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Prospective students - schedule an online meeting with Dr. Huo

Research Interests

Dr. Huo’s research focuses on how and why older adults help other people, and how these helping behaviors contribute to older adults’ resilience in the face of age-related challenges and promote healthy aging. Her work centers on three main areas: (a) empathy and couple relationships in the context of health limitations (e.g., disability, cognitive impairment), (b) volunteering, and (c) ageism and views on aging. Dr. Huo's research draws on diverse methods, including self-report data, daily and ecological momentary assessments, biomarker data, geocoded data, objective assessments of physical activity, and real-life observational data. Her studies have been published in leading journals of gerontology, such as The Gerontologist and The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences.

Education
Ph.D., Human Development and Family Sciences (Portfolio: Aging and Health). The University of Texas at Austin

B.S., Psychology, Beijing Normal University

Faculty CV

Selected Accomplishments
 

APA DIV 20 Springer Early Career Achievement Award

APA DIV 20 Dissertation Award in Psych and Aging

Principal Investigator, UC Davis Subcontract ($15,000) of the NIA R01 entitled “Social Networks and Well-being in Late Life: A Study of Daily Mechanisms” (R01AG046460, 2016–2021; PI: Karen Fingerman, PhD)

Harrington Dissertation Fellow, Donald D. Harrington Fellowship (Highest honors; $40,000)
 

Grants

Principal Investigator, UC Davis Subcontract ($15,000) of the NIA R01 entitled “Social Networks and Well-being in Late Life: A Study of Daily Mechanisms” (R01AG046460, 2016–2021; PI: Karen Fingerman, PhD)

2021-2024 Principal Investigator, National Institute on Aging funded R21 (grant # R21AG069045-01A1), entitled “Empathy, Support Exchanges, and Well-being in Older Couples Coping With Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease” (Total costs: $424,269)

2021-2023 Principal Investigator, UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center Pilot Grant entitled “Empathy in Couples Coping with Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease: Implications for Unmet Needs and Well-being” (Submitted, Apr 2021; Total costs: $88,512)