Alex earned a PhD from Columbia University in 2008, M.A from Columbia University in 1996, and a BA in Anthropology from University of Mass/Boston in 1992. He formerly worked as Educational Director: Division Geriatric Medicine in Educational Director: Division Geriatric Medicine from 2006 to 2008. He interested in aging from cultural, political, and clinical perspectives. In medical education, he evaluated the impact of community-based geriatric training on the attitudes of primary care physicians. His current research explores the impact of urban planning and zoning on health and quality of life for older adults "aging-in-place" in New York City.