
Lifetime Achievement Award
2015 Lifetime Achievement Award
Harvey Sterns

Dr. Sterns has been one of the most active and visible psychologists in the field of aging in the State of Ohio and beyond.
He has been involved in gerontology and geriatrics education since the early 70’s. At The University of Akron, he was one of the founding faculty of the M.A./Ph.D. Program in Applied Cognitive Aging and is the director of the Institute for Life-Span Development and Gerontology.
He was one of two individuals to testify before the Ohio Legislature in 1977 in support of the creation of Offices of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology in all 7 of Ohio’s Medical Schools.
Since 1978, he has held an appointment in the Office of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, and served for years on the Ohio Board of Regents Committee on Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology and on a special task force convened by the Board of Regents on Gerontology in Higher Education.
OAGE evolved from the (ONECA), which was founded in the mid-1970s to serve as the educational and technical advisory board to the Ohio Department of Aging. Dr. Sterns was one of the founding members of ONECA – Ohio Network of Educational Consultants in the Field of Aging.
He is also a strong advocate at the local level:
- 29 year member of the City of Akron Commission on Aging
- Past-President of Jewish Family Services in Akron and Mature Services, Inc., the largest social service agency serving older people in the greater Summit County (OH) area.
- Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, the American Psychological Association, American Psychological Society, Association for Gerontology in Higher Education, and the Ohio Academy of Science.
He has served as president of 3 national organizations:
- Association for Gerontology in Higher Education
- Sigma Phi Omega, National Academic & Honor Society In Gerontology
- Division 20 Adult Dev & Aging of the American Psychological Assoc
Amidst all this service to the community and professional organizations, he is regarded as an international scholar/expert on aging and work. He has co-authored and/or edited 4 books, and more than 90 book chapters and articles.
Nominations
OAGE accepts nominations of individuals in Ohio to be recognized for their contributions in the areas of education, research, and practice. For more information, click on the links below.