Clin-STAR Journey Story

Building a Home for Social and Behavioral Scientists in Aging Research

Drs. Jennifer Portz, a social work researcher, and Evan Plys, a board-certified clinical geropsychologist, work at the intersection of psychosocial science and aging. Together, they co-chair the Clin-STAR Psychosocial and Behavioral Research Interest Group, a special interest group (SIG) for psychosocial researchers within the National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded Clin-STAR initiative. They are building something that did not exist when they entered the field: a professional home for social and behavioral scientists in aging research. By combining their expertise and efforts with others, they are fostering interdisciplinary research and programming that will improve mental and physical health outcomes for older adults.

Both researchers found aging early, and through personal experience. Portz’s path began with volunteering for the Special Olympics in high school, which led to work as a community worker for children with developmental disabilities and, eventually, a master’s in social work. At Boston College, a mentor recruited her into a newly launched John A. Hartford Foundation training program in geriatric social work. Portz went on to work for an Area Agency on Aging, and her research career blossomed from there. Plys grew up close to his grandparents in a multigenerational family, but it was a college gerontology course that made everything click. “There were so many ways to look at a topic in gerontology—you get to see it from the angles of so many different fields,” he recalls. He pursued a PhD program specializing in clinical geropsychology and today directs a clinic providing mental health services to caregivers of people living with dementia, alongside his research in that space.

The two crossed paths as T32 fellows at the University of Colorado, Plys and Portz where both trained in palliative care and aging. It was during this time they both found the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR). Portz connected with AFAR by applying for a Beeson Career Development Award. She recalls, “When I applied for the Beeson, there were very few PhD scientists—the majority were MDs. However, Clin-STAR has created a pipeline for PhD clinician- scientists to join aging research in a way that just wasn’t possible before.” Plys found Clin-STAR through word of mouth and started using the trainings and resources on its website during his postdoctoral fellowship. “I thought aging was a pretty MD-focused field,” he notes. “Through the Clin-STAR Database, I found that other clinical psychologists and clinical social workers were a part of the network.”

Both have taken full advantage of what the Clin-STAR community offers. Portz describes the Beeson experience as “completely transforming. It’s a network of researchers so incredible that I still have imposter syndrome. People are generous with their time—willing to meet with you and connect you to others—whether you need help with publications, finding research sites, or grants.” Now serving on the Clin-STAR Meeting Planning Committee, she sees her role as giving back. “It feels like coming full circle. I think back to what would have been really helpful for the former Jenny, and I try to organize sessions that offer that—while bringing a non-MD perspective to the table.”

Plys completed a Clin-STAR Mini-Sabbatical with implementation scientist Malaz Boustani, MD, MPH, at Indiana University. “It was way more than I expected,” he says. The way Boustani’s team blended clinical and research services gave Plys a blueprint—one that has since generated pivotal pilot data for his research and new approaches for his clinic.

When asked what advice they would give to those entering the field, they both point to the Clin-STAR website, its database, and its network map, which compiles funding opportunities, webinars, and connections across the field. “It shows you how close the field is—no one is too far away from anyone else. You don’t have to wait for that next conference, there may be someone at the nearby campus that can help your work.” They also encouraged those considering the field to ensure they have both passion and perseverance. “This is a challenging time and a challenging field,” Portz says. “Give yourself some grace and some peace. Small steps forward are still steps forward.” Plys adds that theirs is a profession that requires mentorship: “Find mentors who can speak to different things—your specific area of research in aging, but also your discipline. Choose mentors wisely and really foster those relationships. That’s not only what ushers you into the field—it makes the challenges more tolerable.”

That sense of belonging is exactly what the two set out to create when they were asked to launch the special interest group (SIG) together. “Originally, I wanted to connect social workers,” Portz explains. “There were so few PhD-level researchers, and even fewer doing aging research. And I wanted us to be able to connect with each other.” It quickly became clear that clinical psychology was similarly underrepresented, and the group became more inclusive by inviting those pursuing the same scientific questions at the intersection of psychosocial research and aging.

For Plys, the group fills a structural gap. “In every field there is general training and specialist training, and once you enter the aging space, you are usually no longer surrounded by people with your foundational training,” he says. “In the SIG, early-stage investigators forming grant topics get feedback not only from people in the aging specialty, but from people who know the theories, methods, and frameworks of psychosocial research. That advances ideas in a way most works-in-progress spaces can’t.” The SIG, which began meeting about a year ago, now includes a broad interest list and a core working group that meets regularly. Researchers interested in joining can reach out to AFAR to be added to the listserv for notifications.

Through the SIG and their work across Clin-STAR, Drs. Portz and Plys are proving that aging research requires and benefits from a rich and diverse range of specialists. AFAR's SIGs build and foster the community that will carry psychosocial science in aging forward.