Reflecting on 30 Years of Leading the Institute on Aging - Carol Ryff, PhD

Join us for a special presentation, “Reflecting on 30 Years of Leading the Institute on Aging,” featuring Dr. Carol D. Ryff, Director of the Institute on Aging and Hilldale Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

In this talk, Dr. Ryff reflects on three decades of leadership at the Institute on Aging and highlights groundbreaking research from the Midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS) national longitudinal study one of the most widely used datasets in aging research worldwide. She explores how health and well-being unfold across the decades of adult life, with particular emphasis on her influential model of psychological well-being and why it matters for physical health.

Dr. Ryff discusses key findings linking well-being to morbidity, mortality, biomarkers of health (including neuroendocrine, immune, and cardiovascular systems), and neural circuitry. Central themes include resilience, biopsychosocial integration, and how social and economic disadvantage—especially during major historical events such as the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic—can undermine health and well-being.

This presentation offers valuable insights for researchers, clinicians, students, and anyone interested in aging, mental health, and the science of living well across the lifespan.

About the Speaker:
Carol D. Ryff, PhD, is a leading scholar in the study of psychological well-being and aging. She is Principal Investigator of the MIDUS study and directed MIDJA (Midlife in Japan), for which she received an NIH Merit Award. Her work has been translated into over 40 languages and continues to shape research across psychology, public health, and social science.