I am a Nittany Lion!
After completing my Ph.D. at Penn State University

in Sociology and Demography with a minor in Gerontology, I went to Duke University as a postdoctoral fellow and research associate. While working on my dissertation, I interned at NIH/NIA for a summer in Washington D.C..
In 1998, I joined Penn State University's Commonwealth Campus at Delaware County as an Assistant Professor of Sociology. Recently, I returned back to North Carolina where I am the Director of the Graduate Gerontology Program at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

My research interests include the role that employer pensions have on job mobility patterns for women, the effect which caregiving has on retirement decisions and the risk of caregiving across the life course for men and women. Recently, I assisted the American Chemical Society in designing a survey for "Mature Chemists". My analysis of this data will determine the effect industrial downsizing has on retirement plans and post-retirement employment for professionals. Additional interests include the social and economic outcomes for cancer survivors, healthy aging, the determinates of health coverage after retirement, and post-retirement career strategies for professionals.

My teaching interests include:
Sociology of the Family, Aging and Adult Development,
Research Methods, and Sociology of Aging.

Janice I. Wassel

EDUCATION:

Ph.D. Sociology and Demography. The Pennsylvania State University, 1994. Minor in Gerontology
M.A. Sociology and Demography. The Pennsylvania State University. 1991.
B.A. Sociology. Pacific Lutheran University, 1989.

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Demography of Aging, Health and Retirement, Quantitative Research Methods, Health Care Delivery, Economic and Emotional Consequences for Long-term Cancer Survivors, Consequences of Caregiving on Women's Health and Life Courses

STATISTICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL TRAINING:

Social Statistics: probability theory, descriptive and inferential statistics
Advanced Social Statistics: linear regression, logistic regression, multinomial logistic regression, structural equation models, longitudinal data analysis, and event history analysis.
Survey Research Methods: research and survey design, theory and data modeling.
Demographic Methods: life tables, projections, and demographic techniques.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS: (Many publications are under former name of Farkas, J.I.)

O'Rand, A. M. and J.I. Farkas, Drobnic, Sonja, ed. 2001. "Couples' Retirement Timing in the U.S.in the 1990's: The Impact of Market and Family role Demands on Joint and Sequential Work Exits." Retirement in a Household Context: International Comparisons.

Farkas, J. I., Clement, P.F.& Reinier,J., eds. 2000. "Grandparenthood in America." Boyhood in America: An Encyclopedia.

Farkas, J. I. 2000. "Lifetimes in Chemistry: A Report on the American Chemical Society's Mature Career chemist Study of Members Ages 50 through 69." American Chemical Society, Washington D.C.

O'Rand, A. M. and J.I. Farkas 1999. "Labor Markets, Benefit Mix, and Job Mobility Among Two Cohorts of Women Workers in the 1990's."

Farkas, J. I., Spring, 2000. "The Retirement Well-Being of the Mature Career Chemist." American Chemical Society.

Farkas, J. I. and C.L. Himes, Doty, Pamela, ed. 1998. "Part 1: Informal Caregiving to Family and Friends Across the Life Course." Informal Caregiving: Compassion in Action.

Farkas, J. I. and A.M. Rand. 1998. "The Pension Mix for Women in Middle and Late Life: More Evidence of the Changing Employment Relationship." Social Forces.

Farkas, J. I and C.L. Himes. 1997 "The Influence of Caregiving and Employment on the Voluntary Activities of Midlife and Older Women." Journals of Gerontology.

Himes, C. L., A.K. Jordan and J.I. Farkas. 1996. "Factors Influencing Parental Caregiving by Adult Women: Variations by Care Intensity and Duration." Research on Aging.

Farkas, J. I. and D.P. Hogan. 1994. "Gender Differences in Kin Contact and Reliance." Population Research Institute Working Paper Series. No. 94-01.

Farkas, J. I. and D.P. Hogan.; edited by Vern Bengston, K. Warner Schaie, and Linda Burton. 1994. "The Demography of Changing Intergenerational Relationships." Adult Intergenerational Relations, Effects of Societal Change.

Farkas, J. I and C.L. Himes. 1993. "Influences of Caregiving and Employment on the Personal, Family, and Professional Activities of Midlife Women." Population Research Institute Working Paper Series. No. 93-01.

Farkas, J. I. 1992. "Kin Support and Women's Labor Force Experiences in Midlife." Population Research Institute Working Paper Series. No. 92-11.

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS:

Farkas, J. I. and J.L. Hill.Spring, 2001." The Retirement Process for Professional Women with Non-Normative Life Course Trajectories." Population Association of America Annual Meetings.

Farkas, J. I. Fall, 2000. "Gender Differences as Professionals Prepare for Retirement: A Study of Mature American Chemists." Gerontological Society of America Annual Meetings.

Farkas, J. I., Fall 1999. "Midlife Caregiving: Potential Costs at Retirement." Gerontological Society of America Meetings.

Farkas, J. I. and C. L. Himes. Fall, 1998. " Levels of Social Involvement of Caregivers: A Longitudinal Study." Paper presented at the Gerontological Society of America Meetings.

O'Rand, A. M. and J. I. Farkas. 1998. "Labor Markets, Pension Mix, and Job Mobility." Paper presented at American Sociological Association Meetings.

Farkas, J. I. and C. L. Himes. Fall, 1997. "Current and Career Caregivers: Differences in the Caregiving Experience." Paper presented at the Gerontological Society of America Meetings.

Farkas, J. I. and C. L. Himes. Spring, 1997. "The Interaction of Caregiving and Life Course Events." Population Association of America Meeting.

Farkas, J. I. and A. M. O'Rand. 1996. "Imperfect Knowledge of Pension Type: Linking Mature Women' s Classifications of their Pensions with Employer Data." Gerontological Society of America Meetings.

Farkas, J. I. and A. M. O'Rand. 1995. "The Changing Pension Mix for Working Women in Mid- and Late-Life." Gerontological Society of America Meetings.

Farkas, J. I. 1995. "Increasing Diversity: A Cohort Comparison of Life Course Trajectories of Women." American Sociological Association Meetings.

Farkas, J. I. 1995. "Women's Participation in Employer-Sponsored Pension Plans at Midlife: A Cohort Comparison." Population Association of America Meetings.

Farkas, J. I. 1994. "Planning Their Future Retirement: A Comparison of Two Cohorts of Women in Midlife." Gerontological Society of America Meetings.

Farkas, J. I. 1994. "Planning for a Financial Future: Communication between Mothers and Daughters." American Sociological Association Meetings.

Farkas, J. I., R. M. Li, J. Dawson Weeks, T. Harris, M. G. Kovar, and R. Suzman. 1994. "The Contribution of Surgical Procedures to Improved Physical Functioning: An Exploration Using Data from the LSOA." Population Association of America Meetings.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS:

Farkas, J. I. 2000. "Retirements, Careers, and Transitions: Selected Findings from the ACS Mature Career Chemists Study." Paper presented in symposium on "Life Times in chemistry: Issues and Results from the Mature Career Chemist Survey," American Chemical Society Annual Meeting.

Farkas, J. I. Spring, 2000. "Mature Career Chemists Retirement Preparation: Findings from the Mature Career Chemist Study." Chemical Consultants Network, Philadelphia, PA.

Farkas, J. I. 2000. "Use of Web in Classroom Learning Experiences." Penn State Delaware County Advising Board, Penn State University Delaware County.

Farkas, J. I. March, 2000. "Gender Effects on Life Course Events as Professionals Prepare for Retirement," The Penn State Gerontology Center Colloquia, Penn State University Park.

O'Rand, A.M. and J.I. Farkas. 1999. "Couples' Retirement Timing in the U.S. in the 1990's: The Impact of Market and Family role Demands on Joint and Sequential Work Exits." Invited paper presentation at the International Comparative Workshop on Retirement in an Household Context, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.

Farkas, J.I. 1999. "Technology and Me: We're Not In Love - We're Just Good Friends." Center for Learning and Academic Technologies, Penn State University Park.

GRANTS & CONTRACTS:

Research Development Grant, Penn State University, Funded 2000

Undergraduate Research Stipend, Penn State University, Funded 2000

FELT Grant, Penn State University, Funded 2000

Academic Consultant, 1998 - 2000 "Committee on Surveys: The Mature Career Chemist Study" American Chemist Society, Washington D.C.

Research Development Grant, Pennsylvania State University, Funded 1999.

Empower Development Grant 1998/1999, Pennsylvania State University, Funded 1999.Project Empower, Pennsylvania State University, Funded 1998-1999

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1998. "Informal Caregiving to Family and Friends Across the Life Course."

HONORS:

1994:Recipient of National Institute on Aging Postdoctoral Research Traineeship.
1991:Recipient of National Institute on Aging Predoctoral Research Traineeship.
1992:Initiated to Phi Kappa Phi.
1991:Recipient of Lawrence J. Ostermayer Memorial Scholarship for academic achievement.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

American Sociological Association
Gerontological Society of America
Population Association of America
Sigma Phi Omega
Southern Gerontological Society

Return to Dr. Janice Wassel's home page

Return to UNCG Gerontology page