CDHA NIA T32 Postdoctoral Scholar Gina Lee has been honored with the Institute on Aging’s Young Investigator Award for her research exploring how social relationships in midlife shape well-being later in life.
Her award-winning poster, “Persistent Sibling Disconnectedness in Midlife and Cognitive Functioning in Later Life: Is Loneliness an Explanatory Factor?”, was presented at the 2025 Institute on Aging Colloquium. Drawing on four waves of data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), Gina examined the long-term impact of sibling relationships on cognitive health. Her analysis found that persistent sibling disconnectedness in midlife is associated with increased loneliness in later life, which in turn is linked to lower cognitive functioning in the 80s. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining supportive sibling relationships as a source of social engagement and resilience during the aging process.
Gina is co-advised by CDHA Director Michal Engelman and CDHA affiliate and School of Social Work ProfessorJooyoung Kong, who together support her research on the social dimesnions of aging.
She earned her BS, MS, and PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from Iowa State University before joining CDHA as a postdoctoral researcher through the NIA T32 Training Program in 2024.
Her research focuses on social relationships, cognitive functioning, and psychosocial factors influencing well-being in later life. She is currently studying how sibling relationships relate to cognitive trajectories over time, while also collaborating on projects involving centenarians, family history, social support, and self-perceptions of aging.
Since 1988, the UW–Madison Institute on Aging (IOA) has hosted its annual Colloquium, bringing together researchers, students, and community members to share innovative research on aging. Each year, New Investigator Awards recognize outstanding UW–Madison students and trainees conducting innovative work in aging or life course studies.
Congratulations to Gina Lee on this well-deserved recognition!