Mathews received his Ph.D. at The University of Wisconsin—Madison in Educational Psychology and teaches courses in research methods, developmental psychology and psychology of adolescence. His research interests center around development of critical thinking across adolescence and emerging adulthood and across cultures, risk reduction among high risk adolescents, and community engagement in support of high risk youth. Mathews’ experience in community participatory research includes a formative evaluation of a Community Managed Educational program in Naryn Oblast, Republic of Kyrgyzstan sponsored by UNICEF.