USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology Professor Kelvin Davies received the 2017 Hiram J. Friedsam Mentorship Award from the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.
The award, which recognizes individuals who have contributed to gerontological education through excellence in mentorship to students, faculty and administrators, was presented at the AGHE Annual Meeting on March 11, 2017.
Davies, an AGHE fellow, has been a faculty member of the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology since 1996. Currently, he is the Davis School’s vice dean, director of the Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center, holder of the James E. Birren Chair in Gerontology and director of the USC Free Radical Institute. He holds an additional appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences’ Molecular and Computational Biology Division at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
“Kelvin is a tireless supporter of his colleagues, and his increased responsibilities and initiatives reflect his dedication to fostering an environment of mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration,” wrote USC Leonard Davis School Dean Pinchas Cohen in a nomination letter for Davies.
Along with many scientific accomplishments and leadership in the field of free radical biology, he has been an award-winning educator and mentor to fellow faculty members and students at all levels. He is the founding director of the USC-Buck Institute for Aging Research PhD in Biology of Aging program, the first program of its kind in the nation. He also founded the USC STAR program, which enables local high school students to get involved with laboratory research at USC, and started the USC Leonard Davis Academic Advancement Forum for junior faculty, which meets monthly to discuss issues related to career development.
“It really means a great deal to be recognized for contributing to the advancement of future generations of life scientists,” Davies said. “As my own career matures, I increasingly feel the need and the responsibility to give back as much as I can. I feel that I consistently learn as much from those I mentor as they learn from me.”
