VCU researcher named Gerontological Society of America fellow

By Geoff LoCicero
VCU School of Social Work

Kyeongmo Kim, Ph.D., associate professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, last year was named a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization dedicated to the study of aging.

Fellow status is the society’s highest class of membership and is awarded by peers in recognition of outstanding and continuing contributions to the field of gerontology. Kim is one of 16 honorees in the Social Research, Policy and Practice Section and one of 47 fellows named across the society in 2025.

For Kim, the fellowship is not just an honor but a charge.

“While the status is not time‑limited, it entails a continuing role and greater responsibilities,” said Kim, who in 2021 earned GSA’s Carroll Estes Rising Star Award. “It lends significant credibility to my work and provides enhanced opportunities to impact aging‑related policy and practice, particularly by serving on task forces and committees that uphold the mission of GSA.”

Among those responsibilities is mentoring junior GSA members and students, as well as nominating colleagues for recognition. Kim will serve on the SRPP Fellows Review Panel in 2026, helping evaluate nominations and make award decisions.

Denise Burnette, Ph.D., the school’s Wurtzel Endowed Faculty Chair in Social Work, nominated Kim, who credits Burnette for her support and mentorship.

 “Dr. Kim is one of the most conscientious, accomplished and dedicated early-to-mid career scholars in social gerontology. He was the ideal candidate for fellowship,” said Burnette, herself a GSA fellow.

Across his research portfolio, Kim focuses on the ways neighborhood conditions shape the health and well‑being of older adults. His recent work demonstrates that “age‑friendly communities” are multidimensional — seldom uniformly strong or weak — and often experienced differently across racial and ethnic groups.

“No neighborhood is perfect; each possesses unique strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “And critically, the effects of age‑friendly environments vary significantly by race and ethnicity. Current models do not fully capture this diversity.”

To help close that gap, Kim is leading the SAFE‑KA project (Social Connectedness and Age‑Friendly Environments among Korean Americans) — a community‑engaged research initiative conducted in partnership with Hanul Family Alliance, a community‑based organization serving the Greater Chicago area. The project explores how community members define age‑friendly environments and examines how age‑friendly frameworks can be tailored to better support immigrant and ethnic minority older adults.

Kim’s teaching centers on the master’s level Concentration Social Policy course, where he emphasizes “translational engagement” — connecting academic concepts with immediate action.

“I ensure students not only master foundational policy and scientific concepts but also understand how to translate that knowledge into real-world practice and policy impact,” he said.

A signature assignment requires students to develop professional, ready‑to‑use policy briefs tied to real legislation and designed for dissemination at advocacy events, lobby days or through community organizations.

Kim sees mentorship as an essential part of his role as a scholar and, now, as a fellow.

“The increasing complexity of an aging society demands a robust, well‑trained and culturally competent workforce,” he said. “A core part of my commitment is to actively pay it forward by mentoring diverse graduate students and junior faculty who are focused on the area of aging.”

Kim expressed gratitude for the School of Social Work and the wider VCU community.

“I am deeply thankful for the supportive and collaborative environment that fosters high-level research and impactful service,” he said. “As a newly recognized GSA fellow, I am committed to leveraging this status to elevate the school’s reputation and strengthen our leadership in addressing the critical issues facing older adults.”