Aging and Human Motivation

I first met Ernest Furchtgott twenty-five years ago after joining the faculty of the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina. At that time, Ernie chaired the Department of Psychology. In the following three years we collaborated with an Academic Committee on Gerontology in conceptualizing and shaping the University's Certificate of Graduate Study in Gerontology Program, guiding it to final approval by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. For twenty years we team- taught our graduate-level course, 'Psychosocial Approaches to Geron- tology,' involving colleagues from related disciplines. Over the years, we examined and jointly graded hundreds of research posters prepared by our graduate students in gerontology as their final course requirement. Several years ago, Ernie formally retired from the university. He in- stantly agreed to my request that he continue teaching the psychology of aging portion of our interdisciplinary course. On campus nearly every day since retirement, Ernie frequently telephoned to discuss are- cent article in The Gerontologist or a paper presentation that had ex- cited him at the Gerontological Society's annual scientific meeting. He maintained a clear presence in the academic community.