Campus: Norman
Email: patricklai@ou.edu
Education:
PhD in Social Work, Boston College
MSW, University of Michigan
BSW, University of Hong Kong
Dr. Patrick Ho Lam Lai is an Assistant Professor at the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work at the University of Oklahoma. His research examines how cultural and socioeconomic factors shape volunteering, employment, and social participation among older adults, informing pathways to a healthy, meaningful, and fulfilling later life. His broader research interests include productive aging, cross-cultural gerontology, ageism, intergenerational theory and practice, workplace equity, Asian health disparities, psychotherapy, and technology-supported mental health and aging services. He is currently leading a National Science Foundation ART: InTRO Scoping Translational Research Project on AI-supported telehealth simulation for behavioral health workforce training in Oklahoma.
As a Licensed Certified Social Worker in Massachusetts and a Registered Social Worker in Hong Kong, Dr. Lai brings more than a decade of international social work practice experience to his teaching and research. His work draws on cultural concepts such as the Japanese idea of ikigai and the Chinese value of filial piety to guide culturally responsive practices and policies that support aging populations.
Research Interests
Productive and social engagement in later life
Cross-cultural gerontology
Ageism
Intergenerational theory and practice
Workplace equity
Asian health disparities
Psychotherapy
Technology-supported mental health and aging services
Teaching Interests
Human Lifespan Development
Professional Social Work
Program Evaluation
Research Methods
