
Position Title
Associate Professor of Human Development & Family Studies

Microsoft Bookings
Prospective students - schedule an online meeting with Dr. Huo
Research Interests
Interests: Empathy, Altruism, Social Relationships, Health, Gerontology
Life Phases: Late Adulthood
Dr. Huo’s research focuses on how and why older adults help other people, and how these helping behaviors may contribute to older adults’ resilience in the face of age-related declines and promote successful aging. She is also interested in empathy in late life. Her work relies on self-report data, daily and ecological momentary assessments, biomarker data, geocoded data, objective assessments of physical activity, and real-life observational data. Dr. Huo’s research has been published in top-tier journals such as The Gerontologist, The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, and Journal of Marriage and Family.
Dr. Huo is accepting applications from undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in aging and would like to gain research experience in her lab.
Education
Ph.D., Human Development and Family Sciences (Portfolio: Aging and Health). The University of Texas at Austin, 2019
B.S., Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 2014
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)