Our Scholars
We are the leading action research collective in Mattering-Centered Education — bringing together global experts across disciplines to transform education through applied research and a deep, unwavering commitment to social change.
Putting the scholarship of mattering in action.
Founder, Mattering-Centered Education Research Collaborative; Faculty, NYU; Historian of Education; Co-Founder, Mattering Movement; Founder, Mattering in Action Dr. Sarah Bennison
I am a scholar-activist whose work bridges intellectual rigor and social change, My research focuses on the history of education, achievement culture, pedagogy, and curriculum design. I have developed thought-leading service learning and social impact programs in schools and speaks to schools and universities across the United States. Her new course at NYU — Achievement Culture & the American Dream: Who Matters?
Professor of Counseling, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Head, NTNU WellFare Nordic Research Center for Wellbeing and Social Sustainability; Advisor to World Health Organization
Dr. Ottar Ness
My research explores how conditions of fairness and experiences of mattering — relate to well-being ill-being, mental health and health outcomes, and how these dynamics shape individuals’ lives and society at personal, relational, collective, and structural level.
Dr. Rabiya Karamali
Researcher & Curriculum Designer; Ed.D., Community Leadership, University of Miami; MAPP, University of Pennsylvania; Creator of The Mattering Lab, Psychology TodayMy research focuses on curriculum and program design for belonging, resilience, and well-being; positive psychology applied to education; mattering as a foundational condition for learning; equity and inclusion for marginalized youth..
Dr. Katherine Long
Research and Evaluation Consultant; M.Ed., Harvard, Psychology; Ph.D., Fordham, Developmental & Child Psychology My work focuses on quantitative and qualitative research design and evaluation; survey design, focus groups, and in-depth interviews; early childhood development..
Dr. Dina von Heimburg
Professor of Counseling, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Head, NTNU WellFare Nordic Research Center for Wellbeing and Social SustainabilityMy research focuses on the intersection of fairness, mattering, and wellbeing across ecological levels — personal, relational, and collective. Specialist in early childhood education and development, with deep expertise in how mattering is formed in the earliest years of learning and community life. Leads the Collaborative’s early childhood research focus..
Dr. Leyla Eghbalzad
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Oxford College of Emory University; PhD, Developmental Psychology with focus in Cognitive Neuroscience, Georgia State University; Postdoctoral Training, Emory University School of Medicine (Grady Trauma Project)My research broadly focuses on the impact of experience, as related to various indicators of socioeconomic adversity and trauma, on the neural mechanisms underlying early cognitive development.
Dr. Jenny Caruso
Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; EdD, Health Education, Teachers College, Columbia University; National Center for School Safety; Rockefeller Institute of Government; Adjunct Professor, Adelphi University; former K–12 teacher, the Bronx, NYC
I work at the intersection of education and public health to translate research into practical, prevention-oriented approaches to school safety. My work is grounded in trauma-informed practice and focuses on how relationships, school environments, and educator practices shape students' well-being and development.
Jenna Nichols
PhD student, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE), and a Research Fellow at the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE)My research interests focus on curriculum policy, teacher agency, and program evaluation in K-12 public schools. I use longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches to capture the nuances of program implementation and practitioner experience. My current projects include qualitative and mixed-methods evaluations of principal coaching, college- and career-readiness programs, and district curriculum initiatives.