Michelle Porter, PhD

Biography

Dr. Michelle Porter’s BPHE (Laurentian University), MSc (Community Health, University of Toronto) and PhD (Kinesiology, UWO) were capped by a multi-site MRC Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Boston (New England Medical Center/Tufts University) and Sweden (Lund University). 

Throughout her career she has studied many aspects of aging, including physical activity, neuromuscular function, mobility, older drivers, age-friendly environments, ageism, long-term care, vaccination decision-making and age inclusivity in higher education. For two decades she has been involved with an international research team (Candrive) studying older drivers. Her highly cited research has been funded by many agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Canada Foundation for Innovation.

Dr. Porter is the Director of the Centre on Aging at UM, a position she has held since 2015. She is a leader in the global age-friendly university movement, and has been  instrumental in championing age inclusivity activities at Canada’s first age-friendly university. She is co-lead of the North American Region for the Age-friendly University Global Network and is part of the Age Inclusivity in Higher Education Working Group of the Gerontological Society of America. Dr. Porter has held executive positions with provincial and national community organizations, including chairing the Transportation Options Network for Seniors (TONS) in Manitoba and holding many positions with Active Aging Canada.

Education

  • PhD, University of Western Ontario (1996)
  • MSc, University of Toronto (1989)
  • BPHE, Laurentian University (1987)

Research summary

Dr. Porter's current aging-related work includes ageism, age-friendly environments, age inclusivity in higher education, mobility and physical activity.

Recent publications

J. Montepare, N. Silverstein, L. Bowen, S. Krauss Whitbourne, K. Nikzad-Terhune, A. Graf, M.M. Porter. Reimagining the Academic Environment: Applying the Age Inclusivity Domains of Higher Education (AIDHE) Model. The Gerontologist 66(7): gnag123, 2026. 

J. Kandt, D. Hong, M.M. Porter. Independent ageing, climate risks and automobile dependence in the Canadian prairies: Evidence from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Travel Behaviour and Society 43 (101213), 2026.

D.J. Murphy, J.E. Jacob, C.S. Mackenzie, M.M. Porter. Changes in narratives about aging among older adults in an internalized ageism intervention. Aging and Mental Health, 2025.

R. Sangrar, D.J. Murphy, M.M. Porter. Inclusive autonomous shuttles as public transportation options for older people: a qualitative study of user and service provider perspectives. Journal of Transport & Health, 2025.

M.M. Porter, W. Kops, C. Kauenhowen. Experiences of Senior Scholars and Professors Emeriti – A mixed methods study. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 2025.

M.M. Porter, M.J. Shariff. The possibility of health care directives for vaccinations – a consultation study with relevant stakeholders. Health Science Reports, 8: e70559, 2025.

J.L. Charlton, S. Koppel, A. Stephens, M. Bédard, J. Howcroft, P. Darzins, M. Di Stefano, S. Gagnon, I. Gélinas, M. Man-Son-Hing, A. Myers, G. Naglie, M.M. Porter, M. Rapoport, B. Vrkljan, S. Marshall. Validation of the Candrive Older Driver Risk Stratification Tool for Assessing Medical Fitness-to-Drive in Older Australian Drivers. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 80(6): 1-7, 2025.

Highlights

  • Merit Award, service category, University of Manitoba, 2024
  • Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, 2018
  • Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Campbell Outreach Award, University of Manitoba
  • Age Inclusivity in Higher Education Workgroup, Gerontological Society of America
  • Chair, Option in Aging Advisory Committee, University of Manitoba
     

Courses

  • Aging Well, Research, Policies and Practice (KPER 7860)