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Tsui-Sui Annie Kao

  • Associate professor

About Me:

Dr. Kao’s research focuses on empowering parents to promote healthy lifestyles within families, particularly in disadvantaged communities. In her recent project, Mindful-Healthy Family, she combined motivational interviewing and mindfulness-based strategies to help rural families improve eating habits, increase physical activity, and strengthen positive family connections. Her long-term goal is to reduce obesity-related health risks and enhance the well-being of at-risk children and their families.

Education:

PhD, University of Michigan
MSN, University of Michigan
BSN, Eastern Michigan University
Diploma, Junior College of Nursing and Midwifery, Taiwan

Interest Areas:

Family collective efficiency 
Adolescent health behaviors
Motivational interviewing 
Mindful meditations
Community-based interventions

Publications:

Funding:

Michigan State University, Trifecta award
Development and Pilot-testing Child-friendly MM-based-MI learning modules in the CIAS platform

Role: PI. 2025-2026. $12,000
 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Using Hair Cortisol to Measure Stress and Its Impact on Lifestyle Modification Among American Indian and Rural families
,
Role: PI, 2022-2024 PI; $50,000

 

Michigan State University, Trifecta award
The Feasibility of the Mindful-Healthy Family Intervention with Native American Families

Role: PI. 2021-2023. $8,000

 

Michigan State University, Trifecta award
Designing self-directed online learning modules for dyadic family-based weight lost intervention (Technology-assisted Motivational Interviewing [TAMI])

Role: PI. 2018-2019. $8,000

 

University of Michigan, School of Nursing, Internal Grant
Mindfulness Meditation (MM Good) family pilot

Role: PI. 2012-2014. $14,000

 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nursing Faculty Scholar Program
Family Collective Efficacy: An Underdeveloped Mechanism to Minimize Adolescent Risk Behaviors

Role: PI. 2011-2014. $350,000.

 

University of Michigan, OVPR Faculty Grants and Awards Program
Healthy Opportunity for Parental Expectancies (HOPE): AAPI and Whites

Role: PI. 2010-2011. $15,000

 

NIH NINR Individual (F31NR010174) Pre-doctoral award
Maternal Influences on Adolescents’ Sexual Initiation
Role: PI. 2007-2008. $43,444 (Early Completion).

 

Honors & Awards:

  • 2023: Family RIIG Mid-Career Award at MNRS

  • 2020: Inducted as a fellow in the American Associations of Nurse Practitioners, FAANP

  • 2012: NIH Summer Institute on Social and Behavioral Intervention Research Workshop award (7/9/12–7/13/12)

  • 2011–2014: Recipient, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Nursing Faculty Scholar

  • 2009: Recipient, Summer Fellowship Program in Applied Multi-Ethnic Research, Emerging Scholars Interdisciplinary Network

  • 2007-2008: Recipient, NIH Individual NRSA (F31NR010174 NINR Pre-doctoral award)

  • 2007: Award recipient, Rackham Travel Grant, University of Michigan, Rackham Graduate School

  • 2006–2007: Award recipient, Provost’s Research Award for New Faculty, Eastern Michigan University

  • 2006–2007: Award recipient, Rackham Merit Fellowship, University of Michigan, Rackham Graduate School

  • 2006: Award recipient, Rackham Travel Grant, University of Michigan, Rackham Graduate School

  • 2006: Award recipient, Mentee award, National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations (NCEMNA)

  • 2005: Award recipient, School of Nursing Fellowship, University of Michigan, tuition support for summer 2005

  • 2004–2006: Recipient, Pre-Doctoral Fellowship on the Women’s Health Disparities Interdisciplinary Training Grant (grant #: T32NR07965)

  • 2004–2005: Recipient, Student Award from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation (grant #: 896.SAP)

  • 2004: Recipient, School of Nursing Fellowship, University of Michigan, summer tuition support

  • 2003–2004: Recipient, Rackham Merit Fellowship, University of Michigan, Rackham Graduate School

  • 2003: Recipient, Fellowship, University of Michigan, Summer Institute Program Award

  • 1999: Recipient, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society

  • 1999: Recipient, Summa cum laude, Eastern Michigan University

  • 1998: Recipient, Dean’s List, Eastern Michigan University