The National Policy and Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging supports post-doctoral persons who are interested in nutrition and aging research projects, policy development and technical assistance. The Center supports those with expertise in gerontology or geriatrics for on-site semester, academic and calendar year positions.

The goal is to provide opportunities for post-doctoral persons to develop and implement outcomes research in local Elderly Nutrition Programs (ENPs) or long-term care (LTC) facilities. Studies show that too few nutrition faculty are involved in applied outcomes research in aging. Most service agencies, including ENPs and LTC facilities, consider themselves ill equipped to design studies and data collection procedures or attempt any type of research. Applicants are expected to participate in or develop projects that focus on collaborative partnerships with community agencies or LTC facilities.

Opportunities are available to expand gerontologic/geriatric experience in home, community or long-term care settings, to delve into policy analysis related to nutrition and aging, to sharpen technical assistance and training skills and to develop gerontologic/geriatric curricula for undergraduate and graduate courses.

The Center has hands-on experience in applied research and the documentation of outcomes, e.g., the Morning Meals on Wheels Pilot Project. The Center’s AoA/HCFA LTC demonstration project uses newer tools, i.e., NSI Nutrition Care Alerts and ADA Nutrition Risk Assessment and Intervention Strategies, to identify, prevent and rectify quality of care deficiencies in nursing homes.

Upon completion of the post-doctoral period, individuals will be able to establish applied research projects in home, community and long term care settings. They will be able to develop outcomes studies that demonstrate the value of food and nutrition services in reducing nutrition risk, increasing independence, and improving the quality of life for older adults.

Please note that the Center does not support post-doctoral positions in nutrition science, food technology, biochemistry or other basic research areas. The Center is devoted to home and community based research that emphasizes the impact of dietary intake, nutrition risk reduction, health and functionality in later years.

The Center, located on the University Park campus of Florida International University, is in west Miami-Dade County on the Tamiami Trail (US 41) and Florida Turnpike Extension. FIU is an attractive safe suburban campus in a multicultural community. Send letter of interest, CV and proposed post-doctoral dates to the Center at FIU--OE 200, Miami, FL 33199 or direct inquiries to N.S. Wellman, wellmann@fiu.edu or D.O. Weddle, weddled@fiu.edu, V.H. Castellanos, castellv@fiu.edu; phone, 305-348-1517; fax, 305-348-1518