Researcher Spotlight: Kyoung ‘Shin’ Park | Assistant Professor, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology

What is your professional background?
I received my PhD in Biobehavioral Health Science from the University of Florida. Afterwards, I worked as a postdoctoral research scientist and graduate faculty in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Since then, my work has focused on understanding the process and benefits of physical activity behavior change, especially in the prevention of cognitive and functional decline in the aging population.

Which division do you work in, and who is your mentor?
In October of this year, I started working in the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, where I direct the Exercise for Precision Health and Rehabilitation Laboratory or the ExPHR lab. I am fortunate to have several amazing mentors in my career. Currently, Camille Vaughan, MD, and Madeleine Hackney, PhD, are helping me settle in here at Emory.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important?
My current research tests the efficacy of sonically enhanced personalized music stimulation for physical activity behavior change in preclinical older adults with and without subjective cognitive complaints. Older adults’ low uptake of nationally prescribed physical activity regimens could be due to the failure to improve affective attitudes toward physical activity. Exercising with personalized music playlists has shown promise in improving affective attitude toward physical activity and thereby facilitating behavior change. However, its efficacy and mechanistic underpinning have not been fully tested with physically low-active older adults, a growing population at risk of dementia and other age-related declines.

What do you like most about Emory?
I like the supportive and collaborative research settings at Emory. I also like the new space for physical activity interventions in our Executive Park research suite.

What is your favorite movie or TV show?
My favorite movie would be “Interstellar,” and I really enjoyed “1883,” the prequel to the “Yellowstone” series.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Travel, cook, hike, run, and play with my family.

What is a fun fact about you?
I played Judo in college and thought that I would live a judoka life.