Name: Matthew W. Carlson
Job Title: Program Evaluator
Where do you hail from: Hard to say as I was an Air Force brat and moved around a lot growing up. Born in Florida. Grew up mostly in Kentucky. Just moved here from Georgia. I guess “south-east” is most accurate.
What is it they say you do: I spend most of my time figuring out what my job is and asking Kate Hazen what I should do next. They say I am the lead program evaluator for the NRPVYC grant. Don’t ask me what the acronym stands for just yet.
Who are your early influences/who inspired you most: Watching my father overcome some difficult life circumstances during my adolescence and now be thriving as a grandfather has probably been the most impactful thing in my life. That and listening to lots of heavy metal bands.
What has been your greatest source of career satisfaction/proudest achievement: Getting a job! But other than that, I would probably say that being awarded a dissertation completion fellowship which helped my wife and I transition to parenthood without me having to work full-time as a clinician while completing my dissertation.
What has been an unexpected detour/ greatest frustration/disappointment: I was awarded a small grant to collect data for my dissertation and my original idea didn’t pan out. Had to revamp my whole project about halfway through my last year as a grad student at the University of Georgia. It was a good lesson in learning to roll with the punches and being ok with putting a “perfect vision” on the shelf to attend to more important issues (e.g., graduating!).
What is your passion/what you are drawn to/what motivates you/where do you hope to be in five years: As a scientist-practitioner, I am passionate about the intersections between developmental science and preventative interventions. I am a pragmatist and see scientific discovery as a tool best used to benefit the lives of at-risk children and families. I would like to continue to put my mind to use as an “empowerer and equipper” of those who are doing the tough intervention work on the ground. Also, I love scientific work on the crossover between the body and the mind (e.g., autonomic nervous system), and generally love stats especially when I get strong but non-intuitive findings that I have to stretch my mind to understand.
Family life/hobbies /community involvement: I am married to Stephanie Carlson and we have a son whose name is Leroy. We have two dogs, Luke Skywalker and Walker Texas Ranger (not a joke). When I’m not juggling Leroy or playing with the dogs, I’m probably exercising (e.g., yard work, biking, CrossFit) or outside watching the world turn. My wife and I also have some interest in non-profit work, though that has largely gone on the wayside following the birth of Leroy.
The quotation I live my life by is......In my master’s program, I used to walk by an inspirational poster on my way to the therapy clinic where I was doing my clinical internship. The poster was a picture of a farmer looking at newly plowed soil. There was a quotation that read something to the effect of “Did you produce more than you consumed today?” I wouldn’t say it’s the main mantra of my life but it is one that I meditate on frequently. I think trying to conceptualize the value that we could have to those around us and the world in general if we fully applied ourselves is a fruitful pursuit, though should be tempered with a dose of unconditional positive self-regard. I’ve gone back and forth on the balance of the two and probably will continue to do so.