Meet Kent Cheng, UMass Boston’s New Assistant Professor of Gerontology

UMass Boston Gerontology welcomes Dr. Kent Jason Cheng as an assistant professor. Cheng, a gerontologist and demographer, studies social determinants of health across the life course in the United States, the Philippines, and other countries. His primary research focus is the health implications of family support, as well as social welfare policies among older adults and their families.

“We look forward to Dr. Kent Cheng joining UMass Boston Gerontology as an assistant professor beginning this academic year,” says Edward Alan Miller, chair of the UMass Boston Gerontology Department. “Dr. Cheng joins us from a postdoctoral fellowship at Pennsylvania State University after having earned a PhD in Social Science from Syracuse in 2023. Although a recent graduate, Dr. Cheng has generated an impressive record of scholarship with numerous peer-reviewed publications in some of the top outlets in the field. His research expertise and interests will strengthen our work in long-term services and supports, social determinants of health, and intergenerational relationships. Dr. Cheng has an extremely bright future as both a scholar and educator. Please join me in offering him a warm Beacon welcome—I look forward to seeing his career flourish in the years ahead.”

Dr. Cheng, what drew you to the field of gerontology?

My first exposure to population aging came when I took a course in household economics with Charles Horioka at the University of the Philippines. The class covered demographic processes like fertility and dimensions of family relationships such as intergenerational exchanges of resources and support, as well as their underlying determinants.

These concepts resonated deeply with my own life. Because my mom had me later in her life, I grew up with a large age gap between us, which gave me an early awareness of the precious time I would have with her and the caregiving role I might one day take on, all while grappling with my own challenges as a young adult still trying to figure out my place in the world. I also personally benefited from intergenerational support, as extended family members stepped in to provide financial assistance for my schooling when my nuclear family could not.

These experiences underscored for me the importance of families in shaping life course outcomes, while also reminding me that not everyone has access to the same kinds of intergenerational support I received growing up. This realization inspired me to pursue a PhD Social Science at Syracuse University under the guidance of leading aging scholars, with special thanks to my adviser Janet Wilmoth, my dissertation committee members Jennifer Karas Montez, Merril Silverstein, and Shannon Monnat, and the supportive community at Syracuse’s Aging Studies Institute.

What do you look forward to accomplishing in your role at UMass Boston?

As an assistant professor in my dream department, I am excited to continue my research on families, social policy, and health alongside colleagues I once admired from afar and now have the privilege to call my peers. I look forward to gaining more applied experience by leveraging the department’s strong connections with state and local government and non-profit organizations, and I am especially eager to mentor the next generation of gerontologists.

When you’re not working, how do you enjoy spending your time?

I’m a good cook and big foodie, and my husband and I enjoy cooking together and exploring Boston’s food scene. (In another life, I aspired to be a James Beard Award winner; maybe there’s still time!). We also love to travel: locally to explore trails and nature, and sometimes farther away to visit friends and family outside of Massachusetts.