Sheung-Tak Cheng is Chair Professor of Psychology and Gerontology. He joined the Hong Kong Institute of Education as the founding Head of the Department of Psychological Studies. Besides, he is also an Honorary Professor at the Gender Studies Program, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and an Honorary Chair at the Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia. In addition, he is an Emeritus Member and Issue Matter Specialist of the Global Council on Brain Health, and formerly an expert consultant to the United Nations Programme on Ageing. Locally, he was founding Vice-President of the Chinese Dementia Research Association and a former member of the Working Group on Active Ageing, Elderly Commission, HKSAR Government.

His primary research foci are family gerontology and dementia care. He has published over 150 articles and has edited a book in successful aging. He has pioneered randomized controlled trials of cognitive leisure activities on delaying cognitive decline and interventions to promote positive aspects of dementia caregiving (i.e., the Benefit-Finding Intervention). His work in these areas had led to invited addresses to the World Health Organizations Global Forum on Innovation for Ageing Populations (December, 2013), the International Congress of Psychology (July, 2016), Alzheimer’s Association (Northern California & Northern Nevada Chapter) Annual Updates on Dementia Conference (May, 2016), and the World Dementia Council Summit (Dec, 2018), among others.

He is Associate Editor of Psychology and Aging (2017- ) and Applied Psychology: Health and Well-being (2001- ), and has been a long-standing editorial board members of several major journals in gerontology, including Aging & Mental Health, Research on Aging, and Journal of Applied Gerontology. He is elected Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association for Psychological Science, and the Gerontological Society of America. He was awarded the Outstanding International Psychologist Award and the Henry David Mentoring Award by APA’s Division 52 in 2007 and 2015 respectively, and was honored in 2008 with the Certificate of Appreciation for Contributions as a Humanitarian Worker that was jointly presented by APA’s Division 48 and Psychologists for Social Responsibility.

• Successful aging
• Elderly depression and suicide
• Dementia caregivers
• Social network
• Activity therapy

Consultancy in the past 3 years

• Member, Working Group on Active Ageing, Elderly Commission, HKSAR
• Advisor, Regional Committee for the Prevention of Suicide in the Elderly, Kowloon West Cluster, Hospital Authority
• Honorary Advisor, Yan Chai Hospital Elderly Services Division
• Expert Consultant, United Nations Programme on Ageing

Membership of professional societies

• Member, Gerontological Society of America
• Life Member, Mental Health Association of Hong Kong