Dr. Amber DeJohn

Dr. Amber DeJohn is a health geographer studying the interaction between built environments, technology, and their impact on loneliness and health, particularly among older adults. Using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including Fitbit data, surveys, interviews, and time-use data, Dr. DeJohn’s research focuses on how urban environments affect social interactions and healthy aging. Recent work has examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant older adults in the Greater Toronto Area, contributing to the understanding of mobility and technology’s roles in socializing within urban spaces. Since joining FSU, Dr. DeJohn has focused on Florida’s unique context, collecting data on older adults’ mobility and social isolation, with plans for future studies on extreme heat coping behaviors and the ethics of care in nursing homes. Additionally, Dr. DeJohn founded the Geographies of Aging and the Life Course (GOAL) working group to advance geographic methods in aging research, organizing sessions and networking opportunities to support grantsmanship and research development.