Ernest Gonzales
James Weldon Johnson Professor; Associate Professor of Social Work; Director of The Center for Health and Aging Innovation
PhD, MSSW
Areas of Expertise: Gerontology and productive aging: employment, volunteering, and caregiving; health equity; discrimination and prejudice; intergenerational research; cross-national aging research; social policy
Biography
Dr. Ernest Gonzales is an Associate Professor and the James Weldon Johnson Professor at New York University, where he leads The Center for Health and Aging Innovation, the Healthy Aging Specialization in Social Work, and Grand Challenge on Advancing a Long, Healthy, and Productive Life. As a critical gerontologist, he investigates risk and protective factors affecting health throughout the lifespan. His research on productive aging—covering education, work, civic engagement, and caregiving—highlights the individual, neighborhood, and institutional elements that enhance health, economic stability, and social connections.
Dr. Gonzales has created innovative tools like the Workplace Age Discrimination Scale and the Summative Dis/Advantage Scale to identify factors that bolster the capacity, and choice, to productive engagement in later life. His work has shed light on how ageism, racism, sexism, and other biases impact the ability to work across racially and ethnically diverse populations. Recently, he has focused on early and midlife determinants of cognitive health, examining inequities across race, ethnicity, and gender. Additionally, he explores intergenerational solutions to foster a healthier, more harmonious society, through innovative social policies and practices.
His research is supported by organizations including the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the National Institute on Aging, the U.S. Social Security Administration, AARP Foundation, The Eisner Foundation, and The Samuels Foundation. Dr. Gonzales publishes in top scientific journals and is on several editorial boards, including the Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences; Work, Aging, and Retirement; Journal of Gerontological Social Work; and Journal Intergenerational Relations. He has guest-edited special issues for the Clinical Social Work Journal and Generations Journal of the American Society on Aging.
Invited as a content expert for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and the National Science Foundation, Dr. Gonzales contributes to consensus statements that articulate research frontiers in aging. He has testified on age discrimination before the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging, engaged in debates on aging at The World Bank, and delivered talks at prestigious institutions such as the United Nations, Harvard University, Stanford University, and MIT. He earned his PhD, MSSW, and BA from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, Columbia University’s School of Social Work, and Hunter College at the City University of New York, respectively.
Publications
Ageism in the Family
Gordon, S. & Gonzales, E., 2025,
In : Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 68, 3, p. 297-303
7 p.
Explicating Ageism in the Productive Aging Framework
Morrow-Howell, N. & Gonzales, E., Jul 1 2024,
In : Gerontologist. 64, 7, gnad156.
Achieving an Equitable Society Through Intergenerational Programming and Research
Gonzales, E., Merz, A. & Green, N., Dec 2023,
In : Generations. 47, 4.
Explicating Ageism in the Productive Aging Framework
Morrow-Howell, N. & Gonzales, E., Nov 17 2023,
In : The Gerontologist. 64, 7,
6 p.
Integrating AASWSW’s Grand Challenges of Productive Aging with Anti-Racism and Health Equity Lenses to Improve Population Health
Gonzales, E., Morrow-Howell, N., Angel, J. L., Fredman, L., Marchiondo, L. A., Harootyan, R. B., Choi, J., Choudhury, N., Carolan, K., Lee, K., Tan, E., Yu, P., Shea, E., Whetung, C. & Matz, C., Jan 1 2023,
Social Work and the Grand Challenge to Eliminate Racism: Concepts, Theory, and Evidence Based Approaches.
Oxford University Press, p. 235-257
23 p.
Context Matters: Differential Effects of Discrimination by Environmental Context on Depressive Symptoms Among College Students of Color
Eschmann, R., Gryder, R. W., Connaught, G., Zhao, X., Jeon, S. M. & Gonzales, E., Sep 2022,
In : Clinical Social Work Journal. 50, 3, p. 242-255
14 p.
Work Demands and Cognitive Health Inequities by Race and Ethnicity: A Scoping Review
Gonzales, E., Whetung, C., Lee, Y. J. & Kruchten, R., May 26 2022,
In : Gerontologist. 62, 5, p. E282-E292
Multifaceted Demands of Work and Cognitive Functioning: Findings From the Health and Retirement Study
Lee, Y. J., Gonzales, E. & Andel, R., Feb 3 2022,
In : Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 77, 2, p. 351-361
11 p.
Neighborhood Social Cohesion and the Health of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Older Adults
Lee, Y. J., Braun, K. L., Wu, Y. Y., Hong, S., Gonzales, E., Wang, Y., Hossain, M. D., Terada, T. M. & Browne, C. V., 2022,
In : Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 65, 1, p. 3-23
21 p.
Exploring the Consequences of Major Lifetime Discrimination, Neighborhood Conditions, Chronic Work, and Everyday Discrimination on Health and Retirement
Gonzales, E., Lee, Y. J. & Marchiondo, L. A., Feb 2021,
In : Journal of Applied Gerontology. 40, 2, p. 121-131
11 p.
Acknowledging Systemic Discrimination in the Context of a Pandemic: Advancing an Anti-Racist and Anti-Ageist Movement
Gonzales, E., Gordon, S., Whetung, C., Connaught, G., Collazo, J. & Hinton, J., 2021,
In : Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 64, 3, p. 223-237
15 p.
Introduction to Special Issue: Productive Aging
Gonzales, E., Matz, C. & Morrow-Howell, N., Jun 1 2020,
In : Clinical Social Work Journal. 48, 2, p. 153-155
3 p.
Theoretical Orientations to Intergenerational Home Sharing: Implications for Direct Social Work Practice on Addressing Student Debt and Aging-in-Community
Gonzales, E., Whetung, C., Kruchten, R. & Butts, D., Jun 1 2020,
In : Clinical Social Work Journal. 48, 2, p. 179-188
10 p.
Voices from the Field: Ecological Factors that Promote Employment and Health Among Low-Income Older Adults with Implications for Direct Social Work Practice
Gonzales, E., Lee, K. & Harootyan, B., Jun 1 2020,
In : Clinical Social Work Journal. 48, 2, p. 211-222
12 p.
Institutional and individual factors affecting health and employment for low-income women with chronic health conditions
Carolan, K., Gonzales, E., Lee, K. & Harootyan, R. A., Apr 16 2020,
In : Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 75, 5, p. 1062-1071
10 p.
Utilization of Formal and Informal Home Care: How Do Older Canadians’ Experiences Vary by Care Arrangements?
Lee, Y., Barken, R. & Gonzales, E., Feb 1 2020,
In : Journal of Applied Gerontology. 39, 2, p. 129-140
12 p.
Interactive Effects of Chronic Health Conditions And Financial Hardship On Episodic Memory Among Older Blacks: Findings From The Health And Retirement Study
Byrd, D. A. R., Gonzales, E., Beatty Moody, D. L., Marshall, G. L., Zahodne, L. B., Thorpe, R. J. & Whitfield, K. E., Jan 2 2020,
In : Research in Human Development. 17, 1, p. 41-56
16 p.
Trajectories of perceived workplace age discrimination and long-term associations with mental, self-rated, and occupational health
Marchiondo, L. A., Gonzales, E. & Williams, L. J., May 2019,
In : Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 74, 4, p. 655-663
9 p.
Examining the prevalence, risk and protective factors to family caregiving in China: findings from CHARLS
Wang, Y. & Gonzales, E., Jan 2 2019,
In : China Journal of Social Work. 12, 1, p. 3-19
17 p.
Beyond the Livelong Workday: Is There a New Face of Retirement?
James, J. B., Morrow-Howell, N., Gonzales, E., Matz-Costa, C. & Riddle-Wilder, A., Jan 1 2019,
Current and Emerging Trends in Aging and Work.
Springer International Publishing, p. 355-374
20 p.
Intersections of Home, Health, and Social Engagement in Old Age: Formal Volunteering as a Protective Factor to Health After Relocation
Gonzales, E., Shen, H. W., Perry, T. E. & Wang, Y., Jan 1 2019,
In : Research on Aging. 41, 1, p. 31-53
23 p.
Volunteering and Health among Older Adults.
Gonzales, E., Suntai, Z. & Abrams, J., 2019.
Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging.
Gu, Danan & Dupre, Matthew E. (eds.).Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Further Investigations of the Social and Material Convoy: Exploring Relationships between Race, Volunteering, and Relocation
Perry, T. E., Shen, H. W. & Gonzales, E., Dec 1 2018,
In : Social Work Research. 42, 4, p. 290-301
12 p.
Formal volunteering as a protector of health in the context of social losses
Jang, H., Tang, F., Gonzales, E., Lee, Y. S. & Morrow-Howell, N., Nov 17 2018,
In : Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 61, 8, p. 834-848
15 p.
Advance long and productive lives
Morrow-Howell, N., Gonzales, E., James, J. B., Matz-Costa, C. & Putnam, M., Jan 1 2018,
Grand Challenges for Social Work and Society.
Oxford University Press, p. 81-102
22 p.
Social Capital and Unretirement: Exploring the Bonding, Bridging, and Linking Aspects of Social Relationships
Gonzales, E. & Nowell, W. B., Dec 1 2017,
In : Research on Aging. 39, 10, p. 1100-1117
18 p.
Applying WHO’s Age-Friendly Communities Framework to a National Survey in China
Wang, Y., Gonzales, E. & Morrow-Howell, N., Apr 3 2017,
In : Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 60, 3, p. 215-231
17 p.
Approaches, Policies, and Practices to Support the Productive Engagement of Older Adults
Morrow-Howell, N., Gonzales, E. G., Harootyan, R. A., Lee, Y. & Lindberg, B. W., Apr 3 2017,
In : Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 60, 3, p. 193-200
8 p.
The Aging Semantic Differential in Mandarin Chinese: Measuring Attitudes toward Older Adults in China
Gonzales, E., Marchiondo, L. A., Tan, J., Wang, Y. & Chen, H., Apr 3 2017,
In : Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 60, 3, p. 245-254
10 p.
Chronic noncommunicable diseases in 6 low- and middle-income countries: Findings from wave 1 of the world health organization's Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE)
Arokiasamy, P., Uttamacharya, Kowal, P., Capistrant, B. D., Gildner, T. E., Thiele, E., Biritwum, R. B., Yawson, A. E., Mensah, G., Maximova, T., Wu, F., Guo, Y., Zheng, Y., Kalula, S. Z., Rodríguez, A. S., Espinoza, B. M., Liebert, M. A., Eick, G., Sterner, K. N., Barrett, T. M. & 11 others, Mar 15 2017,
In : American Journal of Epidemiology. 185, 6, p. 414-428
15 p.
Back to work? Not everyone. Examining the longitudinal relationships between informal caregiving and paid work after formal retirement
Gonzales, E., Lee, Y. & Brown, C., 2017,
In : Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 72, 3, p. 532-539
8 p.
Development and Validation of the Workplace Age Discrimination Scale
Marchiondo, L. A., Gonzales, E. & Ran, S., Dec 1 2016,
In : Journal of Business and Psychology. 31, 4, p. 493-513
21 p.
Race and Place: Exploring the Intersection of Inequity and Volunteerism Among Older Black and White Adults
Gonzales, E., Shen, H. W., Wang, Y., Martinez, L. S. & Norstrand, J., Jul 3 2016,
In : Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 59, 5, p. 381-400
20 p.
Working longer: A comparative perspective
Gonzales, E., 2016,
In : The Gerontologist..
Challenging Gerontophobia and Ageism Through a Collaborative Intergenerational Art Program
Rubin, S. E., Gendron, T. L., Wren, C. A., Ogbonna, K. C., Gonzales, E. G. & Peron, E. P., Jul 3 2015,
In : Journal of Intergenerational Relationships. 13, 3, p. 241-254
14 p.
Increasing opportunities for the productive engagement of older adults: A response to population aging
Gonzales, E., Matz-Costa, C. & Morrow-Howell, N., Apr 2015,
In : Gerontologist. 55, 2, p. 252-261
10 p.
Workplace Policies and Practices.
Gonzales, E., 2015.
Financial capability across the Life-Course.
New York: Oxford University Press
Career Transitions in Midlife: Pursuing an MSW as an Older Student
Gonzales, E., Morrow-Howell, N., Daftary, D., Stafford, R. & Echols, J., Apr 2014,
In : Gerontology and Geriatrics Education. 35, 2, p. 134-151
18 p.
Stipends in Volunteer Civic Service: Inclusion, Retention, and Volunteer Benefits
Mcbride, A. M., Gonzales, E., Morrow-Howell, N. & Mccrary, S., Nov 2011,
In : Public Administration Review. 71, 6, p. 850-858
9 p.
Volunteer transitions among older adults: The role of human, social, and cultural capital in later life
McNamara, T. K. & Gonzales, E., Jul 2011,
In : Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 66 B, 4, p. 490-501
12 p.
Assessment of the refined aging semantic differential: Recommendations for enhancing validity
Gonzales, E., Tan, J. & Morrow-Howell, N., May 2010,
In : Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 53, 4, p. 304-318
15 p.
Changing medical students' attitudes toward older adults
Gonzales, E., Morrow-Howell, N. & Gilbert, P., 2010,
In : Gerontology and Geriatrics Education. 31, 3, p. 220-234
15 p.
Productive engagement in aging-friendly communities
Gonzales, E. & Morrow-Howell, N., Sep 1 2009,
In : Generations. 33, 2, p. 51-58
8 p.
Selected Media Mentions
WFTV
Senate committee examines economic barriers facing older Americans
April 20, 2023
NPR’s Here & Now
This student pays $300 in rent to live by the beach. Her secret? Home sharing with an older adult
November 22, 2022
Stanford Social Innovation Review
Building University Capacity for Intergenerational Home-Sharing
May 24, 2021
Social Work Advocates
Aging in America: Staying Active and Involved is Key to Productive Aging
December 2019/January 2020
The New York Times
Fostering Connections Between Young and Old
June 5, 2018