"During the three-day summit, the 700 participants of this interdisciplinary event will engage in interactive workshops and sessions to set priorities for the most compelling ideas for improving the state of the world, from groundbreaking areas of research to new and exciting developments and cross-cutting solutions to address the world's challenges," according to the Forum's Web site.
Achenbaum will join an elite gathering of 15 to 30 people who will meet to discuss global issues on aging. He is a sought-after expert who specializes in research on the history of aging, including policy and spirituality. Additionally, he has written several books on the topic, including "Shades of Gray" (Little Brown, 1983), "Older Americans, Vital Communities" (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005) and "Crossing Frontiers" (Cambridge, 1995).
"I am interested in issues where historical research and the gerontological imagination intersect. Those who recognize that past is prologue can envision the range of certainties and contingencies in the proximate future," Achenbaum said.
The outcomes of the summit will be presented at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting next year in Davos, Switzerland, for further discussion and action.
For more information on the UH Graduate College of Social Work, visit www.sw.uh.edu/main/home.php.
For more information on the World Economic Forum, visit www.weforum.org/en/index.htm.
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston, Texas' premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate, civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and service with more than 35,000 students.