Prof. Rainbow T. H. Ho is a Professor at the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). She is also the Director of the Centre on Behavioral Health (CBH) and the Program Director of the Master of Social Sciences (Behavioral Health) and Master of Expressive Arts Therapy. Prof. Ho’s impressive academic career includes degrees in Biology, Anatomy, Social Work, and Social Administration, as well as professional diplomas and credentials in performing arts, expressive arts therapy, dance movement therapy, somatic movement therapy, movement analysis, group psychotherapy, and addiction counseling.
   
   Prof. Ho’s world-leading research on creative and expressive arts therapy, psychophysiology, and mind-body practices for healthy and clinical populations has earned her numerous research grants and publications in refereed academic journals, scholarly books, and encyclopedias. In addition to her academic work, Prof. Ho is involved in many community projects, working with art museums, community centers, government, and non-government organizations to promote arts and holistic health practices for the community’s well-being.
   
   Prof. Ho has received many awards, including the Outstanding Achievement Award and Research Award from the American Dance Therapy Association, the Research and Development Award from Australia, New Zealand, and Asia Arts Therapy Association, and the Outstanding Teaching Award, Social Sciences Outstanding Research Output Award, Knowledge Exchange Award, and Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award from the University of Hong Kong.
   
   In 2023, Prof. Ho joined the WHO Jameel Arts and Health Lab and the International Creative Arts Therapy Research Alliance as a steering committee member and researcher.

Competitive Research Grants as PI:

1. RGC/GRF/HKU/1760121: Enhancing Mother-Child Ties and Psychosocial Wellness through Arts: A Mixed Methods Study on Dyadic Expressive arts-based Intervention for Children with Intellectual Disability and their Mothers. HK$883,755. 2022.1-2025.12.
2. RGC/CRF/HKU/C7151-20G: (Co-PI) Suicide Prevention during COVID-19 HK$2,992,917. 2021.3-2023.8.
3. RGC/GRF/HKU/17609417: The Psycho-physiological & Social-Spiritual Effects of Expressive Arts-based Intervention on Young and Pre-elderly Stroke Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Study HK$781,300. 2017.7-2020.12.
4. RGC/GRF/HKU/17611615: Starting from the Mind or the Body in Mind-Body Intervention? A Randomized Controlled Trial on Comparative Effectiveness of Mindfulness Meditation and Qigong on Psychophysiological Outcomes in Colorectal Cancer Patients HK$ 615,800. 2016.1-2018.12.
5. RGC/GRF/HKU/17402714: The Psychophysiological Effects of Dance movement-based Intervention on Elderly with Early Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial HK$843,412, 2015.1-2017.12

Competitive Research Grants as Co-I:

1. BMS Wellness Buddy (Ambassador Training) project. Robert H.N. Ho Foundation Limited. HK$505,284. 2020.5-2021.4.
2. Program Evaluation on Arts-based Support Service for Children with Special Education Needs. The Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong (BGCA). HK$800,000. 2019.5-2022.4.
3. From addiction to creation: Project on using creative arts for drug use prevention and young adult drug users empowerment (Project “CAPE”), HK$2,619,778. 2019.6.1-2021.5.31
4. Expressive Arts in Life and Death Education: Education and Innovation. The Chinese Permanent Cemeteries. 2019-2020. HK$425,000.
5. Mindfulness for Resilience Building in Clinical and Non-Clinical Staff Program at the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital. The D.H.Chen Foundation. HK$1,348,204, 2018.7-2020.6.
6. Expressive Arts-based Intervention for Helping Community-Dwelling Depressed Elders. Keswick Foundation, HK$2,803,938.7. 2017.5-2020.4.
7. Art-Essence: An arts-based empowerment programme for school children with special education needs and their teachers. Collaborative work with Sovereign Art Foundation; funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club charity fund, HK$2,110,000. 2017.7-2020.8.