By Joyce Lee
Join Penn Memory Center in saying farewell and good luck to research coordinator Benjamin Bear, MSW.
Mr. Bear joined the Penn Memory Center (PMC) in 2017, after graduating with his Master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. At PMC, he primarily conducted qualitative data collection and analysis for the SOKRATES II study, working with Kristin Harkins, MPH, to understand why individuals decide to share or not share with others knowledge of their APOE genotype, a gene used to predict risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
“Benjamin’s social work training made him a skilled interviewer. He connected with research participants and treated them with empathy and compassion,” said Ms. Harkins. “His kindness and unique clinical perspective were great assets to our work together. He will be missed.”