Emily Roberts

Dr. Emily Roberts is an Associate Professor in the College of Education and Human Sciences at Oklahoma State University. Her research focus is in Environmental Gerontology, the study of the person-environment fit between older adults and the physical environment. She holds a Ph.D. in Architectural Studies and a Masters in Gerontology. She previously attained a Masters of Architecture. As an Environmental Gerontologist, Dr. Roberts has studied the factors involved in aging in place, as well as evolving models of long-term  and community care systems, particularly for older adults with dementia and their families. In 2023 she co-edited a comprehensive book on the current state of long-term care entitiled: (Re)designing the Continuum of Care for Older Adults: the Future of Long-term Care Settings.

 https://link-springer-com.argo.library.okstate.edu/book/10.1007/978-3-031-20970-3

 Dr. Roberts has conducted research in the United States in Special Care Units for individuals with dementia, as well as in Canada, focusing on government funded community-based long-term care programs. She has participated in over $1.5 million dollars in internally and externally funded research and has conducted research in multiple community and institutionally based dementia care sites in Taiwan, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic. Current research includes development of assistive technology for dementia homecare as well as community stakeholder research in adaptive reuse of large commercial sites for mixed-use Dementia Friendly City Centers, with programs, services and housing for individuals living with dementia and their family caregivers. She is also currently the PI on grant funded research for intergenerational programming on active aging for rural high school students which has given an effective status on the Rural Health Information Hub. https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/project-examples/1157

Dr. Roberts has taught courses online and in person and has presented her research to students from Cornell University and Stanford University School of Medicine as well as internationally to students in India, Taiwan and Germany.  Dr. Roberts is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Aging and the Environment and is the Environmental Gerontology network chair for the Environmental Design Research Association.

Research Interests:

Dementia caregiving, assistive technology, long-term care, adaptive reuse for mixed-use memory care settings, policy factors in long term care, person-centered care, intergenerational active aging pedagogy