Sandra Matz

Sandra Matz is the Lulu Chow Wang Professor of Business at Columbia Business School and the author of "Mindmasters." As a computational social scientist with expertise in psychology and computer science, Matz examines human behavior by analyzing the connections between digital footprints and psychological processes. She serves as co-director of the Advanced Technology and Human Performance Lab and principal investigator of the ELEVATE Lab for Human Flourishing in the Age of AI.

Matz's research integrates experimental methods with big data analytics to investigate how psychological characteristics impact outcomes such as financial well-being, consumer satisfaction, and team performance. Her work explores how these insights can inform decision-making for businesses and individuals. Matz has published more than 50 academic papers in leading peer-reviewed journals, and her research has been featured by major news outlets, including The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Business Insider. Additional media coverage includes BBC, CNBC, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and World Economic Forum.

In "Mindmasters," Matz discusses how big data reveals insights into psychological processes and the implications for privacy, manipulation, and mental health. The book, published by Harvard Business Review Press, has been reviewed by Science magazine, which noted that Matz presents a clear and compelling case for understanding the risks of data-driven psychological targeting.

Matz collaborates with businesses globally and frequently delivers keynote presentations for organizations such as Microsoft, Trivago, and the European Commission. She shares her findings with business leaders, policymakers, and the public through op-eds, keynote speeches, podcasts, television appearances, and consulting. Matz has received recognition for her research and teaching, including the SAGE Early Career Trajectory Award for social and personality psychologists, Poets and Quants Best 40-Under-40 MBA professors, Capital Magazine Young Elite Top 40 Under 40, World Frontiers Forum Young Pioneers, Pacific Standard Magazine Top 30 Thinkers Under 30, and DataIQ 100 Most Influential People in Data-Driven Marketing.