Lexington, KY (October 16, 2024) — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) is proud to announce that Rujeko Machinga-Asaolu, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate, has been selected among the top scholars globally as a recipient of the prestigious Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Diversity Mentoring and Career Development Technical Assistance Workshop Diversity Fellow Award.
This award, made possible through a grant from the National Institute on Aging, honors early-career researchers from diverse backgrounds globally who demonstrate exceptional ability for advancing the field of aging research and education.
If you know Machinga-Asaolu—known affectionately as “Rue” to her peers and colleagues—you’ll understand that the word “exceptional” barely scratches the surface of her contributions and impact to social work and education. Her tireless dedication to intimate partner violence prevention, gerontological research and her unwavering commitment to social change have earned her this well-deserved recognition.
“I’m honored to receive this award and to be part of a community that is so committed to advancing the field of aging research, and social work education” said Machinga-Asaolu. “As someone who comes to this field with a multicultural background, I feel a deep responsibility to ensure that my work highlights intimate partner violence issues and solutions, uplifts marginalized voices and creates pathways for more inclusive research practices in gerontology and social work education.”
Her selection as a GSA Diversity Fellow underscores her growing influence in the field and highlights her unique contributions to aging research and social work education.
Rue’s efforts continue to push the boundaries of traditional research, ensuring that marginalized voices are heard and valued in the critical discourse surrounding aging.
This achievement is one of many accolades that Machinga-Asaolu has received during her doctoral studies. She is also a recipient of the international organization the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGESW) Pre-Dissertation Fellowship, an award recognizing her research excellence in social work education focused on aging. In the fall of 2023, Machinga-Asaolu received the “Toch Bearer Award” at the Lyman T. Johnson Award’s Ceremony. She also has written and presented on a variety of research articles and was a Fellow in the UK’s UNITE Predoctoral Research Enhancement Program.
To learn more about Machinga-Asaolu’s work and some of her publications, visit her profile page on the College of Social Work website.
This recognition by the GSA further highlights the impact of Machinga-Asaolu’s research and her growing role as an exceptional leader in the field of gerontology and violence prevention. As she continues her doctoral journey, she remains a key figure in shaping the future of social work education, aging research and policy for building stronger and violence free communities.
