Research Associate Professor of Sociology,The University of Texas at Austin
Matt S. Giani, Ph.D.
I study how to make students' educational pathways more equitable, effective, and efficient — and work to translate those insights into policy and practice.
I'm a Research Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. Most of my work examines how U.S. education systems — high schools, community colleges, and four-year universities — can do a better job of serving students from underrepresented backgrounds, with a particular focus on dual enrollment, career and technical education, industry-recognized credentials, and transfer pathways.
Across research, writing, and consulting, my goal is the same: translate evidence into something policymakers and practitioners can actually use. I've led or co-led more than $10M in funded research from sponsors including NSF, the Gates Foundation, Arnold Ventures, the Spencer Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences. More about my background →
Featured project
TX Cap Map
An interactive map exploring college access, attainment, and outcomes across Texas — built to make patterns of inequity visible at a glance and to ground policy conversations in shared evidence.
Get in touch
Whether you're a journalist on a story, a foundation thinking about a study, a policymaker working on a problem, or a fellow researcher — I'd be glad to hear from you.
For university business, you can also email matt.giani@austin.utexas.edu.