Jung Kwak

Dr. Jung Kwak serves as an Associate Professor and Interim Director of the Luci Baines Johnson and Ian J. Turpin Center for Gerontological Nursing at The University of Texas at Austin, College of Nursing. She is a nationally recognized scholar in gerontological nursing with expertise spanning dementia care, palliative interventions, and health equity for aging populations.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Aging Studies, University of South Florida
• MSW in Social Work, University of South Carolina

Dr. Kwak's research program implements and evaluates psychosocial interventions to support family caregivers and improve care transitions for persons living with dementia. Current projects investigate palliative care outcomes in culturally diverse hospitalized dementia patients, community health worker training for care transition support, and innovative curricula for health profession students in dementia care best practices. Her work addresses critical gaps in end-of-life decision-making and culturally competent care.

Her scholarly contributions have earned these distinguished recognitions:

• Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice in Social Work
• Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America
• Sojourns Scholar Leader
• Health Care Systems (HCS) Scholar through the National Institute on Aging IMPACT Collaboratory

As Interim Director of the Gerontological Nursing Center, Dr. Kwak leads curriculum development initiatives and mentors health profession students while securing competitive funding through her scholar appointments. Her research on dementia care has been featured by major media outlets including the Associated Press and USA Today.

She directs the Gerontology Lab, which serves as the hub for her NIH-funded research on translating evidence into practice for diverse older adult populations and their caregivers.