The Meanings of Age

Bernice L. Neugarten, 1916 - 2001 Bernice L. Neugarten was born in 1916 and attended the University of Chicago, earning her Bachelor's from there in 1936 and her Doctorate in 1943. At that point she took some time off to start a family, but came back ten years later to join the faculty at the University.

Neugarten was offered a position teaching a course on aging, one of the first courses to be introduced at a University level. She was also asked to conduct research of middle aged and older people in the Midwest. In 1958 she was appointed director of Chicago's graduate training program in aging. During her tenure, Neugarten wrote many books and papers on adult development including "Personality in Middle and Late Life," published in 1964. She eventually became an emeritus professor of behavioral science at the UNiversity of Chicago's Center on Aging, health and Society.

In 1971, Neugarten was named to the Technical Committee on Research and Demonstration for the White House Conference on Aging. She helped to organize the 1982 Conference on Aging and participated as a member of the National Advisory Council of the National Institute on Aging. She was given several awards by the American Psychological Association, including the Gold Medal Award for Life Contributions.

Bernice L. Neugarten died on July 22, 2001 at the age of 85.