ANN ARBOR—University of Michigan psychologist James Jackson has been named to The MacArthur Research Network on an Aging Society, a new inter-disciplinary research network created by The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The new network, supported by a three-year, $3.9 million MacArthur grant, is designed to help America prepare for the challenges and opportunities posed by an aging society.

Jackson directs the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR) and is an international leader in research on racial and ethnic health, aging, and health disparities.

“I am honored to participate in this important research endeavor along with colleagues representing a wide range of disciplines from all over the world,” Jackson said. “And I am especially pleased that Jack Rowe will be serving as the network chair.”

Dr. John Rowe, a professor at Columbia University and former CEO of Aetna, is the co-author with ISR professor emeritus Robert L. Kahn of the best-selling book “Successful Aging.” The book summarized the findings of a 1990s MacArthur Aging Network, which found that most of the factors predicting successful aging are related to lifestyle as well as genetics.

The new Network on an Aging Society will draw on the collective expertise of members from a wide variety of academic disciplines to examine the potential benefits of remodeling the distribution of key activities, including education, work, and leisure, across the life course. Research and projects will focus on three themes:

? The positive and negative impact of key intergenerational issues on families and society.

? The development of meaningful roles for older people.

? The potential effects that the various sources of diversity and inequalities may have on the structure, economy, and overall health of an aging society.

Established in 1949, the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR) is among the world’s oldest academic survey research organizations, and a world leader in the development and application of social science methodology. Visit the ISR web site at http://www.isr.umich.edu for more information.

The MacArthur Foundation supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. In addition to selecting the MacArthur Fellows, the Foundation works to defend human rights, advance global conservation and security, make cities better places, and understand how technology is affecting children and society. More information is available at http://www.macfound.org