Dr. Kim’s overarching research goal is to improve the health and well-being of older adults with chronic pain through creative activities, such as art making. Her current research focuses on understanding art making as a health intervention, designing targeted interventions for this population, and exploring the neuroplastic effects of art making in relation to chronic pain.

Dr. Kim’s long-term goal is to specialize in developing and evaluating complementary creative pain management strategies. She aims to build a comprehensive research program that explores neuroplasticity in the brains of older adults who engage in various creative activities, including visual art making, creative writing, and storytelling.