A cognitive neuroscientist by training, Dr. Vijeth Iyengar serves as the Director of Global Aging at AARP where he leads cutting-edge research, drives thought leadership on global aging issues (e.g., financial resilience; health security; the human rights of older persons; and social connections, etc.), and cultivates relationships and strategic alliances to promote AARP’s vision in service of older adults everywhere.

Prior to joining AARP, from the years 2016-2021, Dr. Iyengar served – as a career civil servant spanning three administrations – in a variety of roles across the U.S. Federal Government including as Brain Health Lead and Technical Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging at the Administration for Community Living, as a Policy Advisor to the 4^th U.S. Chief Technology Officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, as co-lead coordinator of the Older Adult working group for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People 2020/2030 initiative, and as lead author of the 2018-2022 U.S. country report for the Fourth Review and Appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing – a process overseen by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Additionally – while in U.S. Federal service – he completed a secondment at the Pan American Health Organization’s Mental Health and Substance Use Unit where he chronicled member-state progress towards indicators found in the 2015 Strategy and Plan of Action on Dementias in Older Persons.

Dr. Iyengar has contributed to articles appearing in leading venues including the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, JAMA Health Forum, Pan American Journal of Public Health, Scientific American, STAT News, and the U.S. National Academy of Medicine. Additionally, he serves as Co-Guest Editor of a Special Issue of the Clinical Gerontologist examining cross-cultural strategies to address brain and mental health in underserved populations.

A native of Louisiana, he was a visiting undergraduate student at Cornell University, received his bachelor’s degree from Tulane University, and received his masters and doctoral degrees from Duke University. Among other recognitions, Dr. Iyengar was a Presidential Management Fellow, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, and selected as a 2020 Aspen Ideas Festival Health Fellow. He is a volunteer-mentor for College Bound, Inc., sits on the Global Board of Directors of the Duke University Alumni Association, a Regional Mentor at the Atlantic Fellows Equity in Brain Health Program, and a mentor for the Techstars Future of Longevity Accelerator.