College of Social Work

Dr. Gashaye Melaku Tefera is an Assistant Professor at the College of Social Work. His research focuses on healthcare access and health disparities among underserved and disadvantaged communities, including immigrants, refugees, and older adults. His work explores the use of technology to promote independent living among older adults, analyzing how they engage with technology to monitor vital health information. Moving forward, Dr. Tefera aims to investigate the unique challenges faced by older adult immigrants, a critically underserved population.

Dr. Katy (Qiuchang) Cao is an assistant professor at the College of Social Work and a faculty associate of Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy. Dr. Cao received her Ph.D. in social work from the Ohio State University with a focus on aging and health. Her scholarship centers on improving the physical, mental, cognitive, and social health of older adults using qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, and network analysis.

Dr. Amy Ai earned her Ph.D. in Psychology and Social Work, and was a National Institute on Aging postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan in 1996. Her current interests involve Gerontology, Health Disparities, Cultural Diversity, Behavioral intervention, Mindfulness, Mental Health, Spirituality, as well as Stress and Coping.