Photo of a woman with short dark hair and glasses.

Mary Ann Erickson

Professor, Health Sciences and Public Health
School: School of Health Sciences and Human Performance
Phone: 607-274-3705
Office: Hill G46

Education:

  • Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies, Cornell University (1998)
  • M.A. in Human Development and Family Studies, Cornell University (1994)
  • B.A. in Mathematics and Music History/Theory, University of Rochester (1985)

Aging Studies is a fascinating field of study that connects to so many other fields of study, most occupations, and everyone's personal life.  My research and teaching come out of a life course perspective, which focuses attention on the connections across time and across lives.  I came to specialize in gerontology after working in a variety of other disciplines, and I enjoy the fact that the field is so broad.  My research started in the field of housing choices - both how older adults make housing choices as well as how those choices impact social integration.  More recently, my research has examined mindfulness practices and how those can be used in gerontology education to address ageism.

To learn more about me as a teacher, click on the links for my courses, where you'll find short explanations as well as links to course syllabi.  

The intellectual biography posted to the right was an assignment to my students in Gerontology Senior Seminar that I decided to do myself.