SHU Professor Wins International Conference Award

Jonix Owino hopes to create awareness about the plight of aging refugees

Jonix Owino, assistant professor of psychology at Sacred Heart University, recently received an award for best presentation at the International Research Conference in London, England.

Owino’s presentation, “Determinants of Quality of Life Among Refugees Aging Out of Place,” focused on a quantitative research study she conducted that investigated how sociodemographic factors correlate with quality of life among aging refugees living in the United States. These include age, sex, country of origin, length of residence and social connections, such as social integration and loneliness. More than 100 refugees from Bhutan, Burundi and Somalia who were 50 or more years old participated in the study.

She said she is honored to receive the award and hopes it will help spread information about the plight of the people she has been researching. “I am most looking forward to creating awareness on aging refugees’ migration and integration factors,” she said.

The conference was enlightening, according to Owino, who participated remotely. “There were so many great presentations and diverse research from various countries, such as Italy, Australia, Syria, Brazil, Japan, Germany, Ireland, South Africa and Iran,” she said. “The conference brought together leading academic scientists, researchers and scholars to share their experiences and discoveries. Listening to what others are working on, as well as their ingenious approaches to research, was priceless.”

With a bachelor’s degree from Catholic University of Eastern Africa and a master’s degree, as well as a doctorate in developmental science, from North Dakota State University, Owino brings considerable knowledge and experience to her research and to the classroom. She joined SHU’s psychology department in 2021 and teaches adult and child development, social psychology and research design and analysis.

“My research interests focus on exploring refugees’ well-being by examining successful aging experiences, as well as determinants of quality of life among aging refugees in the United States,” she said. Owino hopes to expand the scope of her research in the future to examine the plight of refugees from various cultural backgrounds as they age in different environments.