KAT LAB

Associate Professor | Director of Research

Michael Kranak, Ph.D., BCBA-D is an associate professor and the director of research for the Center for Autism at Oakland University. Prior to joining Oakland University, he was a researcher and clinician at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He earned his Ph.D. in psychology and behavior analysis from Western Michigan University, M.A. in special education and applied behavior analysis from The Ohio State University, and B.A. in psychology from West Virginia University.

His research interests include applied and translational investigations of relapse, the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, supervision best practices and protection of the profession of behavior analysis. Dr. Kranak has accrued nearly $2 million in funding for his research and clinical endeavors, including from the NIH. He has repeatedly served as an NIH review panel member for the Child Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities study section. Dr. Kranak received the 2026 B. F. Skinner New Researcher Award in the area of applied research, recognizing the contributions his lab and colleagues have made, especially related to severe problem behavior.

Additionally, Dr. Kranak is an associate editor for Behavior Analysis in Practice, Education and Treatment of Children, and the American Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; and currently serves on the Board of Editors for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, and as an ad hoc reviewer for several other journals. He is the current treasurer for and a core committee member of the Severe Behavior Consortium of Michigan, where he also serves as the conference committee chair. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, working out, cooking and golfing, and is an avid Pittsburgh sports fan.

Graduate Research Associate

Calen is a second-year graduate student in the Applied Behavior Analysis program at Oakland University, conducting translational research under Dr. Kranak. She graduated from Central Michigan University in spring of 2025 with a dual degree in special education and elementary education. Calen discovered her passion for working with individuals with disabilities at a young age. She has been involved in many extracurricular activities — such as the Special Olympics, the Miracle League and Best Buddies — as well as multiple clubs throughout grade school, including LINKS and Student to Student, where she helped plan and facilitate inclusive community events for individuals with disabilities. After her time at OU, she plans to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and has dreams of positively impacting many lives of children with autism.

Graduate Research Associate

Kaitlyn is a second-year master’s student in the Applied Behavior Analysis rogram at Oakland University working under the mentorship of Dr. Kranak. She earned her B.S. in psychology from Central Michigan University in 2024, with an emphasis in behavior analysis. She discovered her passion for behavior analysis while interning at an autism clinic when she was 17 years old. Since then, she has worked as a behavior technician and conducted research on the intersection of autism and religion. Her current professional interests focus on improving treatments for problem behavior, the current dissemination landscape in behavior analysis and the impact of social media on the field and profession.

KAT Lab Cats

Kolbe and Pio are three-year-old Domestic Short Hairs and the mascots of the KAT Lab. They enjoy playing, attending Zoom meetings, walking on keyboards, napping, and listening to the human members of the KAT Lab discuss behavior-analytic research and clinical cases.

Project Coordinator

Meredith is a project coordinator in the KAT Lab, where she helps supervise a multi-site clinical trial, as well as other research projects. She earned her M.Ed. from Oakland University with a Concentration in ABA under the mentorship of Dr. Kranak. She earned her B.S. in Health and Exercise Science from Oakland University in 2020. Her behavioral experience began in school settings, and she has worked in various clinical settings as a registered behavior technician. Her current research and professional interests include improving behavioral treatments for problem behavior through translational research, incorporation of quantitative models and evaluating the social validity of behavior-analytic assessments.

KAT Lab Cat Emeritus (2018–23)

Murray was a four-year-old Tabby and the inaugural mascot of the KAT Lab. He enjoyed sleeping, watching birdies out the window, and listening to the human members of the KAT Lab discuss research.