About Dr. Stephen Katz

Dr. Stephen Katz is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Trent University, a recipient of the Distinguished Research Award, and a founding member of Trent’s Centre for Aging and Society. He played a central role in academic life at Trent, serving as Chair of the Sociology Department and contributing extensively to university and college governance.

Widely regarded as a leading thinker in gerontology, Professor Katz has made significant theoretical and methodological contributions to the global sociology of aging. He is the author of landmark publications that reshaped the field, including Disciplining Old Age: The Formation of Gerontological Knowledge, now considered a classic and among the most cited works in aging studies. His scholarship deepened understanding of aging by examining its connections to social processes, power, and lived experience.

Launched in 2017, the Stephen Katz Distinguished Visiting Scholar in Interdisciplinary Aging Studies honours his transformative contributions to the field.