Hardeep K. Obhi
Educational Level: Post-doctorate
Current Affiliation: The Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Educational Path:
Postdoctoral training at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill at The Carolina Population Center
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Using an interdisciplinary framework to investigate biosocial determinants of Alzheimer’s disease
PhD at Iowa State University
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Major: Gerontology
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Minor: Human Development and Family Studies
MA at San José State University
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Major: Research and Experimental Psychology
BA at San José State University
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Major: Psychology
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Minor: Child and Adolescent Development
Why is aging important or meaningful to you?
Aging is meaningful to me because of my family constellation; my paternal grandparents were very influential in my life. On a broader scale, populations are aging across the world and it is interesting to think about how that will affect services and sectors across various domains. For example, who will take care of the aging population? What are the needs (e.g., health, social, technological, financial) of this growing population? Later life is full of complexities and differences stemming from decades of diverse life experiences. Even though there is a general consensus that populations are aging, research is needed to identify various groups of individuals and their aging patterns. As such, I research healthy aging using a multi-faceted approach capitalizing on longitudinal data and statistical models.
In what areas of aging work are you involved (research, teaching, clinical, leadership etc.) and how much time/effort do you devote to each?
At this point in my career, I’m involved in research focused on cognitive aging, health and well-being across the lifespan. I use interdisciplinary approaches, theoretically-grounded techniques, and longitudinal methods in my research endeavors. For example, in my dissertation, which was funded by an F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute on Aging in the National Institutes of Health, I assessed biological and psychosocial determinants of cognition and dementia.
What resources (including people, books, web sites, etc.) have been the most useful in developing your career, and why?
I found that chatting with potential mentors and engaging in informational interviews has been a useful way to learn about the career development of others while growing my own professional network. I believe it’s important to have diverse experiences, try things out, and see what works best for you. It’s helpful to remember that one’s personal network and job market timing are essential to one’s career trajectory and that the foundational information noted in these APA roadmaps provide great resources for all.
What has been a challenge (academic, clinical or research-based) you faced and how did you overcome it?
Navigating team dynamics was a challenge, particularly early in my research career when I experienced power hierarchies in collaborations. Once I learned the personality types of collaborators, I figured out what communication styles worked best and realized the importance of being flexible. I erred on the side of caution and kept everyone in the loop, shared meeting agendas and synopsis sheets of research aims and results ahead of meetings, sent out meeting minutes promptly after meetings, and documented key points. I quickly gained the respect of my senior collaborators and found myself leading meetings and research projects.
What is one bit of advice you would give to students entering the field?
I’d recommend exploring diverse possibilities and engaging in different professional development experiences to help identify what type of career you’d like to pursue. For example, it may be advantageous to engage in internships and lab rotations, hold informational interviews and partake in volunteer opportunities. This is especially pivotal because individuals tend to assume what something might be like based on what they’ve heard; it’s important to try things out for oneself, particularly since there are individual differences. Also, remember that each position you take is a stepping-stone in your career trajectory, transitions are normal, and that life happens and things change.
What’s next for you?
As of August 2019, I began a Postdoctoral Research Associate position at the Carolina Population Center in the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. I am working with a team of interdisciplinary colleagues to research biosocial determinants of dementia, mentor junior researchers and continue my professional development.