M. Aaron Guest (He/Him) is an interdisciplinary trained social-environmental gerontologist and an inaugural Assistant Professor of Aging at the Center for Innovation in Healthy and Resilient Aging at the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University. He interested in the predominant social and environmental domains older adults live in and how this knowledge can lead to increased understanding of and improvements in health.
The overarching aim of his research program, and indeed life’s work, is to create an equitable society for aging for all people. To accomplish this goal, he takes a disease/condition-agnostic approach to address the challenges faced by aging, underrepresented, and underserved populations. His research has centered on the aging experiences of older adults in rural areas and those who identify as lesbian and gay.
The scope of his research can be grouped into two overaching themes: Aging in the Social & Built Environments, emphasizing understanding how individuals form, maintain, and use their social networks in relation to their environments and activity spaces, and Approaches to Reduce Health Inequities in Older. Through this work, he seeks to develop novel, tailored health interventions that can be utilized to increase the diffusion and translation of health innovations and thus increase access and utilization of critical health programs and services for older adults and their families.
In short, he aims to create the optimal person-environment fit for the most advantageous health benefits for individuals as they age.
His work engages a series of inventive mixed methods approaches to data collection, including geospatial and egocentric data collection strategies. He also employs traditional quantitative and qualitative research approaches, including surveys (both longitudinal and cross-sectional), focus groups, one-on-one interviews, drawing, and intervention evaluation to develop a more extensive understanding of the outcomes under investigation.
He has served in elected and appointed positions within the American Public Health Association, including, currently, as a member of the Executive Board and Speaker of the Governing Council, the Gerontological Society of America, the Academy of Gerontology in Higher Education, the Appalachian Studies Association, the Accreditation for Gerontology Education Council, International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, the LGBTQ Health Caucus, and the American Society of Aging.
In addition, Dr. Guest serves as Chair of the Secretariat of the Age-Friendly University Global Network, a collection of higher education institutions committed to promoting positive and healthy aging and enhancing the lives of older adults.