On behalf of USC President Steven B. Sample, Provost C. L. Max Nikias has announced the establishment of the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology.

The institute is a research and education center devoted to improving the health and health care of older persons and their families, with particular emphasis on low-income and multiethnic communities.

The institute, which formerly was housed at California State University, Los Angeles, will be based at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, as part of the USC Andrus Gerontology Center. Here it will expand upon USC’s established leadership in the field of aging education and research in the Davis School and Andrus Center, as well as the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

“Minority ethnic groups comprise the fastest-growing segment within the U.S. aging population – and there is an increasing need for research, education and outreach to address the particular needs of these groups,” Nikias said. “The USC Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology will become a leader in this area, and we are honored to welcome it to USC. Our shared goals of innovative education, socially relevant research and community service will make this an important and productive partnership.”

During his lifetime, Roybal – who served in Congress for 30 years – was a champion of societal responses to issues related to public health, aging, education and minority groups. In bringing this institute to USC, his family seeks to further his goals by developing programs that emphasize health promotion and disease prevention, aging demographics and cultural dimensions to aging.

“USC’s commitment to the causes my father cared so much about and its demonstrated tradition of serving the community makes the USC campus an ideal setting for the Roybal Institute,” said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, representative for California’s 34th district. “This is a wonderful opportunity to promote and advance his commitment to training young people in the field of health and his vision of bringing together university and the community for the benefit of students, older persons and their families.”

A primary goal of the new institute will be to establish a repository for research data that contributes to an understanding of the needs of low-income and minority communities and allows for the development of programs that improve services locally, nationally and internationally. The institute also will provide education and training for students interested in careers in the field of aging, as well as training for volunteers, older persons and their families or caregivers.

“Through his extensive public service efforts, Edward R. Roybal created or co-created many new innovations and public programs to address issues affecting the elderly and their families,” said Gerald Davison, dean of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and executive director of the Andrus Gerontology Center. “The variety of services and opportunities provided by the Roybal Center will continue this legacy as we seek to address aging and its impact on all members and all aspects of our society.”

Jorge J. Lambrinos, who directed the Institute at Cal State L.A., will be the director of the institute at USC. Lambrinos has been actively involved in the field of aging for more than three decades. For many years, he was Rep. Roybal’s chief of staff, with a primary focus on aging issues. He also served as staff director of the House Select Committee on Aging.

Lambrinos also has worked as a consultant to Rep. Roybal-Allard. He is a member of the AARP California executive council and also was appointed to the California Commission on Aging. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort.

“The increased diversity of a global aging society requires a strong link between academia and community,” Lambrinos said. “USC and the Roybal Institute will become the focal point for the expansion of knowledge about diverse populations, ensuring the improvement and effectiveness of service delivery to our elders and their families.”