Su-I Hou is a Professor at the University of Central Florida’s School of Global Health Management and Informatics, where she strategically led the unit’s transition into a school and served as its founding director during the pandemic. She previously coordinated the health track for UCF’s Doctoral Program in Public Affairs (2015–2022) and initiated and directed the Taiwan Study Abroad Program on Asian Culture, Healthcare, & Aging Society at the University of Georgia and UCF. A Fulbright Specialist from 2019–2024, Hou has conducted mixed methods research training internationally and has held visiting, research, and global faculty appointments and collaborations in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Israel, Taiwan, and at Stanford University’s Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE). Her recent international work includes the 2024–2026 Fulbright–Saastamoinen Foundation Distinguished Chair in Health Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland and the 2026 Fulbright Sweden Intercountry Lecture Program Award at the Karolinska Institute, focusing on digital technology, healthy aging, brain health, and dementia prevention in collaboration with UEF researchers and the WW-FINGERS global network. In 2026, she also serves as the Inaugural Residential Visiting Professor and Expert on Mixed Methods Research and Aging at Chung-Shan Medical University and CSMU Medical Center in Taiwan.
Hou teaches and mentors across a broad range of research and competency-based courses, with particular expertise in Mixed Methods Research, Evidence-Based Management in Healthcare, Policy and Program Evaluation, Program Development and Implementation, Community Health, Epidemiology, Public Health and Aging, and Asian Culture and Health. She brings extensive leadership and practical experience in health care and community settings, including serving as the founding director of the Community Health Department at a major teaching hospital in Taiwan prior to entering academia.
Hou has maintained strong professional and academic ties with Taiwan and the broader Asian region, collaborating with government agencies, universities, health care organizations, and industry partners through invited keynotes, research collaborations, and training workshops. She previously served as President of the Chinese-American Academic and Professional Association in Southeastern United States (CAPASUS) in 2013–2014 and continues to serve on its executive board.
Prior to joining UCF in 2015, Hou was a founding faculty member of the College of Public Health at the University of Georgia (UGA), where she also served as founding director of the interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Public Health (DrPH), the first program of its kind in Georgia, leading its proposal development and establishment. She also served as founding director of the Taiwan Public Health Study Abroad Program. Hou served as Associate Editor of Health Promotion Practice, the official journal of the Society for Public Health Education, from 2009–2015, and currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Health Administration and Education (JHAE). Recognized for her contributions to service-learning, she was an inaugural Service-Learning Senior Scholar and recipient of the Service-Learning Research Excellence Award at UGA.
Hou has published more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles, presented more than 270 papers at national and international conferences, and delivered more than 160 invited international presentations, workshops, and seminars.
Credentials
- Dr.P.H., Doctor of Public Health, University of Texas – Health Science Center at Houston
- CPH, Certified in Public Health
- MCHES, Master Certified Health Education Specialist
- RN, Registered Nurse
- CDP, Certified Dementia Practitioner
- FACHE, Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives
- FGSA, Fellow Gerontological Society of America
- MPH, Master of Public Health, University of Texas – Health Science Center at Houston
- BSN, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Dr. Hou brings extensive public health research expertise in mixed methods research (MMR), program evaluation, community-based participatory research (CBPR), and the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Her current research focuses on Aging-in-Community (AIC) models and programs, healthy aging, brain health, dementia prevention, and patient-centered and community-based approaches to promoting healthy aging. Her work increasingly explores how digital technologies and innovative community strategies can support healthy aging, health behavior change, and prevention across the life course.
Her research also draws on extensive experience in cancer prevention and early detection, HIV/AIDS behavioral research, and community health. Across these areas, she collaborates with community and academic partners to develop and validate study instruments, examine psychosocial and behavioral determinants of health, design and implement theory-based interventions, and evaluate program processes and outcomes. Her work emphasizes culturally responsive, community-engaged approaches that connect research evidence with practice.
Areas of Specialty
- Mixed Methods Research (MMR)
- Program Evaluation & Implementation
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
- Aging-in-Community & Healthy Aging
- Brain Health & Dementia Prevention
- Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
- Digital Health & Community Health
- Global Health Management
PAF 7325: Policy & Program Evaluation
PAF 7868: Statistics III – Mixed Methods Research
PAF 7947: Practicum
PAF 7919: Doctoral Research Hours
PAF 7908: Doctoral Independent Study
HSA 6946: MHA Internship
HSA 4912: Undergraduate Research Hours
HSA 4563: Healthcare Needs for the Elderly
HSA 3111-GL: U.S. Healthcare Systems
HSC 3573: Medical Terminology
HSC 3593: HIV/AIDS
HSA 4995 / HSA 6998 / PAF 7998: Asian Culture, Healthcare, & Aging
HSC 6911 : Evidence-Based Management in Healthcare
2026 — Inaugural Residential Visiting Professor, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Taiwan. Host: Chung-Shan Medical University (CSMU) and CSMU Medical Center, Taichung, Taiwan. Delivered multiple mixed methods research workshops and aging research presentations and consultations.
2026 — Fulbright Sweden Intercountry Lecture Program Awardee, Fulbright Distinguished Chair Programs, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with Fulbright Finland and Fulbright Sweden. Host: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Collaborative work: Promoting Healthy Aging in Community with Digital Technology – Brain Health & Dementia Prevention, with University of Eastern Finland (UEF) researchers and the WW-FINGERS global team.
2024–2026 — Fulbright–Saastamoinen Foundation Distinguished Chair in Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Kuopio, Finland. Project: Promoting Healthy Aging in Community with Digital Technology – Brain Health & Dementia Prevention. Supported by the Fulbright Finland Foundation, Saastamoinen Foundation, and the U.S. Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB), U.S. Department of State.
2025 — Erasmus+ Mobility for Teaching Award, Tallinn University Haapsalu College, Estonia. Course: Ageing & Society, Master’s Program in Community Work in Ageing Society.
2025 — National Science and Technology Council Visiting Professor, School of Nursing, National Defense Medical College & Tri-Service General Hospital, Taiwan. Conducted intensive workshops on interactive teaching techniques, online education, and academic journal publishing.
2024 — UCF-DT Community Engaged Research Faculty Advocate, UCF Downtown.
2023 — National Science and Technology Council Visiting Scholar & Visiting Professor Award, Taiwan. Host: School of Public Health, National Defense Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan.
2023 — Erasmus+ Mobility for Teaching Award, Tallinn University Haapsalu College & School of Governance, Law and Society, Estonia.
2023 — Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America (FGSA).
2022 — Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).
2022 — National Science and Technology Council Visiting Professor, School of Public Health, National Defense Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan. Conducted intensive workshops on Introduction to Mixed Methods Research and Advanced Mixed Methods Research.
2020 — Teaching Incentive Program (TIP) Award, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.
2020 — Research Incentive Award (RIA), University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.
2019–2024 — Fulbright Specialist, Fulbright Specialist Program, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. International teaching, research, workshops, and consultation, including Mixed Methods Research Workshops and Consultation at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
International & Professional Service
2026–present Fulbright Distinguished Chair Program Alumni Evaluator, Fulbright Finland Foundation, Helsinki, Finland.
2026 Symposium Chair, Moderator & Speaker, International Webinar on Global Dementia Prevention, featuring international experts from the World-Wide FINGERS network; International Comparisons of Healthy Aging (ICoHA) Interest Group, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
2024–present Co-Lead, International Working Group on Digital Tool Utilization & Development, World-Wide FINGERS Projects, Brain Research Unit, University of Eastern Finland.
2024–present Mixed Methods Expert Consultant, international digital health and healthy aging initiatives, University of Eastern Finland, including digital tools for family caregivers and the Family FINGER digitalization project.
2025–present Chair, ICoHA Professional Excellence Award Selection Committee, International Comparisons of Healthy Aging (ICoHA) Interest Group, GSA.
2024–present Chair, ICoHA Student Award Selection Committee, International Comparisons of Healthy Aging (ICoHA) Interest Group, GSA.
2024–present GSA Mentor, Mini-Mentoring Program, Gerontological Society of America.
2024–present Fulbright Distinguished Chair Program Expert Evaluator, Fulbright Finland Foundation, Helsinki, Finland.
2024–2026 GSA-SRPP Fellow Review Panel, Gerontological Society of America.
2023–present Global Aging Expert/Consultant, Healthy Aging and Long-Term Care Quality Improvement Projects, Yunlin County and Taoyuan City Governments, Taiwan.
2020–present Founding Co-Convener, International Comparisons of Healthy Aging (ICoHA) Interest Group, Gerontological Society of America.
2020–present Member, Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA).
National & Professional Service
2024–present Editorial Board Member, Journal of Health Administration and Education (JHAE).
2024 Best Paper Selection Committee, Journal of Health Administration and Education (JHAE), Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA).
2024–present External Promotion & Tenure Reviewer, health and public health programs at U.S. universities.
2023–present Invited Reviewer & Expert Consultant, mixed methods research, aging, and public health, including academic book proposals and research projects.
2023 FACHE Recommender, American College of Healthcare Executives.
2015 & 2016 CPH Exam Item Writer & Reviewer, National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE), Washington, D.C.
2011 & 2014 CPH Online Study Guide Item Writer, Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH).
2022–2024 Board of Directors, Southern Gerontological Society.
UCF & Community Service
2026–present Member, SGHMI Global Initiatives Committee, UCF.
2026–present Member, SGHMI Service Council, UCF.
2026–present Member, SGHMI MPH Concentration Committee, UCF.
2025–present Member, MPH Program Planning Committee, College of Health Professions and Sciences, UCF.
2024–2025 Co-Lead, UCF Faculty Wellness Survey Project, TTEC Wellness Steering Subcommittee, Faculty Excellence, UCF.
2024–2025 Inaugural Community Engaged Scholarship Faculty Advocate, UCF Downtown.
2022–2026 Point of Contact, CCIE International Agreements, Partnerships & Study Abroad, UCF.
2022–2023 Chair, SGHMI Promotion & Tenure/CPE Review Committee, UCF.
2021–2023 Member, UCF Abroad Faculty Advisory Committee.
2020–present Member, Population Health Collaborative Council, UCF College of Medicine.
2019 Co-Chair, Department Matters (Leadership, Collegiality, Quality & Engagement) Subcommittee, COACHE Strategic Planning Committee, Faculty Excellence, UCF.
2017–2019 COHPA/CCIE Representative, University Promotion & Tenure Committee, UCF.
2017–present Director, Board of Directors, Chinese American Scholars and Professionals Association of Florida (CASPAF).
2013–2014 President, Chinese-American Academic and Professional Association in Southeastern United States (CAPASUS); continues to serve in organizational leadership team.
UCF Professor Awarded Fulbright Grant to Conduct Brain Health Research in Finland
As a Fulbright Program Distinguished Chair award recipient, Su-I Hou will lend her expertise to a research project that aims to slow cognitive decline.
Global Health Management and Informatics Professor Awarded Gerontological Society Fellowship
Su-I Hou recently received fellow status recognition from the Gerontological Society of America for her dedication to international research on aging. Su-I Hou’s commitment to research on aging and helping...
UCF Professor Travels to Israel for Fulbright Specialist Award
The global exchange honor provides College of Community Innovation and Education Professor Su-I Hou an opportunity to share and expand her research on healthy aging.
UCF Global Health Management and Informatics Professor Becomes American College of Healthcare Executives Fellow
Su-I Hou is now a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Su-I Hou, founding director and professor in the School of Global Health Management and Informatics, recently earned status...
UCF Receives Association of University Programs in Health Administration Engagement Award
School of Global Health Management and Informatics faculty members, including Director Su-I Hou, accepted the award during AUPHA’s annual conference June 7 through 9. The Association of University Programs in...
