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