Posted by eporter on March 10, 2025
New Research Intern Joins Mentoring Central
Mentoring Central, a division of iRT, is pleased to welcome Sarah Soson as the newest member of our team of world-renowned researchers and creative professionals.
Soson has joined iRT as a research intern to assist iRT in a new grant award focused on training of program staff and mentors matched with mentees who have been impacted by substance misuse. Soson is currently a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She joined iRT through the Karen M. Gil Internship Program, which iRT has participated in for many years. iRT researchers are dedicated to mentoring students who are passionate about the field of psychology and who are interested in expanding their professional skills and connections.
Soson has interest in social psychology and, in addition to her work at iRT, is an undergraduate research assistant in UNC-Chapel Hill’s Social and Decision Science Lab where she is actively researching the effects of autonomy and restriction on motivation. She has previous research experience as a Zietlow Civic Engagement Fellow and has also interned with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. House of Representatives, and Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. She has future plans to attend law school to pursue a career at the intersection of law and psychology.
“I joined iRT to learn about how social, clinical, and developmental psychology can be applied to improve the wellbeing of communities,” Soson says. “So far, my experience at iRT has been extremely formative. I have learned so much about the research process outside of academia, grants, product development, and beta testing. I am grateful to be part of such a wonderful team that has given me the freedom to explore my interests and fosters my development as an aspiring researcher.”
iRT values the diverse backgrounds and perspectives that research interns like Soson bring to our team and strives to use the team’s expertise to conduct and disseminate high-quality, innovative basic and applied research.
“Sarah’s expertise and passion for self-determination theory and interventions designed to build assets in youth will be an important asset to iRT as we continue to strive to provide products and services that enhance the health and well-being of youth, families, communities, and organizations,” says iRT President and Senior Research Scientist Dr. Janis Kupersmidt.
To learn more about our diverse, skilled team of professionals, visit https://irtinc.us/about-us/our-team/.