A Winning Team

Intercollegiate writing partners Anne Katz and Joanne Altschuler win an award at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America
By Jonathan Riggs

As much attention as USC’s cross-town rivalries may receive, even more impressive are its flourishing intercollegiate collaborations.

Longtime friends, colleagues and writing partners Anne Katz, Ph.D., LCSW, of the USC Davis School of Gerontology and Joanne Altschuler, Ph.D., LCSW, of the CSULA School of Social Work make up just such a collaboration.

For their article, “Keeping Your Eye on the Process: Body Image, Older Women, and Countertransference,” published in the Journal of Gerontological Social Work, the two won an Honorable Mention from the selection committee of the Rose Dobrof Award, which recognizes articles that adhere to the most rigorous methodology, demonstrate considerable innovation and move the field forward.

“We deeply appreciate this recognition, because it signifies that our work has meaning for our colleagues and may play some part in shaping gerontological social work practice,” said Altschuler. “The honor has additional meaning in that we both greatly admire and respect Dr. Rose Dobrof’s professional accomplishments and leadership contributions.”

Awarded the honor at the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGE-SW) reception at this year’s annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, the duo credited their success to the strength of their partnership.

“Our article reflects the intersection of several longstanding shared and individual interests and areas of practice, research and study,” said Katz. “We’re inspired by our passion for our subjects, our complementary strengths and how enjoyable the give-and-take of our collaborations are.”

(L to R)Anne Katz, Ph.D., LCSW (USC Davis School of Gerontology) and Joanne Altschuler, Ph.D., LCSW (CSULA School of Social Work)