Bernice L. Neugarten was professor emeritus of the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Chicago. She was President of the Committee on Human Development at the University of Chicago, one of the major centers of research and training in gerontology. For over 20 years conducted a special training program in Adult Development and Aging, founded in the late 50's by the National Institute of Mental Health (National Institute of Mental Health). After 30 years of teaching at the University of Chicago, he moved in 1980 to Northwestern University to launch a new academic program called the Human Development and Social Policy. He was a member of the Federal Council on Aging (Federal Council on Aging), to develop an annual report to the President and U.S. Congress about the situation of older people, promoting legislative proposals and executive. In 1981 he was vice president of the White House Conference on Aging.