Opportunity Sparked By Summer Research
Brooklyn Campus student Caroline Kocher ’24 is on track to graduate with honors in May, thanks in part to her impactful, donor-funded summer research project.
Through the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) last summer, the Raleigh, North Carolina, native investigated the connection between HIV and depression, offering valuable insights into these health challenges.
“Caroline is an ambitious emerging young woman in science,” said Anna Egbert, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology on the Brooklyn Campus. “Her natural talent for conducting research can be observed with her scientific curiosity, critical thinking, skillfully tailored and meticulously executed study.
“I look forward to seeing her developing a professional career in science,” she added.
Together with Dr. Egbert, Ms. Kocher administered a survey to hundreds of participants across the United States, and then analyzed data to determine what factors might affect the relationship between comorbid HIV and depression.
Ms. Kocher’s study provided scientific evidence showing that stigma/discrimination-related depressive symptoms are related to the effectiveness of the antiretroviral treatment that individuals who live with HIV receive.
She will present her findings at several scientific meetings in 2024.
“My time at St. Joseph’s has prepared me for this opportunity by providing me with a foundation of knowledge that I was able to build off of to conduct this research project,” she said.
Ms. Kocher’s diverse interests extend beyond the laboratory. She finds solace in rock climbing, reading, and playing the guitar.
In addition to these passions, she generously dedicates her time as a research assistant at St. Joseph’s Brain Resilience to Aging and Infectious Diseases (BRAID) Lab and actively engages with the International Neuropsychological Society (INS).
With graduate school on the horizon, Ms. Kocher is poised to take on a career in psychological research.