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Mathi Manavalan

@mathimanavalan

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Cognitive scientist and research psychologist turning behavioral data into actionable design and product insights.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I’m seeking roles where I can lead mixed-methods research, collaborate with product and design teams, and translate behavioral data into actionable, user-centered solutions.

I am a cognitive scientist and research psychologist who designs and runs mixed-methods studies to translate behavioral and clinical data into clear, actionable insights for products and built environments.

Across industry and academia I’ve led end-to-end research — recruiting 150+ participants, programming behavioral tasks (MATLAB), cleaning and analyzing large datasets in R, and presenting findings to senior stakeholders to inform design and policy.

I collaborate with cross-functional teams, mentor research assistants, and deliver usable recommendations and visualizations that improve user experience, operational workflows, and product accessibility.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Doctoral Researcher

University of Minnesota

Aug 2019 - May 2025 (5 years 9 months)

Led end-to-end research on multisensory decision-making with 150+ participants, designed MATLAB behavioral tasks, conducted advanced analyses in R (Bayesian, regressions, ANOVA), and mentored 7+ research assistants to increase data collection by 50%.

R Matlab Experimental Design Ggplot2 Data Visualization Mentoring

Brain and Building Design Research Intern

HKS, Inc.

May 2023 - Aug 2023 (3 months)

Designed and executed mixed-methods user research on workplace environments, conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses in R, and delivered actionable design recommendations that improved user experience and engagement.

R Ggplot2 Usability Testing

Research Psychologist Intern

TSA Headquarters

May 2022 - Aug 2022 (3 months)

Developed research questions, cleaned and analyzed large datasets (ANOVAs, regressions, t-tests) to evaluate officer performance and system usability, and presented data-driven recommendations to senior leadership to inform policy and product improvements.

Data Cleaning R ANOVA regression Data Visualization Policy Impact

Research Assistant

University of Washington

Jul 2018 - Jul 2019 (1 year)

Collected EEG and behavioral data to test reinforcement learning models and co-authored conference presentations communicating empirical findings.

EEG Data Collection Matlab Data Analysis Presentation

Technology / Software Developer Intern

Liberty Mutual

Jul 2017 - Sep 2017 (2 months)

Built front-end web interfaces within an agile team, partnering with engineers to deliver accessible, user-friendly UI improvements.

HTML CSS JavaScript Agile Accessibility UI Design Collaboration

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Doctor of Philosophy, Psychology (Cognitive and Brain Sciences)

Activities and societies: Led lab projects, trained and managed research assistants, published and presented findings.

Doctoral research in Cognitive and Brain Sciences focused on multisensory decision-making under uncertainty, including study design, data collection (150+ participants), analysis, and dissemination.

University of Washington

Bachelor of Science; Bachelor of Arts, Informatics / Psychology

Activities and societies: Undergraduate research assistant, collected EEG and behavioral data, co-authored conference presentations.

Completed dual undergraduate degrees combining technical and behavioral studies, focusing on informatics and psychology coursework and research experience.