Sharbel Yako

Community-Academic Scholar: Sharbel Yako (he/his)

Project: This summer, Sharbel continued his work as an undergraduate research assistant in the Aging and Neurocognition Lab, along with Professor Raksha Mudar and CJE Senior Life to test the benefits of technology-based social engagement using a video-technology platform called OneClick in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment. Learn more about the project. 

Mentor reflection: "It's great to have the ability to work with students and colleagues in a mentoring capacity," said Margaret Danilovich, Senior Director of the Leonard Schanfield Research Institute, the in-house research division at CJE Senior Life. "Sharbel helped on a joint research project that Raksha and I are working on, then also assisted in data entry and analysis for resident surveys from our affordable housing buildings. He put together a slide dek on the results and present that to the executive director of affordable housing."

Do you have personal story or path that led to your interest in this research project?
My current research project analyzes social engagement in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI). My past research experiences have also been with older adults that had MCI or hearing loss. I have always been fascinated by the geriatric population, which motivated me to pursue research with the Aging and Neurocognition Lab. I hope to continue to work with older adults as a career, whether it’s research or medicine. 

What was the most meaningful part of this experience?
The most meaningful part of this experience was seeing the older adults enjoy using technology to communicate with others. Older adults often struggle with accessing and using technology, but when trained, they can use it in many helpful ways. Seeing older adults using OneClick’s video technology to converse with others and enjoying it was very meaningful. This site can develop into a standard platform used commercially to promote social engagement in older adults and promote quality of life, and I am glad I had a hand in working on that.

What advice would you give to future scholars or to those who are interested in applying for the program?
I would tell anyone who is remotely interested in research to apply to this program. Exploring the projects and finding one that fits your future goals can be rewarding, but you can choose to explore topics outside of your personal path. I was able to learn so much even after completing 3 semesters of research in the past.  This experience overall has made me a more well-rounded student.