February 2022: New research news release: When people’s attitudes about aging improve, better health may follow
Congratulations to Julia Nakamura for her recent news release regarding her recent publication, Associations Between Satisfaction With Aging and Health and Well-being Outcomes Among Older US Adults. You can find the UBC News article here and the UBC Psychology News article here . We would like to thank the following Research Assistants/Alumni for their contributions to this project: Sakshi Sahakari, Joanne Armstrong, and Esther Choi, Matt Wang, Tatiana Henriksson, Sofie Jensen, Katheryn Yang, Gurveer Palia, BSc, Rachel Leong, Tiana Wang, and Vanessa Kong, BA, University of British Columbia, and Caitlyn Wilson, BS, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
January 2022: Pennsylvania State University T32 Training Program
Congratulations to Joanna Hong, a previous Post Doctoral Fellow with our Lab, for her acceptance to the Pennsylvania State University T32 Training Program. We’re very excited to see the wonderful work she will accomplish!
January 2022: Deloitte Artificial Intelligence Strategy Team
Congratulations to Tiana Wang, who will be leaving her position as research assistant with our lab to join Deloitte’s highly revered Artificial Intelligence Strategy Team. After receiving many offers for Management Consulting positions, she selected this job at the forefront of technological advancement. Welcome to the future, Tiana!
November 2021: UBC Science Co-op Supervisor Recognition Award 2021
Congratulations to Dr. Eric Kim, who has been recognized for the UBC Science Co-op Supervisor Recognition Award! Among 1500+ supervisors, the top 5% are given this recognition. Thank you for creating such an encouraging work environment. You can find more information here
November 2021: The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting: Are Loneliness and Social Isolation Equal Threats to Health and Well-being?
Research Assistant Tatiana Henriksson and Graduate student Julia Nakamura have been selected to present their Late Breaking Poster, “Are Loneliness and Social Isolation Equal Threats to Health and Well-being? An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach”, at the GSA 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting November 11th to 13th, 2021. We are proud to see them share their important research at such a prominent gerontological conference. Congratulations Tatiana and Julia!
November 2021: The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting: Pathways to Reduce Overnight Hospitalizations
Research Assistant Jean Oh and Graduate student Julia Nakamura have been selected to present their Late Breaking Poster, “Pathways to Reduced Overnight Hospitalizations: Evaluating 62 Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Factors”, at the GSA 20212 Annual Scientific Meeting November 11th to 13th, 2021. We are proud to see them share their important research at such a prominent gerontological conference. Congratulations Jean and Julia!
November 2021: The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting: Are All Domains of Life Satisfaction Equal?
Julia Nakamura will also be presenting on the topic of her recent publication, “Are All Domains of Life Satisfaction Equal? Differential Associations with Health and Well-Being in Older Adults” at the GSA 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting. Congratulations, Julia, on the products of your hard work!
October 2021: Columbia University Talk
Dr. Eric Kim will be speaking at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health on October 21st.
September 2021: Are All Domains of Life Satisfaction Equal?
Congratulations to our graduate student, Julia Nakamura, for publishing a new paper on the associations between specific domains of life satisfaction and favorable health and well-being outcomes. Click here to read the paper in full!
September 2021: Gerontological Society of America Behavioural & Social Sciences Award
Congratulations to our graduate student, Julia Nakamura, for recieving the BSS Student Research- Pre Dissertation Level Award! This award recognizes one student paper at the pre-dissertation level each year, and will be recognized at the Behavioral & Social Sciences Section Business Meeting and Section Lunch at the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting.
August 2021: Office of the U.S. Surgeon General Talk
Dr. Eric Kim will be speaking at the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General and joining a round-table discussion on how sense of purpose in life research might be implemented at scale on August 20th.
July 2021: Elizabeth Young LACEY Scholarship
Congratulations to our graduate student, Julia Nakamura, for receiving the Elizabeth Young LACEY Scholarship in Psychology! The scholarship is awarded to graduate students in experimental psychology, upon recommendation from the Department of Psychology.
July 2021: IPPA Early Career Researcher Award
Dr. Eric Kim received the International Positive Psychology Association’s (IPPA) Early Career Researcher Award. Congratulations, Dr. Kim!
July 2021: Keynote Speaker at the 7th Annual IPPA World Congress
Dr. Eric Kim will be speaking as a Keynote Speaker at the 7th International Positive Psychology Association World Congress, taking place from July 15th – 17th. Click here to learn more!
June 2021: Epidemiology Counts Podcast
Dr. Eric Kim was interviewed by the Society for Epidemiologic Research for their podcast, Epidemiology Counts, where he spoke about the health benefits of having a positive outlook on life and striving for a sense of purpose. Click here to learn more!
May 2021: The influence of sense of control on physical, behavioral, and psychosocial health
Congratulations to our postdoctoral fellow, Joanna Hong, and our graduate student, Julia Nakamura, under the guidance of Dr. Eric Kim, for publishing a new paper showing the benefits of a perceived sense of control in older adults.
May 2021: Grants, posters and achievements of our lab members!
Congratulations to our graduate student, Julia Nakamura, for receiving the Consortium on Analytics for Data-Driven Decision-Making (CAnD3) Fellowship and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Arts Graduate Research Award from the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia!
Congrats to Vanessa Kong for gaining admission to the UBC Medical School program!
April 2021: Psi Chi [Lab]yrinth Podcast
Dr. Eric Kim was interviewed by UBC Psi Chi, where he spoke about finding meaning in life, getting involved in research as an undergraduate student, positive psychology, and his role in research initiatives related to the development of scalable individual-level interventions and policies that drive systematic change in society. Click here to learn more!
March 2021: Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation Conference
Dr. Eric Kim will be an invited member at the CABHI Summit 2021: We are Social Animals: Why Your Brain Needs Connection virtual panel discussion, which will take place on March 24 – 25. Click here to learn more!
February 2021: Life Satisfaction and Subsequent Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Health in Older Adults
Dr. Eric Kim’s paper on life satisfaction and subsequent physical, behavioral, and psychosocial health was published this month! Click here to read it in full.
February 2021: Invited Speaker at SPSP’s Happiness and Well-Being Preconference
Dr. Eric Kim was an invited speaker at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology’s 8th Annual Happiness & Well-Being Preconference. Dr. Kim spoke about his research on purpose in life and physical health! Click here to learn more.
January 2021: Early Life Stress, Depressive Symptoms, and Inflammation
Congratulations to our graduate student, Julia Nakamura, for publishing a new paper showing that social contact and perceived social support may be protective for individuals at higher risk of developing depressive symptoms due to early life stress. Click here to read the paper in full!
January 2021: The Washington Post
Dr. Eric Kim’s research and interview on purpose and longevity was featured in The Washington Post. January 3, 2021. “Boosting our sense of meaning in life is an often overlooked longevity ingredient”.
January 2021: Lab Holiday Party!
The Psychosocial Flourishing & Health Lab virtually celebrated the holiday season together, with delicious food and fun games! Happy Holidays, everyone!
December 2020: BBC News
Dr. Eric Kim’s research and interview on being kind to others was featured in the BBC News. December 15, 2020. “Why being kind to others is good for your health”.
November 2020: Invited Speaker at The Kellogg Company
Dr. Eric Kim was an invited speaker at The Kellogg Company, where he gave a talk on the relationship between volunteering and physical health.
November 2020: Invited Speaker at Department of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources
Dr. Eric Kim gave a virtual talk on purpose in life, health, and work in the context of an aging society to the UBC Department of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources Division.
November 2020: Gerontological Society of America 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting
Our post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Joanna Hong, presented her research on loneliness, daily stress, and the protective role of daily events, at the GSA 2020 Scientific Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, via a virtual poster presentation. Click here to learn more!
November 2020: Gerontological Society of America 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting
Our graduate student, Julia Nakamura, presented her research on early-life stress, depressive symptoms, and inflammation, at the GSA 2020 Scientific Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, via a virtual poster presentation. Click here to learn more!
September 2020: Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) Scholar Award
Dr. Eric Kim was named as a 2020 MSFHR Scholar Award recipient. Congratulations, Dr. Kim!
September 2020: UBC Faculty of Arts Graduate Award
Our graduate student, Julia Nakamura, was awarded the highest scholarship for outstanding graduate school applicants, based on application for graduate studies, including academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, and research productivity. This prestige was awarded by Graduate Admissions Committee. Congratulations, Julia!
September 2020: Science in Action Initiative Ambassador Fellowship
Our post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Joanna Hong, was elected as an ambassador for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Science in Action Initiative to design and facilitate programs and workshops that allow graduate students to establish multidisciplinary collaborations and make research applicable, relevant, and useful to their communities.
August 2020: R. Howard Webster Foundation Fellowship
Our incoming graduate student, Julia Nakamura, was awarded the R. Howard Webster Foundation Fellowship. This fellowship is awarded to graduate student with outstanding application for membership to Green College (an interdisciplinary graduate residential college at the University of British Columbia), endowed by the R. Howard Webster Foundation and the Province of British Columbia. Congratulations, Julia!
July 2020: Invited Speaker at AARP/UnitedHealth Group
Our incoming post-doctoral Fellow, Dr. Joanna Hong, was an invited speaker for AARP/UnitedHealth Group, a nonprofit organization and industry partner dedicated to empowering older adults in America, on her research on combatting loneliness with friendship!
July 2020: Invited Speaker at the Department of Psychology, Seoul National University
Dr. Eric Kim was an invited speaker to the Department of Psychology at Seoul National University in South Korea, where he gave a talk on psychological well-being and physical health in the context of an aging society and policy implications. Congratulations, Dr. Kim!
June 2020: Invited Speaker at IDEO
Our incoming post-doctoral Fellow, Dr. Joanna Hong, was an invited speaker for IDEO, a global design company and industry partner, on her research on combatting loneliness with friendship!
June 2020: Invited Speaker at the 2020 Aspen Ideas Festival
Dr. Eric Kim was invited to speak on psychological well-being and physical health in the context of an aging society and policy implications, at the virtual 2020 Aspen Ideas Festival. [Festival was cancelled due to COVID-19]
July 2020: Springer Early Career Achievement Award
Dr. Eric Kim received the the Springer Early Career Achievement Award in Research on Adult Development and Aging, from Division 20 of the American Psychology Association. Congratulations, Dr. Kim!
June 2020: Association for Psychological Science: Virtual Poster Showcase
Our incoming graduate student, Julia Nakamura, presented her research on early-life stress, depressive symptoms, and inflammation, at the Association for Psychological Science 2020 Virtual Poster Showcase, via a virtual psoter. Click here to learn more!
June 2020: Outstanding Graduate Student Mentoring Award
Our incoming post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Joanna Hong, was awarded the University of California, Irvine Outstanding Graduate Student Mentoring Award in both 2019 and 2020, which recognizes graduate students who have demonstrated excellence in mentoring undergraduate students’ research. Congratulations, Dr. Hong!
June 2020: UCLA Nissim and Arlyne Levy Endowed Award
Our incoming graduate student, Julia Nakamura, was awarded the University of California Nissim and Arlyne Levy Endowed Award, an award for one student receiving the Highest Honors for an outstanding Psychology Department Honors Thesis project. Congratulations, Julia!
May 2020: UCLA Dean’s Prize for Research Excellence
Our incoming graduate student, Julia Nakamura, was awarded the Dea’s Prize for Research Excellence for her outstanding pre-recorded research presentation at the UCLA 2020 Undergraduate Research Showcase. Congratulations, Julia!
May 2020: UCLA Joan Palevsky Endowed Honors and Undergraduate Research Scholarship
Our incoming graduate student, Julia Nakamura, was awarded the Joan Palevsky Endowed Honors and Undergraduate Research Scholarship, a scholarship awarded to a high achieving student in the UCLA College Honors Program. Congratulations, Julia!
January 2020: APS Rising Stars
Dr. Eric Kim was named a 2019 Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science (APS). Congratulations, Dr. Kim!
January 2020: Pedagogical Fellowship
Our incoming post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Joanna Hong, was awarded the University of California, Irvine Pedagogical Fellowship in both 2019 and 2020, a competitive teaching fellowship that includes training in advanced pedagogy (+100 hours of training in Inclusive Teaching, Student Learning Outcomes, Active Learning Strategies, Backward Design, Effective Grading, Online Teaching, Teaching Observations/Assessments). Congratulations, Dr. Hong!
December 2019: Article of the Year Award
Dr. Eric Kim, and colleague’s, paper on sense of mission and subsequent health and wellbeing was awarded the 2019 Article of the Year by the American Journal of Epidemiology. Click here to learn more.
November 2019: UCLA Undergraduate Research Center Student Spotlight
Our incoming graduate student, Julia Nakamura, was recognized by UCLA’s Undergraduate Research Center for the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences for excellence in research. Congratulations, Julia! Click here to read the spotlight article.
October 2019: OECD – Putting Well-being Metrics into Policy Action
Dr. Eric Kim was invited to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; in Paris), for the “Putting Well-Being Metrics into Policy Action” conference. Click here to learn more.
September 2019: Invited Speaker at the National Academy of Sciences
Dr. Eric Kim was invited to the National Academy of Sciences (in Washington D.C.), to speak about how a sense of purpose in life is associated with various health, well-being, and economic outcomes. Click here to learn more.
May 2019: UCLA Rose Gilbert in Memory of Maggie Gilbert Scholarship
Our incoming graduate student, Julia Nakamura, was awarded the Rose Gilbert in Memory of Maggie Gilbert Scholarship, a scholarship awarded to a student in the UCLA College Honors Program, selected based on outstanding academic record and an essay submission. Congratulations, Julia!
March 2019: United Nations World Happiness Report Launch
Dr. Eric Kim was invited to the United Nations (in New York City) for the World Happiness Report Launch, where he helped contribute to some of that report. Click here to learn more.
February 2019: Invited Participant at World Government Summit Annual Gathering
Dr. Eric Kim was invited as a collaborative participant to the World Government Summit 2019 Annual Gathering in Dubai, UAE, for the Global Dialogue for Happiness and Well-Being forum. Click here to learn more.