Dr. Kerry Burnight, gerontologist, New York Times best-selling author, and one of today’s most influential thinkers on aging, has joined the University of Chicago Graham School as a Distinguished Instructor. Kerry will teach in both the school’s non-credit offerings as well as the Leadership & Society Initiative (LSI), bringing her research-driven, human-centered approach to lifelong learners and leaders navigating questions of generativity in the second half of life.
Kerry is widely recognized for reshaping how healthy aging is understood. She is the author of Joyspan, an award-winning bookthat reframes longevity through the lens of connection, vitality, and fulfillment. Her research-backed approach to cultivating joy across the lifespan has been featured across a wide array of publications from The New York Times to Oprah Daily to TIME magazine, underscoring the broadness of her impact.
A Timely Conversation on Aging and Wellness
Humans are living longer than any previous generation in history, but longevity alone does not guarantee a life well lived. As science continues to extend lifespan, Kerry argues, the more urgent question becomes how to define purpose and wellness across the years that have been gained. That reframing begins by challenging the cultural narratives about aging itself.
“Anti-aging is doing real harm to our collective voice,” said Kerry. “We’ve internalized this idea that getting older means we have less to offer and that there’s no point in trying something new. And that’s simply not true. The goal isn’t to be younger. The goal is maximize our vitality and contribution by continuing to grow, connect, adapt, and give of ourselves all life long.”
Drawing upon decades of clinical practice, research, and teaching, Kerry offers a framework that shifts the focus from simply extending life to improving the quality of the years we live. At the center of this approach is an integrated model for understanding aging through three interconnected lenses:
- Lifespan — the number of years we live
- Healthspan — the years we live in good physical and cognitive health
- Joyspan — the years of life we genuinely enjoy living
“Kerry’s teaching invites learners to interrogate prevailing assumptions about aging and to engage deeply with what it means to live well across a lifetime,” said Seth Green, dean of the Graham School. “We are honored and grateful to welcome Kerry as a distinguished instructor and look forward to the impact she will have on our Graham learning community.”
Teaching Across the Graham School and the Leadership & Society Initiative
As part of her appointment, Kerry will teach in two distinct learning contexts.
Within the Leadership & Society Initiative, Kerry will work with Fellows in both the Design and Imagine Pathways, engaging questions of wellness, purpose, and self‑understanding during periods of leadership and life transition. Her work aligns closely with LSI’s Knowing Oneself pillar and its emphasis on sustainable leadership rooted in self‑awareness and well‑being.
She will also teach a new offering titled Aging Brilliantly: Lifespan, Healthspan, and Joyspan, an online open enrollment course that challenges outdated assumptions about aging and offers a fresh, science-grounded framework for thriving at every stage of life. It will include a mix of lectures, conversations with guest speakers, and opportunities for small group discussions.
Visit the Aging Beautifully open enrollment course page to learn more.
