Sandra Matz

Sandra Matz is the David W. Zalaznick Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School.34 She is a computational social scientist who studies human behavior and preferences using Big Data analytics and traditional experimental methods.23

Matz received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Cambridge in 2017.12 She joined Columbia Business School as an Assistant Professor of Management in July 2017 and was promoted to Associate Professor in July 2020.12

Her research focuses on understanding how psychological characteristics influence real-life outcomes in business-related domains such as financial well-being, consumer satisfaction, and team performance.34 Matz combines methodologies from psychology and computer science, including machine learning, experimental designs, online surveys, and field studies.4

Matz has received several awards, including being named one of the Poets & Quants 40 under 40 Business School Professors in 2021.35 She was also recognized as one of the 30 top thinkers under 30 by Pacific Standard Magazine in 2016.2

As a first-generation college student, Matz has made significant contributions to her field, with her work published in top-tier journals and attracting worldwide media attention.45 She is also a frequent keynote speaker for businesses and institutions, including Microsoft, Trivago, and the European Commission.4