The Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology at the University of Southern California’s (the “Roybal Institute”) purpose is to conduct interdisciplinary research on gerontology and other academic disciplines with faculty from different schools at USC with the goal of creating practical programs that benefit the community in a number of ways, including improving the quality and effectiveness of health and human service delivery to older persons through training and education.

We strive to bring special focus to the unique needs of older ethnic minority populations through special studies and reports, interdisciplinary analysis, translation, application of gerontology theory and research. A leading goal of the USC Roybal Institute is to establish a repository for research data on diverse populations to facilitate understanding of target populations and community change allowing for the development of programs and interventions to improve service to diverse older persons.

The Institute bears the name of its founder, the late Congressman Edward R. Roybal, a visionary leader instrumental in establishing aging services. Our work is guided by Congressman Roybal’s words, “Through caring for the elderly we are rewarded with the joy of giving dignity, security, and comfort to those who taught us the meaning of such things.” The Roybal Institute is the realization of Congressman Edward R. Roybal’s dream to improve the quality and effectiveness of health and human service delivery to older persons giving particular attention to poor and ethnic minority older persons and their families.

It is the intent of the USC Roybal Institute to become the national and international focal point at USC for interdisciplinary applied research and practice with a commitment to the needs of minority older persons and their families. A primary goal is to conduct applied gerontology research that can be utilized to develop programs and services, and form the basis for policy recommendations and decisions that will improve the health, social, and economic status of diverse aging populations and their families at the local, state, and national levels.

Office Location

The USC Roybal Institute is located at Davis School of Gerontology as part of the Andrus Gerontology Center. We have a university-wide framework that gives us the opportunity to improve communities through collaborations with colleagues of the Andrus Gerontology Center and other USC Schools allowing us to expand USC’s international leadership in the field of aging education and research.

Leadership