About Us
Healthy Aging Lab is established in 2013 by Dr. Melissa O'Connor. The lab is dedicated to improve the cognitive and physcial functioning, health, and well-being of older people. Our goal is to promote healthy aging and enhance the quality of life for people at older ages. We welcome your ideas and efforts to learn and work together! Please let us know if you have any questions! Thank you for your visits!
Lab Director
Melissa Lunsman O'Connor, Ph.D. University of South Florida
Email: melissa.oconnor@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Adult Development and Aging
Research Interests: My research focuses on characterizing changes in cognitive and functional abilities across the adult lifespan, and my ultimate goal is to promote healthy aging. Specifically, my research interests include: examining age-related differences and changes in cognitive and functional abilities, such as driving, among healthy adults and clinical populations; quantitative methods and psychometrics; interventions for improving cognition, health, and everyday functioning; and attitudes toward dementia.
Current Graduate Students
Rachel Grace
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: rachel.grace@ndsu.edu
Research Interests: Currently, I am exploring successful aging across the lifespan. Other areas of interest include: longevity, wellness, yoga, and lifestyles that support health and happiness across every part of development.
Megan Hay Pedersen
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: megan.hay@ndsu.edu
Research Interests: The interplay between social relationships and cognitive aging, especially in the setting of social games and competition; investigating and treating the physiological breakdown and cognitive decline caused by neurodegenerative diseases; intergenerational relationships.
Teri Undem
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: Teri.undem@ndsu.edu
Research Interests: Aging in Place, physical and mental well-being in old age.
Yufang Tu
Lab Manager
Email: yufang.tu@ndsu.edu
Education: M.S. Ed. Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development, University of Pennsylvania
Research Interests: Greetings! I am in the Developmental Science and Gerontology dual-major doctoral program at North Dakota State University. I am interested in preventing and seeking remedial efforts to the decline of cognitive abilities in aging. I hope to dedicate my efforts to research and works related in preserving the cognitive health and physical functioning of older people of normal as well as dementia or Alzheimer's population. Long term, I wish to promote healthy aging for the well-being and health of people in the middle and later life stages.