FSU Claude Pepper Center

09/29/2026

🤖 Join us for the AI+Aging Distinguished Lecture featuring Yanshan Wang, PhD, FAMIA, of the University of Pittsburgh!

Dr. Wang will present “Healthy Aging in the Era of Generative AI: From Scientific Advances to Trustworthy Clinical Applications,” exploring the growing role of generative AI in aging research and healthcare.

📅 October 26, 2026
⏰ 10–11 a.m.
📍 Broad Auditorium, FSU Claude Pepper Center, Florida State University College of Social Sciences & Public Policy

Learn more and RSVP on the ISL website!

09/23/2026

09/17/2026

09/17/2026

FSU ICON-Health welcomes Herman Pontzer, PhD, Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and Global Health at Duke Global Health Institute, on September 21–22.

Free registration required: https://icon.fsu.edu/events-convenings

ICON-Health Faculty Sessions with Dr. Pontzer | September 21, Morning, FSU College of Medicine: Based on interest, we will be setting-up meetings/sessions for ICON-Health faculty members to meet with Dr. Herman Pontzer on the morning of September 21.

Research Seminar Featuring Dr. Herman Pontzer “Energy, Exercise, and Aging in Human Evolution and Health” , Co-Hosted with FSU Department of Anthropology | September 21, 3:30 PM, Moore Auditorium.

Meet-the-Author Event | September 21, 7:00 PM, Hayward House American Bistro: A a special ICON-Health “Meet the Author” event featuring Dr. Herman Pontzer, Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and Global Health at the Duke Global Health Institute! Dr. Pontzer will be discussing his book, Adaptable: How Your Unique Body Really Works and Why Our Biology Unites Us. special gathering for members of our ICON-Health Book Club!

Date & Time: Monday, September 21 at 7:00 PM
Location: Hayward House American Bistro | 228 South Adams Street, Tallahassee, Fl
Admission: Free! Lite bites will be served!

Dr. Pontzer’s visit is sponsored in partnership with the FSU Department of Anthropology. Seats are limited, so please reserve your spot as soon as possible!

09/14/2026

In collaboration with the FSU Department of Religion and FSU College of Communication & Information, the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee will host a screening of "Alaav," directed by Indian filmmaker Prabhash Chandra.

"Alaav" is the story of a 63-year-old son taking care of his ailing 95-year-old mother in a quiet suburb of New Delhi, India.

🗓️ Monday, Sept. 28
⏰ 6 p.m.
📍 Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee

The screening will be preceded by a reception at 5 p.m. and followed by a discussion and Q&A session with the director.

For more event details, visit: fla.st/A0RR7TBD.

Florida State University, FSU Global

09/11/2026

Join us for the Smart Aging & Technology Expo on Monday, September 14 from 3:00–6:00pm at the Tallahassee Senior Center!

Explore practical tools that support safer, healthier, and more independent living—smart home devices, telehealth, AI tools, accessibility tech, scam prevention, and more.

Enjoy hands-on demonstrations, expert presentations, and time to connect with local organizations.

➡️➡️ Info & Registration Here:
www.tallahasseeseniorfoundation.org/events/smart-aging-technology-expo

Light refreshments will be served. $5 suggested donation.

09/08/2026

Today marks the birth of a true titan of American public service, Senator Claude Denson Pepper, born on this day in 1900 in the rural poverty of Chambers County, Alabama. From a childhood where he didn’t even see a paved road until he left for college to the hallowed halls of Washington, D.C., his legacy remains one of the most profoundly impactful in 20th-century American history. Pepper dedicated his five decades in Congress to protecting the dignity of all and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable. Through his lifelong public service in the Florida Legislature and Congress, he understood the government’s highest calling to lighten the burden upon those who suffer. We can thank Senator Pepper for the existence of many modern American social safety nets. He fiercely pushed for the first bill establishing a minimum wage and maximum workplace hours. He was decades ahead of his time, introducing early legislation demanding equal pay for equal work for women. He co-authored the legislation that established the National Cancer Institute, laying the groundwork for the sprawling National Institutes of Health we rely on today. But it was his advocacy for older Americans that cemented his legacy. As Chairman of the House Select Committee on Aging, Pepper defended against age discrimination in the workforce and involuntary retirement. Pepper helped strengthened Social Security and Medicare. When he passed away in 1989, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H.W. Bush and was the last person to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol rotunda with an open casket—a fittingly historic tribute to a uniquely historic life. Today, as we reflect on his monumental contributions, his life serves as a reminder of what principled, compassionate public service can achieve. Whenever you see older Americans living with dignity and economic security, remember the plowboy from Alabama who made it his life’s mission to protect them. Happy Birthday, Senator Pepper.

09/04/2026

Congratulations to ISL Faculty Affiliate Dr. Dawn Carr on her election to the Gerontological Society of America’s Board of Directors! Dr. Carr, director of FSU’s Claude Pepper Center, will begin her term in January 2027, helping advance interdisciplinary research, policy, and practice focused on aging.

Read more: https://news.fsu.edu/news/health-medicine/2026/08/19/director-of-fsus-claude-pepper-center-elected-to-gerontological-society-of-america-board/

09/02/2026

Florida State University's Dawn C. Carr, Ph.D., director of the Claude Pepper Center and Mildred and Claude Pepper Professor of Sociology, has been elected to the board of directors of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA)!

GSA is one of the world's largest interdisciplinary organizations devoted to the study of aging, with more than 6,000 members spanning research, education, practice and policy. Dr. Carr's term begins Jan. 1.

Her research focuses on what helps older adults stay healthy, active and engaged, from employment and retirement to caregiving and social relationships, as well as how early-life experiences shape outcomes later on.

To read more, visit our website: https://bit.ly/4cqB5ki