Our Services

Clinical Research Coordination

A team of highly qualified Clinical Research Coordinators, led by Roxanna Hirst, MS, CCRP, with a master's degree in clinical Gerontology and over 25 years of service at UTMB, supports studies across a wide range of aging-related topics. Examples include:

• Investigating the impact of audio recordings of physician visits on patient adherence and satisfaction.
• Examining how Medicare reimbursement for annual wellness exams affects racial and ethnic disparities in dementia recognition.
• Utilizing technology and behavioral methods to increase physical activity in older adults.
• Studying recovery from traumatic brain injury and stroke in older patients.
• Developing an elder abuse screening tool to improve outcomes for vulnerable older adults.
• Assisting the health system in rebuilding a nutrition screener that automatically calculates a patient’s nutrition score and triggers referrals for dietetic services.

Manuscript Office

SCOA’s Manuscript Office offers proposal development and editorial services to aging-affiliated faculty and other investigators at UTMB. The Science Writer/Editor, Amber McIlwain, MS, an academically trained gerontologist, mentors junior researchers in developing journal articles and grant proposals. 

Beyond editing 50-80 grants and research articles annually, the office provides lectures and workshops on academic writing, research presentation, grantsmanship, and professional development. 

Multimedia

The SCOA website is a central hub for the Center’s communications, offering up‑to‑date news and information on current aging research. SCOA also maintains active Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) accounts to engage researchers and students, while the SCOA Facebook page provides an accessible platform for older adults and community members to follow aging‑related research, resources, and local events. In 2025 an Instagram account was launched to connect with medical students and early career researchers who are interested in geriatrics and aging. Web Operations Manager Rox Grover, MA, a graduate‑trained designer with more than 20 years of multimedia experience at UTMB, leads the Center’s web and graphic design efforts.

Specific services include:

• Web development and maintenance
• Graphic design for print and digital (figures, flyers, ads, brochures, signage)​
• Social media management for SCOA (Instagram, Facebook, X, BlueSky)​
• Community Connection print and digital newsletter mailing list curation, design, and audience management ​

Community Engagement

Alice Williams, MS, LBSW, Manager, Communications & Community Initiatives leads community engagement efforts, including:

• Frequent presentations to community groups about current research and opportunities to participate
• Collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association and facilitation of the Caregiver Connection support group
• Facilitation of the Community Advisory Board (CAB).
• Health education for older adults via Patient Education Programs (PEP) and the National Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle change program (PreventT2®).
• Recruitment of older adults for the Stories of Aging initiative.
• Support of the annual Seaside Senior Expo
  
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Community Advisory Board

The CAB plays an important role in strengthening partnerships between research and the community. Meeting every three months, the CAB is co‑chaired by Rebecca Galloway, PhD, PT, GCS, CEEAA, and Alice Williams, MS, LBSW, who help guide the group’s work and conversations.

The CAB serves as a welcoming space where patients, caregivers, and community members can share their experiences and perspectives to help shape OAIC research. By listening to and learning from the community, the Board helps researchers better understand what matters most to older adults and those who support them.

CAB members offer valuable input on developing new research ideas. Membership includes older adults with personal or caregiver experience, as well as individuals active in faith communities, local nursing homes, home health organizations, hospitals, and senior centers. Together, they help ensure that research remains connected to the real needs of the community.

Community Connection

In 2022, SCOA launched the Community Connection initiative to share research findings, educational content, and volunteer opportunities with older adults in the Galveston County area. This project includes a quarterly newsletter, distributed via email and traditional mail, which has grown to over 1,400 subscribers. The newsletter aims to boost engagement by highlighting SCOA researchers and offering opportunities to participate in aging-related clinical studies at UTMB.