The Institute for Learning in Retirement, or ILR, was founded as a partnership between the University of Florida and Oak Hammock in 2001. UF committed to support ILR curriculum with faculty expertise, and the ILR committed to active support of student research activities – particularly in the study of the various aspects of aging.
Today, ILR supports student research with two annual programs:
2023 ILR/UF Aging Research Poster Contest
This is ILR’s primary program in support of student research. It calls for student entries from all University of Florida departments. It is open to all students doing research on subjects that contribute to our understanding of some aspect of aging. Most entrants are master’s or doctoral candidates.
In the first stage of the poster awards competition, students present their research at the annual “ILR Poster Session for Student Research on Aging.” This is a judged poster competition held in the spring at Oak Hammock. ILR members attend the poster session and take an active part in research discussions with the student presenters. The second stage includes the top three finalists sharing detailed presentations about their research. Retired Faculty from UF and ILR members act as judges and award prizes of $800 for first place, $400 for second place, $200 for third place.
TYPICAL RESEARCH TOPICS:
- EMPATHY, EMOTION IDENTIFICATION AND OXYTOCIN IN THE BRAIN
- COGNITIVE AND BRAIN-BASED PREDICTORS OF ALZHEIMER’S
- REFLECTING ON LIFE CHALLENGES AND FINDING GROWTH IN PERSONAL STORIES
- COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT PRE- OR POST-SURGERY
- INFLAMMATION IN RELATION TO LONG TERM FUNCTION
- DIET AND NUTRITIONAL PREDICTORS OF COGNITION AND INFLAMMATION
- ASSESSMENT OF DRIVING SKILLS ACROSS AGE AND PATIENT GROUPS
- PAIN RESILIENCE AND MOBILITY ACROSS ETHNIC GROUPS OR PATIENT GROUPS
- CONSIDERING PATIENT GOALS IN HEALTH SETTINGS
2023 SANTA FE COLLEGE STUDENT RESEARCH POSTER EXHIBITION
This event is an initiative organized by the Santa Fe College Research for Undergraduate Education (RUE) committee. It is a college wide initiative to bring together all the students that have done any type of research. The College is trying to increase the interest of the students to get involved in research during their undergraduate years at Santa Fe.
In 2013, ILR expanded its support of student research to include students from Santa Fe College in Gainesville.
Annually, ILR invites a select number of Santa Fe students to present posters on multi-disciplinary research topics. The students present their research at Oak Hammock, where ILR members and judges review their work. ILR allocated $1,000 per year in prizes for the Santa Fe program.