Research Opportunities - USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
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Research Opportunities
Research
Research Opportunities
The USC Leonard Davis School offers numerous opportunities for students in all programs to participate in research. Several broad areas of focus spark curiosity and collaboration in researchers at all levels, and their goal is to discover and perfect new breakthroughs, technologies, and findings that benefit older adults around the world.
Explore this section to learn more about opportunities to contribute to the exciting research taking place at the USC Leonard Davis School. Some positions may include funding from our school, university or outside sources and are open to applicants from across USC and other institutions.
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Undergraduate Students
Master’s Students
PhD Students
Multidisciplinary Colloquium Series
Research Events
Research News
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Conducting research as an undergrad at the USC Leonard Davis School is a great way to get to know faculty, graduate students, and other undergraduates who share similar academic and career interests. Students participating in research at our school have published papers, presented at conferences and won numerous awards.
Master’s Research Opportunities
Master’s students in all programs are welcome to pursue research experience – our flagship Master of Science in Gerontology program emphasizes research the most throughout the program. We offer:
A directed research course: This elective program offers you the chance for more in-depth, focused inquiry on a subject of interest.
Student-faculty research collaboration: We offer a wide range of opportunities to participate in meaningful research. In fact, all our tenured faculty employ students in their labs. Past students have presented research across the United States and Europe before moving to the National Institutes of Health.
PhD Research Opportunities
Faculty at the USC Leonard Davis School conduct basic and applied research across several disciplines, which provides training in the biological, social, policy, and behavioral sciences. Specific areas of study include the molecular biology of aging, neuroscience, cognitive development, social organization, the family, health care delivery, human service delivery, housing, demography, and social policy.
Student research is supported by a variety of sources, including grants to faculty members as well as two National Institutes of Health-funded T32 training grant programs for doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in gerontology and the biology of aging.
Multidisciplinary Research Training in Gerontology Program
The Multidisciplinary Research Training in Gerontology Program supports predoctoral and postdoctoral students whose research focus is on factors influencing human physical and mental health and aging. The aim of this program is to support the next generation of scientists working on aspects of aging.
USC-Buck Geroscience Training Program in the Biology of Aging
The USC-Buck Geroscience Training Program in the Biology of Aging T32 Training Grant was first funded as of May 1st, 2016. The training program is a unique cooperative venture of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. In 2014, in a truly joint venture, we created the very first dedicated Biology of Aging PhD program in the nation.
Colloquium Series in Multidisciplinary Research on Aging
Students are expected to attend invited lectures by nationally and internationally recognized scholars in the field of aging. There are generally 5-6 lectures per semester given in this series.
Research Events
Students, researchers and others are encouraged to register and learn about different events happening at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.
View the calendar
Research News
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Research
Digital Reminiscence App Could Reduce Grief and Improve Relationships Between Dementia Patients and Caregivers
Digital Reminiscence App Could Reduce Grief and Improve Relationships Between Dementia Patients and Caregivers
April 22, 2026
How AI and Advanced Computing are Accelerating Alzheimer’s Research
How AI and Advanced Computing are Accelerating Alzheimer’s Research
April 20, 2026
For the First Time, Scientists Have Mapped the Genetics of How the Brain Ages, Region by Region
For the First Time, Scientists Have Mapped the Genetics of How the Brain Ages, Region by Region
April 8, 2026
View more stories
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At the USC Leonard Davis School, you can earn an undergraduate gerontology degree, an accelerated five-year undergraduate or graduate degree program, a doctoral degree, or a minor in aging.
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