Walter Boot, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, has been chosen to be Associate Director of the Institute for Successful Longevity.

As Associate Director, Boot will support the functioning of the institute when the Director becomes unavailable for extended periods of time (e.g., travel, sabbatical, illness).

“I am pleased to have Professor Boot join the leadership of the Institute for Successful Longevity,” said Neil Charness, Ph.D., Director of the institute. “His reliable and steady hand, his deep research experience and his formidable expertise in his field make him a great choice for this position.”

Boot was selected as ISL’s first Associate Director by a vote of the ISL Faculty Affiliates. Per the ISL Bylaws approved in 2021, the nominees were chosen by a committee of the whole consisting of the Faculty Affiliates and Joint Advisory Board members and confirmed by the Office of the Provost.

Professor Boot’s research interests include the potential of existing and emerging technology solutions to promote the health, wellbeing, and quality of life older people with and without cognitive impairments.

In 2019, Professor Boot and a team of researchers from FSU and other institutions were awarded a $4.6-million grant to establish a center focused on developing technologies to improve the lives of older adults. The grant was from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. The new center, named ENHANCE (Enhancing Neurocognitive Health, Abilities, Networks, & Community Engagement), focuses on supporting older adults living with cognitive impairments, including mild cognitive impairment and impairments due to stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Earlier that year, The National Institute on Aging awarded Professor Boot and his team a $2.9 million R01 grant for their project The Adherence Promotion with Person-centered Technology (APPT) Project: Promoting Adherence to Enhance the Early Detection and Treatment of Cognitive Decline. This project has a focus on improving adherence to technology-based interventions through novel machine learning approaches.

Professor Boot is also part of CREATE — the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement — a long-term project, funded by the National Institute on Aging, that brings together researchers from five institutions to ensure the benefits of technology can be realized by older adults.