Peter Lichtenberg, director of the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University in Detroit, has won the 2020 Specialty Board Award in Geropsychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology.
Lichtenberg serves on the executive board of the clinical geropsychology specialty and chairs the review of written materials submitted to apply for the geropsychology specialty. In addition, he has participated in several oral reviews of candidates.
“This award and my involvement with ABPP mean a lot to me,” Lichtenberg says. “One of my goals since the early 1990s was to help establish the specialty of clinical geropsychology so older adults would be better served by the field of psychology. To watch this specialty develop and grow from year to year, and to be recognized as making significant contributions to the field, is an incredible honor and a special highlight of my career.”
With Lichtenberg becoming one of the country’s first board-certified clinical geropsychologists in 2012, the ABPP nomination cited his numerous contributions to the American Board of Geropsychology to have supported its growth and high standards. Additionally, the ABPP award notes Lichtenberg’s consistent ability to facilitate timely reviews of the highest caliber, enable a smooth process for candidates and examiners, and uphold the board’s founding values.
Previously, Lichtenberg has worked as a clinical geropsychologist, researcher, and program director. He’s also known for being a national leader in gerontology for the past 34 years and has nationally renowned work on financial decision-making, capacity, vulnerability, and undue influence in older adults. He has contributed significantly to the practice of older-adult psychology in areas including financial exploitation, Alzheimer’s disease, and late-life depression and is also an author of nine books and more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.
