Dr. Karin Schon

Biography

Karin Schon received her joint B.A./M.A. degree in Psychology from the University of Hamburg in Germany in 1998 and her Ph.D. from the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University in 2005. Her dissertation focused on functional neuroimaging studies of working memory and long-term memory formation. Since 2013, she has served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology at Boston University's Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, where she directs the Brain Plasticity and Neuroimaging Laboratory. Dr. Schon's research centers on brain plasticity, investigating how cardio-respiratory fitness and chronic psychosocial stress affect cognitive function and brain health across the lifespan, particularly in relation to Alzheimer's disease and older Black/African American adults. She emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion within her teaching and mentoring, actively participating in initiatives aimed at reducing health inequities in neurocognitive health. Dr. Schon has received numerous grants for her research from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Mental Health. She teaches Cognitive Neuroscience and is dedicated to mentoring students from underrepresented groups in STEM fields.

Research Interests

Experience