Inaugural LGBTQ+ Older Adults and Aging Scholar’s Award Granted to Nik Lampe

The Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH) at Northwestern University, in collaboration with AARP, has awarded its inaugural LGBTQ+ Older Adults and Aging Scholar’s Award to Nik Lampe, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Mental Health, Law, and Policy at the University of South Florida.

Over the next year, Lampe will review how social support and social isolation may impact the brain health of transgender and gender diverse adults.

ISGMH is the first and largest university-wide institute focused exclusively on research that improves the health of the LGBTQ community in the United States. Our vision is to create a world where LGBTQ individuals and communities have equitable opportunities to live healthy and fulfilling lives. Supporting the health, wellbeing, and dignity of LGBTQ older adults is essential to that achieving this vision.

ISGMH is proud to support research on LGBTQ adults over 50. Members of this population face unique concerns and challenges as they age, such as finding inclusive housing options, preventing social isolation, and navigating chronic health conditions.

The LGBTQ+ Older Adults and Aging Scholar’s Award provides research funding, along with mentorship and career development opportunities, to an early career scholar whose scholarship focuses on the experiences of LGBTQ+ older adults in the United States.

“Dr. Lampe demonstrated resourcefulness, initiative, and the potential to develop a robust and long-term program of research in their application. Their research plan stood out among an incredibly competitive applicant group,” said ISGMH Associate Director Jagadīśa-devaśrī Dācus, PhD, who led the award committee.

Along with a $5,000 financial award to support research-related activities over the course of the next year, Lampe will receive access to select AARP qualitative and quantitative research data that can illuminate their research topic.

The Scholar’s Award also includes a multi-day residency at ISGMH, located on Northwestern University’s downtown Chicago campus. During the Lampe’s residency, they will have the opportunity to network with Institute faculty and community partners, explore opportunities for in-person collaboration, and receive mentoring from faculty with aligned research interests.

Upon completing a first-authored scientific manuscript for publication, Lampe will also be invited to preset their research at the 2026 National LGBTQ Health Conference in Chicago. Hosted by ISGMH, this popular conference brings together researchers, practitioners, student, and community organizations dedicated to studying the physical health and mental wellbeing of LGBTQ people.

Congratulations on this fantastic achievement, Dr. Lampe!