Faculty Profile for Dr. Seoyoun Kim

profile photo for Dr. Seoyoun Kim
Dr. Seoyoun Kim
Associate Professor — Sociology
THH 449
phone: (512) 245-2113
Scholarly/Creative Work
Awards
Grants
Service

Biography Section

Biography and Education

 Ph.D. Purdue University, Sociology/Gerontology
M.S. Purdue University, Sociology
B.S. Michigan State University, Sociology

Research Interests

 Dr. Seoyoun Kim's research interests lie at the intersection of social gerontology, epidemiology, multi-omics, and cardiovascular health. Her work explores how social and environmental factors shape health outcomes, particularly in aging populations. She examines the impact of paid and unpaid productive engagement on the well-being of older adults, shedding light on the social determinants of health.

Her research also integrates multi-omics approaches to unravel the complex interactions between genetic, epigenetic, and environmental influences on health and aging. Additionally, she studies the psychosocial and inflammatory mechanisms that contribute to cardiovascular disease, emphasizing the intricate connections between mental and physical health. Through her interdisciplinary work, Dr. Kim aims to advance scientific understanding of the biological and social pathways that drive health disparities and aging-related conditions.

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Kim, S., Halvorsen, C., Potter, C., & Faul, J. (2025). Does volunteering reduce epigenetic age acceleration among retired and working older adults? Results from the Health and Retirement Study. Social Science & Medicine, 364, 117501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117501
  • Amano, T., Halvorsen, C., Kim, S., Reynolds, A., Scher, C., & Jia, Y. (2024). An outcome-wide analysis of the effects of diagnostic labeling of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias on social relationships. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, (20), 1614–1626. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.13574
  • Kim, S., Halvorsen, C., & Han, S. (2023). Volunteering and changes in cardiovascular biomarkers: Longitudinal evidence from the Health and Retirement Study. Innovation in Aging. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igad048
  • Chee, K. H., Gerhart, O. S., & Kim, S. (2023). Lived Experiences of Personal Growth among the Oldest-Old: Narrative Evidence. Educational Gerontology. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2023.2217554
  • Kim, S., Yoon, H. W., Morton, P., & Jang, Y. (2022). Longitudinal links between behavioral activation coping strategies and depressive symptoms of U.S. adults living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Plos One, 17(5), e0267948. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267948

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: 2020 College of Liberal Arts Achievement Award, Texas State University. August 2020
  • Award / Honor Recipient: 2020 Innovative Research on Aging Awards, Mather Research Foundation. July 2020
  • Award / Honor Nominee: 2019 Presidential Award in Service, Texas State University. 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Certificate of excellence awards, Office of interdisciplinary graduate program, Purdue University. January 1, 2014
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Certificate of excellence awards, Office of interdisciplinary graduate program, Purdue University. January 1, 2013

Selected Grants

  • Chee, Kyong H (Principal), Gerhart, Olga S (Co-Principal), Kim, Seoyoun (Co-Principal). Storytelling, Generativity, and Well-Being among Persons Living with Dementia, Texas State University, $17991. (Funded: July 1, 2018 - December 31, 2019). Grant.
  • Kim, Seoyoun (Principal), Halvorsen, Cal (Co-Principal), Shiba, Koichiro (Co-Principal). Volunteering, polygenic risk, and cardiovascular biomarkers in multiple ancestry groups, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Federal, $969913. (Submitted: February 2023, Funded: December 1, 2023 - August 30, 2027). Grant.
  • Kim, Seoyoun. Research Enhancement Program grant, Texas State University, $8000. (Funded: May 2023 - August 2023). Grant.
  • Kim, Seoyoun. Volunteering, Genetic Risk for Cardiovascular Disease, and Cardiovascular Health, Texas State University, $6943. (Submitted: October 2022, Funded: January 2023 - Present). Grant.
  • Kim, Seoyoun. Developmental Leave Supplemental Award, Texas State University, $20000. (Funded: August 2022 - March 2023). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Reviewer / Referee
BMJ Public Health
2024-Present
Reviewer / Referee
Journal of Aging and Mental Health
2021-Present
Editorial Review Board Member
Plos One
August 2021-Present
Co-Chair
Alliance for Researchers in Aging (ARIA)
2019-Present
Member
MSDA Admissions committee
2019-Present