Dr. Denise C. Park, who became known internationally for her studies of cognitive neuroscience as it relates to aging, died Feb. 1 at age 74.

Arriving at The University of Texas at Dallas in 2007, she was soon named Distinguished University Chair in Behavioral and Brain Sciences. In 2010, Park became founding director of the Center for Vital Longevity (CVL) and continued leading the center's groundbreaking research until her retirement in 2025, when she was named professor emeritus of behavioral and brain sciences.

"Dr. Park's accomplishments were twofold: First, she brought to UT Dallas a rigor and expertise in the study of the aging brain, and then she was equally relentless in attracting a talented group of cognitive neuroscientists who added even more value to her work," said Dr. Inga H. Musselman, UT Dallas provost, vice president for academic affairs and the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Chair of Academic Leadership.

"Denise was an inspirational and pioneering figure in the field of cognitive aging who will be remembered for her seminal scientific contributions and for touching the lives of innumerable students and colleagues. The CVL is a fitting legacy."

Dr. Michael Rugg, director of the Center for Vital Longevity

Dr. Michael Rugg, who joined the CVL as co-director in 2011 and became sole director in 2014, said: "Denise was an inspirational and pioneering figure in the field of cognitive aging who will be remembered for her seminal scientific contributions and for touching the lives of innumerable students and colleagues. The CVL is a fitting legacy." Rugg is currently CVL director, professor of psychology and the Distinguished University Chair in Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

What has made the CVL remarkable - in the view of Dr. Adam J. Woods, dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) - is that it still is in the midst of making what could be considered a first impression for a research facility.

Woods, the Aage and Margareta Møller Distinguished Professor in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, said the CVL "has built a great reputation in that short period," thanks to Park's work.

"She was a powerhouse in research. Denise has always been a force to be reckoned with. She was brilliant, insightful and passionate about what she did."

Dr. Adam J. Woods, dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences

"She was a powerhouse in research," he added. "Denise has always been a force to be reckoned with. She was brilliant, insightful and passionate about what she did. Even upon first meeting her, I knew she was a powerhouse."

Woods met her when they served together on the Cognition and Perception Study Section for the National Institutes of Health. Even though they were working with about 40 other principal investigators and experts, Park stood out, he said.

But initial one-on-one meetings were also memorable.

Dr. Karen Rodrigue first interacted with Park at poster sessions before becoming a graduate student.

"She was always superencouraging," said Rodrigue, who eventually became one of Park's postdoctoral fellows alongside Dr. Kristen Kennedy. Both are now professors of psychology and faculty members in the CVL.

Dr. Gagan Wig met Park at a luncheon while working on his PhD and was stunned when she showed interest in his research. He kept in touch with her while continuing his training.

"She was that type of person," he said. "She was a really great scientist but also a great colleague."

While Wig was a postdoc at Washington University in St. Louis, his advisor learned about Park's Dallas Lifespan Brain Study, which she launched shortly after coming to UT Dallas. The research effort has increased the understanding of what a healthy brain looks like and how it functions at each decade of life from ages 20 through 90.

"I looked at it and said, 'She's fantastic. Let's set up a time to meet,'" Wig said. "She invited us down here, and it started this beautiful collaboration where we'd fly down and start working as a group. She was so welcoming and gracious and excited."

That experience led to Wig's pursuit of a faculty position in BBS, where he now is associate professor of psychology and a member of the CVL.

It wasn't long before those first impressions turned into lasting impressions across the discipline. Besides the Dallas Lifespan Brain Study, Park is well known for using imaging to further the study of cognitive aging and for making the biennial Dallas Aging and Cognition Conference an international attraction.

"Her reputation is vast," Rodrigue said. "The field of cognitive aging is somewhat small, and she was a major person in it. She played a leadership role in organizing the community."

Larry Warder, who served on the CVL Advisory Council from 2011 to 2025 and was chair for six years, described his initial discussion with Park as crucial to inspiring his commitment to the CVL.

"I met Denise over lunch in her office. She was engaging, articulate and gracious," he said. "When she explained the changes to the brain as it ages, I was immediately interested. She explained it in layman's language, which is not something that all research scientists can do. We became great friends personally and through activities at the CVL."

Park was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Association for Psychological Science, and a recipient of the American Psychological Association's award for Distinguished Contributions to the Psychology of Aging. She served as chair of the scientific advisory board for the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.

A memorial service was held Feb. 7 in Easton, Maryland, for Park, who was one of five children. A public memorial will be organized by the University in coordination with her family for later this year. She is survived by two sisters and a brother; her two children, Colleen Park and Rob Park; and three grandchildren.

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