Editor’s note: the following announcement was shared by the Office of the Provost on March 22, 2022:
Dear Leonard Davis School of Gerontology Community,
On behalf of President Folt, I am pleased to announce that Pinchas Cohen has been reappointed Dean of USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. We look forward to continuing to work with Dean Cohen for another five years as he further advances the school towards a bold vision for the future.
This decision followed a comprehensive review process that produced thoughtful and important input. Dean Cohen was praised for his strong commitment to academic and research excellence and his collaborative and compassionate leadership, particularly during the pandemic. He also played a critical and leading role in our university-wide Public Health Policy Advisory Group that continues to help guide our decisions as we live within the parameters of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dean Cohen was credited for his focus on diversity and inclusion and his efforts to successfully grow the student body. Today, over 600 individuals are pursuing gerontology degrees compared to 200 a decade ago. He developed new degree programs, including the first-of-their-kind Master of Science in Nutrition, Healthspan and Longevity and PhD in the Biology of Aging, and new research centers.
He has positioned the school well to best address the dramatic growth in the population of older adults and their ability to age well. He sets a clear leadership strategy and has built trust with all stakeholders. He is working collaboratively to further advance the school’s foothold in the emerging areas of artificial intelligence and longevity science while continuing to be the premier institution for gerontology research, education, and training.
Dean Cohen’s vision for the school includes continued recruitment of faculty of color, establishing more academic programs at the graduate levels with a focus on the expected growth and change in the way gerontologists will be expected to meet new challenges, and building new programs with other USC schools.
I want to thank the Leonard Davis School dean review committee for their service. The committee was chaired by Provost Professor Gianluca Lazzi with members representing the breadth of the school. The review committee compiled a thorough and balanced analysis that was based on a survey, listening sessions, and other feedback. Details of the process, which was developed in conjunction with the Academic Senate, are available here. I discussed all the input with Dean Cohen.
The faculty and staff of the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology are recognized globally for exceptional education, research, and training programs that are enormously important as our population lives longer and healthier lives. During his tenure, Dean Cohen established an environment sustaining and expanding these strengths, and he is poised to move the school forward with increased vigor and impact. Please join us in thanking Dean Cohen for his continued service and we wish him much success in the next term.
Sincerely,
Charles F. Zukoski
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
