Dr Reuben Ng has achieved a rare distinction as a three-time recipient of the Mather Institute’s Innovative Research on Aging* Award.
Presented annually by the Mather Institute, the award recognises cutting-edge applied research that offers significant insights and practical implications for the senior living and ageing services sectors. Each year, the institute reviews dozens of submissions from across the globe, assessing research based on its relevance to pressing issues in ageing, methodological rigour, actionability of findings and innovative contribution to the field.
Dr Ng first received the award in 2022 for his research demonstrating how highlighting the social roles of older adults - rather than their age - can dramatically improve societal perceptions of them.
In 2023, he was honoured for his pioneering work on older adults’ use of TikTok to combat ageism. This study garnered coverage from more than 30 international media outlets including The Guardian.
This time, Dr Ng received the award for his study analysing 15 years of discourse on ageism, sexism and racism on X. The study confirmed that ageism is the most under-discussed of the major ‘isms’ in public dialogue and offered compelling evidence to inform policy strategies aimed at raising global awareness of ageism.
Dr Ng’s career is defined by a series of pioneering accomplishments, earning him multiple firsts in his field. Beyond his recognitions from the Mather Institute, he has received numerous other honours. In 2024, he became the first social scientist to win the Health in Aging Foundation New Investigator Award for outstanding contributions to geriatrics. In 2025, he was named a Next Avenue Advocate for Aging, the first recipient from Asia. Dr Ng is also the first scholar from Singapore and Asia to win the Harkness Fellowship in Health Care Policy and Practice (2023–2024), and the first Singaporean awarded the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Agora Institute Visiting Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University (2025–2026).
Dr Ng’s research on ageing spans the historical, contemporary and policy dimensions of how societies perceive and support older adults. He studies how portrayals of ageing have evolved over the past two centuries. He also examines how contemporary media—from platforms like TikTok and X to patent applications—shape attitudes towards ageing. Additionally, he explores how evidence-based communication strategies can influence public discourse and policy. Together, his research aims to create a more inclusive and opportunity-rich narrative of ageing that benefits both individuals and society.
Reflecting on the recognition, Dr Ng shared, “I hope our research helps the world to see ageing beyond longevity. It is about catalysing an opportunity economy where all can thrive throughout old age.”
*Used as ‘Aging’ to follow the American spelling of the award name, otherwise spelt as ‘ageing’ on our website which adheres to British spelling.