Scott D. Wright, Ph.D. (about me)

Welcome and thanks for visiting and reading this blog on the the topic of aging.

I am currently serving as Director and Associate Professor at the University of Utah
Gerontology Interdisciplinary Program. I have scholarly interests in a variety of 
different topics that intersect with the domain of aging including: arts, humanities,
music, literature, science, culture, and demography.

My “traditional” research track has focused on environmental hazards and older adults; environmental impact of retirement “hot spots” across the US using GIS and GPS technologies/software;  family caregiving issues; and demographic transitions of baby-boomers.

I am currently developing web-based curriculum in aging for our program and I integrate podcasts (via iTunesU), social bookmarking, Twitter and other Web 2.0 and 3.0 advancements in our university curriculum. I also work with our School of Medicine (Geriatrics Division) in offering coursework on aging for medical students.

Aside from that I try to keep a well-stocked library with Homer, Dante, Petrarch, Virgil, Joyce, Hesse, Neruda, and Borges - keep the fishing gear from collecting dust, cultivate a garden, keep chickens, (practicing Georgics), and keep on hand a bottle of Edradour (single malt) for inspiration. 

Why “rogue” scholarship ?

I use and fully support the scientific approach to the understanding of the
aging process, but I have created this blog to offer an alternative site for investigating and examining issues related to aging that may not necessarily appear in peer-reviewed journals or standard-issue textbooks. In other words, this is about exploration and critically reviewing issues in the larger ecosystem of aging (almost any topic) and having these issues presented in an accessible and “open-source” format. This topic (AGING) is about everyone – so why keep the scholarly pursuit wrapped up behind a firewall of subscriptions (journal or professional organizations) and deeply hidden libraries and the jargony world of academe?

The goal here is to explore and challenge these issues – and to provide a forum for
others to share in this information. You are welcome to use the references and the
resources for your own educational needs. I all I ask is that reference back to this source on Word Press and we will keep the information and insights flowing ~

Thank you,

Scott D. Wright, Ph.D.
scott.wright@hsc.utah.edu
scottdwright@gmail.com 

Recent publications outside the blogosphere:

Aside from the standard operating procedure (SOP) writing for academic journals (scroll further down), I have published a work of fiction (a trilogy) – Ship of Theseus – about the journey of a lifetime (88 years worth) – a both a coming-of-age and a completion-of age-story. It is the examined life – Re-examined –  My work of fiction (in 3 volumes) contains the traditional self-enclosed linear narrative, but it is also uroboric: there is a hidden counter- narrative within. A counterbook within the book (a la Borges). Think of Lacan’s notion of the anamorphic embedded in the text: a labyrinth – but with Ariadne’s thread available to help us through the journey.

    

Ship of Theseus (Vol. I, II, III) – fiction

Ship of Theseus Vol. III

Ship of Theseus Vol. II

Amazon

XLibris

Alibris

Other recent publications:

Examining What Caregivers Do During Respite Time to Make Respite More
Effective
Dale A. Lund, Rebecca Utz, Michael S. Caserta, and Scott D. Wright
Journal of Applied Gerontology 2009;28 109-131
http://jag.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/28/1/109?etoc

Book Review:  Journal of Aging, Humanities, and the Arts

Life in the Long Lane—
A Review Essay on The Longevity Revolution: 

The Benefits and Challenges of Living a Long Life,
by Robert N. Butler
Public Affairs, New York, 2008 (cloth) 
Author: Scott D. Wright a

Affiliation:

a Gerontology Interdisciplinary Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Published in:  Journal of Aging, Humanities, and the Arts, Volume 2, Issue 3 & 4 July 2008 , pages 298 – 313

Formats available: HTML (English) : PDF (English)

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