigm that underpins the Systems Architecting and Engineering program that he directs at the University of Southern California as pivotal for systems engineering's advancement. Hillary Sillitto sees the climate crisis as systems engineering's most critical and complex challenge, asserting transdisciplinarity's crucial role in addressing it. David Rousseau examines the cultural and scientific underpinnings of transdisciplinarity, presenting systems engineering as a prime example. Peter Brook envisions the joint evolution of systems sciences and systems engineering to confront future challenges, advocating for transdisciplinarity as an essential role in systems engineering leadership for addressing global challenges.

220 The Unheard Voices of Clinical Trials: Fostering Inclusivity for People Experiencing Homelessness in Clinical Trials

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Investigate the perspectives of people experiencing homelessness (PEH) on clinical trials to uncover knowledge gaps and attitudes. This study aims to offer insights for clinical researchers to enhance engagement with this marginalized group, ushering in a more inclusive clinical trial process. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A 14-question survey was developed in collaboration with the Street Medicine Team at the University of Southern California and other stakeholders of PEH research. Initial questions assess knowledge of clinical trials, followed by questions gauging sentiments on clinical trial participation, and final questions on the significance, benefits, and risks of clinical trials. Upon approval by the local Institutional Review Board, the survey will be administered in an interview format. Study participants will be from locations within the area of operations of the USC Street Medicine team–in and around Hollywood, South Los Angeles, and/or the Los Angeles Council District 1. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We anticipate that the results of this study will offer valuable insights into the perspectives of PEH regarding clinical trials. Results will also provide varying levels of knowledge and understanding among PEH about clinical trials, along with their past experiences in clinical trial participation, and willingness for future involvement in such trials. Further, the results will reveal whether respondents feel they are being properly represented in clinical research projects that could impact themselves and their community. This project can also enhance our understanding of the expectations and concerns of PEH regarding their potential participation in clinical trials. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The outcomes of this research project have the potential to lay the groundwork for enhancing the involvement of PEH in translational science research, encompassing aspects from study design to participation. This improvement could benefit not only participants but also various stakeholders involved.

Impact of a Mock OSCE on Student Confidence in Applying the Pharmacists' Patient Care Process.

The Medical and Pharmacy Student Collaboration (MAPSC) student organization at the University of Southern California, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, created an extracurricular, peer-led, virtual group mock objective structured clinical examination (MOSCE) to expose first-year pharmacy students (P1s) to the Pharmacists' Patient Care Process (PPCP). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a MAPSC MOSCE on P1s self-reported confidence in applying the PPCP and on patient communication, medication knowledge, and clinical skills. An anonymous, optional, self-reported survey was administered to P1s before and after the event, where they rated their confidence on a scale of 0-100 (0 = not confident, 100 = certainly confident). The statistical analysis was a paired two-tailed t-test with a significance level of p < 0.05. A total of 152 P1s and 30 facilitators attended the MOSCE. One hundred thirty-nine students met the inclusion criteria and were included in the data analysis. There was a statistically significant difference in the change in self-reported confidence for all PPCP components and learning outcomes. The results of our study strongly indicate that introducing P1 students to the PPCP through a MAPSC MOSCE format is a valuable experience.

Mentoring Minority Cancer Researchers of Tomorrow: Comparison of the Face-to-Face, Virtual, and Hybrid Training Methods of the CaRE2 Summer Cancer Research Education and Training Program.

In our previous publication, we reported a framework to develop an undergraduate cancer research training program at Florida A&M University (FAMU) under the umbrella of the Florida-California Cancer Research, Education, and Engagement (CaRE2) Health Equity Center activity by harnessing the resources available at FAMU, the University of Florida (UF), and the University of Southern California (USC) Cancer Centers. The implementation of the CaRE2 face-to-face training platform was dramatically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during the summer of 2020 and 2021 training periods. However, a concerted effort was made to restructure the face-to-face training model into virtual and hybrid training methods to maintain the continuity of the program during the pandemic. This article compared the three methods to identify the best platform for training URM students in cancer disparity research. The program's effectiveness was measured through motivation, experiences, and knowledge gained by trainees during and one year after the completion of the program. The results showed that the participants were highly positive in their feedback about the professional and academic values of the program. Although the virtual and hybrid methods experienced significant challenges during the pandemic, the hybrid training module offered an "above average" effectiveness in performance, like the face-to-face mentoring platform in mentoring URM students in cancer disparity research.

Abstract 2159: Testing of an educational tool kit for the Community Genetic Navigation Engagement Specialists, COGENES, Training Program

Abstract Introduction: There is a lack of culturally sensitive materials to educate the Hispanic/Latino/a/x (H/L) community on colorectal cancer (CRC), which is the second and third leading cause of cancer deaths among H/L men and women in the United States, respectively. For these reasons, an Educational Tool Kit was created for the Community Genetic Navigation Specialists (CoGENEs) program at the Center for Optimizing Engagement of Hispanic Colorectal Cancer Patients in Cancer Genomic Characterization Studies (COPECC) at the University of Southern California (USC). CoGENES is a train the trainer program geared towards the development of a local workforce of trained community engagement specialists, promotores de salud (community health workers) that will act as liaison agents to increase knowledge and create community awareness on genetic research, clinical genetic testing, counseling, biospecimen donation and participation in clinical trials for H/Ls CRC patients, and community at large. Methods: The Tool Kit consisted of a newly developed educational handbook focused on CRC prevention, genetics, counseling, tumor testing, and patient navigation, as well as existing materials with resources for CRC and counseling. To test the handbook, five focus groups in Spanish/English were conducted with 44 participants, recruited via community agencies/clinics serving Los Angeles. Optimization probes focused on readability, knowledge, acceptability, barriers, and recommended changes. Content analysis was conducted with focus group transcripts to inform how to optimize the handbook. A Materials Review Optimization Scorecard was developed to evaluate materials on content, literacy, graphics, layout and typography, learning, stimulation and motivation, and cultural and language appropriateness. Fifteen pieces in the handbook were each rated by three community health workers. A final suitability score was calculated for each piece. Results: Overall, the materials were well received, and participants understood the overall main message of the materials. Feedback included refining terminology, providing additional headings and subtitles, and clarifying images to optimize the illustration of mutations. Final suitability scores from community health educators ranged from 80 to 99% for all materials, translating into “superior materials.” Conclusion: Overall materials were well received, and they were rated as “superior materials.” Participants’ feedback from CoGENES is shared with the Engagement Optimization Unit (EOU) and Patient Engagement Unit (PEU) to optimize ongoing education and research at COPECC. The MR-OS tool will be shared with other PEU’s at other center’s to encourage it use when developing educational materials. Citation Format: Yaneth L. Rodriguez, Janet Rodriguez, Charité Ricker, Julie Culver, Daisy Hernandez, Natalia Guierrez, Yvonne Cardona, Rosa Barahona, Bianca Rosales, Mariana Stern, Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati. Testing of an educational tool kit for the Community Genetic Navigation Engagement Specialists, COGENES, Training Program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2159.

Interview with James R. Kincaid, an English professor masquerading as an author (or the other way around)

ABSTRACT In this interview with a senior Victorianist, James R. Kincaid, Aerol Arnold Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Southern California, reflects on his life and what led him to a career as a professor of literature and the value and appeal of literary criticism. He comments on his major books, his other writing, and on authors Charles Dickens and Lewis Carroll as well as the academic world during his distinguished long career.

Development of the Gerontological Nursing Competency Questionnaire.

The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to measure competencies of gerontological nursing faculty. There is no accepted instrument to assess competencies of gerontological nursing faculty. To develop the Gerontological Nursing Competency Questionnaire (GNCQ), we used a modified Delphi technique focused on consensus building among experts from the National Hartford Center for Gerontological Nursing Excellence. The 25-item GNCQ measures confidence in knowledge, confidence in teaching, and interest in further training in gerontological nursing. The instrument was piloted in a large nursing department at a university in southern California. Low faculty competencies in knowledge and teaching and low interest in further training were observed. The GNCQ demonstrated initial content validity and an ability to identify key areas of deficiency in knowledge and teaching among nursing faculty. It may be used for improvement initiatives in gerontological nursing programs.

Social network analysis of the CaRE2 health equity center: Team science in full display.

Cancer health disparities that exist in the Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino/x communities are scientific challenges, yet there are limited team science approaches to mitigate these challenges. This article's purpose is to evaluate the team science collaborations of the National Institutes of Health-funded Florida-California Cancer Research, Education & Engagement (CaRE2 ) Center partnership underscoring the inclusion of multidisciplinary team members and future under-represented minority (URM) cancer researchers. To understand our collaborative efforts, we conducted a social network analysis (SNA) of the CaRE2 Center partnership among University of Florida, Florida A&M University, and University of Southern California with data collected via the dimensions.ai application programming interface. We downloaded metadata for all publications associated with dimensions.ai IDs. The CaRE2 collaboration network increased over time as evidenced by accruing more external collaborators and more publishing of collaborative works. Degree centrality of key personnel was stable in each wave of the networks. CaRE2 key personnel averaged a total of 60.8 collaborators in 2018-2019 (SD = 57.4, minimum = 3, maximum = 221), and 65.8 collaborators in 2020-2021 (SD = 56.06, minimum = 4, maximum = 222). Betweenness was largely stable across all groups and waves. We observed a steady decline in transitivity, the probability that a pair of CaRE2 co-authors shared a third co-author, from 0.74 in 2018 to 0.47 in 2022. The SNA findings suggest that the CaRE2 Center partnership's publications show growth in team science collaborations with the inclusion of multidisciplinary team members from the three partner institutions and future URM cancer researchers who were mentored as trainees and early-stage investigators.

Digital Humanities at the Service of Remembrance: The Creation of Digital Archive-based Activities within the Project ‘Remembering the Past, Learning for the Future’

This article explores the usage of testimonies in the Visual History Archive of the University of Southern California's Shoah Foundation to create learner-centred activities on the history of the Holocaust targeted at Portuguese students. We describe the project ‘Remembering the Past, Learning for the Future: Research-Based Digital Learning from Testimonies of Survivors and Rescuers of the Holocaust’, housed at the University of Lisbon Centre for English Studies (ULICES). Via the international partnership (USC Shoah Foundation, Zachor Foundation, and the University of Eötvös Loránd), the ULICES team developed materials using testimony from witnesses and survivors of the Holocaust through digital tools with an innovative pedagogical methodology. We introduce the constructivist theory of learning, stressing the powerful impact of survival testimonies on raising student awareness and developing a wide range of skills. We also describe the methodological process that underlay this project, namely the creation of the six learning activities for the IWitness educational platform and the IWalk visits, focusing on the translation tasks of the written materials and the audiovisual translation of the videos. We also report on how students received the activities by retrieving information from teachers’ and students’ reports, and an onsite experience with two groups of students.

Service-Learning Through Community-Based Exercise Teaching Enhances Medical Students’ Exercise Knowledge, Counseling Confidence, and Habits

Exercise is a pivotal tool in the prevention and management of chronic disease, a cornerstone of primary care. Yet, there is little formal exercise education in medical school and many medical students feel unprepared to effectively counsel patients about exercise. Since 2019, medical students in the Primary Care Program (PCP), a primary care-focused educational track, at the Keck School of Medicine (KSOM) of the University of Southern California (USC) have taught exercise classes to the local community as part of a service-learning experience. Students receive lectures on exercise from faculty and then deliver curated bilingual English/Spanish presentations and lead exercise classes for the community. Post participation in this program, students reported (1) increased knowledge of exercise principles, (2) increased predicted likelihood of counseling patients about exercise, (3) increased confidence in providing exercise counseling, and (4) intent to make positive changes in their own exercise habits. This curriculum provides a replicable lifestyle medicine model for other medical schools seeking to enhance exercise education and train the next generation of primary care physicians.

NSF DARE—transforming modeling in neurorehabilitation: perspectives and opportunities from US funding agencies

In recognition of the importance and timeliness of computational models for accelerating progress in neurorehabilitation, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored a conference in March 2023 at the University of Southern California that drew global participation from engineers, scientists, clinicians, and trainees. This commentary highlights promising applications of computational models to understand neurorehabilitation (“Using computational models to understand complex mechanisms in neurorehabilitation” section), improve rehabilitation care in the context of digital twin frameworks (“Using computational models to improve delivery and implementation of rehabilitation care” section), and empower future interdisciplinary workforces to deliver higher-quality clinical care using computational models (“Using computational models in neurorehabilitation requires an interdisciplinary workforce” section). The authors describe near-term gaps and opportunities, all of which encourage interdisciplinary team science. Four major opportunities were identified including (1) deciphering the relationship between engineering figures of merit—a term commonly used by engineers to objectively quantify the performance of a device, system, method, or material relative to existing state of the art—and clinical outcome measures, (2) validating computational models from engineering and patient perspectives, (3) creating and curating datasets that are made publicly accessible, and (4) developing new transdisciplinary frameworks, theories, and models that incorporate the complexities of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. This commentary summarizes U.S. funding opportunities by two Federal agencies that support computational research in neurorehabilitation. The NSF has funding programs that support high-risk/high-reward research proposals on computational methods in neurorehabilitation informed by theory- and data-driven approaches. The NIH supports the development of new interventions and therapies for a wide range of nervous system injuries and impairments informed by the field of computational modeling. The conference materials can be found at https://dare2023.usc.edu/.

A bibliometric analysis of the Fasting-Mimicking Diet.

The Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD) is a nutritional strategy that involves significantly reducing calorie intake for a specific period to mimic the physiological effects of fasting while still providing the body with nutrition. Our study aimed to conduct a bibliometric study to explore the latest publishing trends and areas of intense activity within the sphere of FMD. We extracted data on FMD publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. The bibliometric analysis was conducted by WOSCC Online Analysis Platform and VOSviewer 1.6.16. In total, there were 169 publications by 945 authors from 342 organizations and 25 countries/regions, and published in 111 journals. The most productive country, organization, author, and journal were the United States, the University of Southern California, Valter D. Longo, and Nutrients, respectively. The first high-cited document was published in Ageing Research Reviews and authored by Mattson et al. In this study, they discuss the various health benefits of FMD including improved metabolic health, weight management, and even potential effects on delaying aging processes and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. In conclusion, our study is the first bibliometric analysis of the FMD. The main research hotspots and frontiers were FMD for cancer, FMD for metabolic-related diseases, and FMD for cognitive improvement. FMD may have some potential benefits for multiple diseases which should be further investigated.

How traditional undergraduate college students define and perceive wellness: A qualitative phenomenological study

Objective To understand college students’ perceptions and understanding of wellness. Participants A convenience sample of 20 undergraduate students (age 20.6 ± 2.2 years) at a private liberal arts university in Southern California who recently completed a general education health and wellness course. Method Five focus group sessions were conducted to explore perceptions of wellness among undergraduate college students. Data was analyzed, themed, and coded. Results A thematic analysis of the descriptions of wellness revealed 2 higher-ordered themes as whole-person and wellbeing, and 3 lower-ordered themes of balance, interconnectedness, and personalized in relation to participants’ understanding of wellness. Conclusions The importance of balance between wellness dimensions and the acknowledgment of the interconnectedness of wellness dimensions are related to quality of life and life satisfaction. A deeper insight is needed to better understand the perceptions of wellness in this population to provide more effective interventions. This can be achieved through the development of enhanced pedagogy, which may improve student health.

POLICY SERIES: DOCTORAL PROGRAMS IN GERONTOLOGY: PROVIDING LEADERSHIP IN POLICY AND AGING

Abstract Advancements in education, medicine, wealth, technology, and population health have increased individual life expectancies. Healthy aging is not just a function of healthy genes, however; aging is modified by the broader context, which, in turn, creates opportunities and challenges that must be addressed by society. Lack of organized responses to population aging exacerbate social inequities based on workplace discrimination, displacement, and impoverishment, and contribute to public health inequalities pertaining to disease and disability, isolation, and vulnerability among older adults. Public policy offers one of the most effective ways to address inequities and inequalities such as these. This symposium spotlights four doctoral programs that prepare gerontologists who possess subject matter expertise in aging policy, conduct reliable policy surveillance and sourcing, execute empirical evaluations of policy formation and implementation, and offer well-informed contributions to policy makers who are most involved with supporting and protecting older adults. These well-established academic programs at the University of Massachusetts Boston (Edward Alan Miller, PhD), University of South Florida (Lyndsay Peterson, PhD), University of Southern California (Kathleen Wilbur, PhD), and Miami University (Jennifer M. Kinney, PhD) offer classroom education, research, and service-learning opportunities for students to acquire expertise in aging and public policy. Together, these programs provide models for training a generation of leaders in gerontology who can contribute productively to policy development and debates, illuminate structures and processes of policy making and implementation, and deploy analytic skills needed to evaluate policies relative to multiple and often competing interests.

LESSONS FROM FOUR DECADES IN AGING POLICY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: WHAT A LONG FINE TRIP IT’S BEEN

Abstract Aging policy has come a long way over the last four decades. Building on the history of leadership in policy and aging at the University of Southern California’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, we offer six lessons from the intersection of policy, practice, and research for researchers and for those interested in careers as policy gerontologists. Lessons include: 1) Researchers must communicate scientific truths clearly, humbly, often, relevantly, and broadly to a wide array of key stakeholders; 2) To continue to build the bench for the next generation of leaders, interested educators should convene to plan a Policy Leadership Program 2.0. 3) Researchers and practitioners should remember: If everything is going according to plan, something is wrong; 4) Those considering policy research, program development, or program evaluation should recognize that it can be funded by a variety of sources with different strengths and constraints; 5) Given a host of innovative ideas, perspectives, programs and services, in the aging policy space, evaluators and researchers will learn far more from those doing policy and practice work than they can ever hope to repay; 6) Progress is not linear nor does it consistently advance in the hoped for direction. It requires patience, persistence, and stamina.

THE M. POWELL LAWTON AWARD LECTURE AND PRESENTATION

Abstract The M. Powell Lawton Award Lecture will feature an address by the 2022 recipient Jon Pynoos, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, of the University of Southern California. This session will also include the presentation of the 2023 M. Powell Lawton Award to recipient. The M. Powell Lawton Award is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions from applied research that has benefited older people and their care. The Lawton Award is generously funded by the Polisher Research Institute of Abramson Senior Care.

THE CLARK TIBBITTS AWARD AND HIRAM J. FRIEDSAM AWARD LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS

Abstract The Clark Tibbitts Award Lecture will feature an address by the 2023 award recipient Edward Schneider, MD of the University of Southern California. AGHE’s Clark Tibbitts Award was established in 1980 and named for an architect of the field of gerontological education. The award is given each year to an individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of gerontology and geriatrics education. The Hiram J. Friedsam Award Lecture will feature an address by the 2023 award recipient Harvey Sterms, PhD, FGSA of the University of Akron. Hiram J. Friedsam was the professor, co-founder, and director of the Center for Studies in Aging and dean of the School of Community Service at the University of Northern Texas. Dr. Friedsam was an outstanding teacher, researcher, colleague, and mentor to students, faculty, and administrators, as well as a past president of AGHE. The purpose of this award is to recognize those who emulate Dr. Friedsam’s excellence in mentorship.