LEXINGTON, Ky. — A student in the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) PhD program, Foysol Ahmed, has been selected as a pre-dissertation fellow by the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGESW). This competitive national program supports emerging scholars dedicated to the future of gerontological social work.
Ahmed describes his commitment to aging-related research as both academic and deeply personal. Early in his career as a psychosocial counselor in Bangladesh, he worked closely with older adult returnee migrant workers who lacked access to formal support systems and specialized services. Witnessing the challenges older adults faced in meeting even their basic social and health needs inspired him to pursue long-term change through research, advocacy, and evidence-informed policy.
These experiences ultimately led Ahmed to the University of Kentucky — where the College of Social Work’s research-intensive PhD program provides mentorship, methodological training, and interdisciplinary collaboration focused on addressing the most pressing social issues.
At CoSW, Ahmed has contributed to impactful research initiatives alongside faculty mentors including Drs. Latimer and Bond on a hospital point-in-time count of housing-vulnerable older adults, and Dr. Yeon Jin Choi on disaster exposure and mental health disparities. These opportunities have helped him shape a research agenda that centers social and environmental gerontology. In particular, Ahmed is interested in research on how disaster exposure, climate-related risks, and housing instability affect older adults’ well-being.
“Working with talented CoSW faculty has deepened my commitment to advancing research that prioritizes the needs of older adults who are most at risk,” Ahmed said. “My dissertation will continue building this path by exploring collective environmental exposures and their impact on aging populations.”
He said gerontology has become “a personal calling,” and being named an AGESW Pre-Dissertation Fellow is a meaningful milestone on that journey: “Being selected for this fellowship is very affirming.”
Ahmed’s fellowship selection follows a growing legacy of UK College of Social Work researchers recognized nationally for excellence in gerontological scholarship, including alumnus Rujeko Machinga-Asaolu (class of 2025) and CoSW PhD candidate Mohammad Sajjad Hossain.
As an AGESW fellow, Ahmed will engage in advanced professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities designed to support his dissertation and future career as a leader in aging-focused scholarship.
