Dr. Matthews, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Gifted Education Program of the Department of Special Education.

Dr. Matthews received his B.A. in Chemistry, with a minor in Anthropology, magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he was a William E. Brock Scholar and member of the University Honors Program. His M.A. in Anthropology (Archaeology) is from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. After studying for a teaching certificate in secondary science, Dr. Matthews taught science at a public high school in north Georgia. In 2002 Dr. Matthews received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Gifted and Creative Education from the University of Georgia.

At USF Dr. Matthews teaches in the online gifted education program, which offers a graduate certificate and Master's degree program in gifted education. Dr. Matthews' research interests address issues related to cultural and linguistic diversity in gifted education. He also is interested in talent search programs, youth leadership, science learning, and underachievement among gifted learners. Prior to his current position, he served as Research Fellow at the Duke University Talent Identification Program. In addition to teaching a variety of primary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate, and adult students, Dr. Matthews has been an archaeologist and an environmental chemist.

Dr. Matthews' Vita (PDF)