GCAHR research assistant Chao-Kai Huang defends his dissertation

Last week, Chao-Kai Huang, doctoral candidate in the School of Social Work, gave his dissertation defense at the GCAHR office. He presented his research examining how childhood experiences of reservation residence and cultural engagement shape the family dynamics of urban American Indian parents. The results offer a nuanced understanding of parenting and family interactions in complex cultural contexts.

Huang started working with the GCAHR center in August 2021. He has worked primarily with the Parenting in 2 Worlds program and the Sub-Saharan Africa initiative for keepin’ it REAL. His work reflects a strong commitment to Indigenous health, culturally grounded intervention, as well as family resilience.

Dr. Flavio Marsiglia, his chair, and his committee, Dr. Matt Ignacio and Dr. Stephen Kulis, announced that Huang passed his defense on April 11. He will be conferred the PhD in Social Work on May 13 at graduation. Looking ahead, Huang aims to publish his findings in academic journals and continue expanding his research to focus on family dynamics across diverse Indigenous and cultural settings.