Dr. Malcolm Cutchin, Professor and Director of Research for PNWU’s School of Occupational Therapy, was recently selected to present the 20th Ellen M. Gee Memorial Lecture in the Department of Gerontology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, BC. His lecture, titled “Melioristic Gerontology: Using Pragmatism to Reframe the Study of Aging,” drew from his recent research with Dr. Graham Rowles at the University of Kentucky.
In his presentation, Dr. Cutchin and Dr. Rowles extended their previous work on aging and place by proposing a new approach to gerontology rooted in the pragmatist philosophy of Jane Addams, John Dewey, and contemporary scholars. This innovative framework, which they coined “melioristic gerontology,” emphasizes practical, community-based solutions for improving the lives of older adults, with a focus on engaged scholarship that connects theory with real-world application.
“It was an honor to be selected to give the Gee Lecture,” Dr. Cutchin shared. “Graham supported the idea of pushing our ideas further, and together, we proposed something that we believe is crucial for improving the lives of older adults and future generations.”
Dr. Cutchin’s lecture builds on his significant contributions to the field of gerontology, which include serving as a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and as the former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Gerontology. He has also received numerous research awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his work in aging and occupational therapy.
