On March 28th Leslie Morgan—professor of sociology, co-director of the UMBC/UMB Ph.D. program in gerontology, and one of the nation’s foremost scholars of aging—will present the annual Lipitz Lecture, a Social Sciences Forum event (4:00 p.m. UC Ballroom Lounge). Morgan is UMBC’s 2011-12 Lipitz Professor, an honor that seeks “to recognize and support innovative and distinguished teaching and research in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.”

Leslie Morgan’s latest publications include Quality Assisted Living (see preview video) and the Baltimore Sun op-ed “Questions to ask before choosing assisted living.” Her lecture will explore the complex influences of longer lives on society and on all of us as aging individuals. She argues that pervasive ageism continues to drive anxiety and avoidance of aging and society remains challenged to find meaningful, positive social roles for the growing cadre of older adults.