Dr Sandra Matz

Sandra Matz is the David W. Zalaznick Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School in New York.

She is interested in the role of psychological characteristics in a number of business-related domains (e.g. marketing or management). More specifically, her research combines traditional experimental methods with Big Data analytics to study how psychological characteristics influence real-life outcomes such as financial well-being, consumer satisfaction or team performance,  and how such insights can be used to help businesses and individuals make better decisions.

Sandra completed her PhD at the Psychometrics Centre, in the University of Cambridge Department of Psychology in July 2017. She was funded by the German National Academic Foundation which is Germany’s largest and most prestigious funding body. Prior to that, Sandra graduated from the University in Freiburg (Germany) with a 1st Class honours degree in Psychology (BSc) in 2013. 

Combining a strong background in methods and statistics with an interest in real-life business needs, her research applies fundamental psychological theory to business contexts. Working with companies around the world, she currently investigates the potential of using predictions of individual differences (mainly personality) from digital footprints in digital marketing and recruitment.

Sandra has been awarded the Data IQ New Talent Award for her investigations into how the 'Big Five' personality dimensions can be used to increase the effectiveness of digital advertising campaigns on Facebook.  In 2015 and 2016, she was named as one of the DataIQ 100 most influential people in data driven marketing. She was also named as one of the 30 top thinkers under 30 by the Pacific Standard Magazine that recognizes young men and women predicted to have a serious impact on the social, political, and economic issues.

Sandra is fluent in German (mother tongue) and English and has a fair knowledge of French, Italian and Spanish. She loves playing tennis, climbing and travelling.

More information is available on Sandra's website.