Researcher biography

Matthias holds Master degrees in Sociology (University of Leipzig, Germany, 1998), and Social Planning and Development (University of Queensland, 2003). Between 2005 and 2008 he worked as a Research Officer in the then UQ Social Research Centre on the 2006 PhD Graduate Survey (funded by the Higher Education Innovation Programme), and on contract research for clients predominantly from the public sector. Matthias continued the latter type of work at the Office of Economic and Statistical Research (2008-2010), a portfolio office within Queensland Treasury, where he provided demographic and survey services to Queensland Government agencies.

He was the project manager and the project lead for two rounds of the omnibus Queensland Household Surveys in 2009/10, spent a year as a Senior Data Analyst in Queensland Disability Services and worked as Principal Advisor for the Queensland Public Service Commission where a focal point of his work was on workplace climate and organisational performance. Matthias returned to UQ in 2015 to work as a Research Analyst in the area of the student experience and student retention. He joined ISSR's Education and Disadvantage Research Group in 2016.

Matthias has considerable experience in translating client information needs into effective methodological and reporting processes, and in applying survey methodologies in the context of assessing needs or impacts, evaluating outcomes or generating new insights.

Research interests

  • Survey design
  • Student retention in higher education
  • Employment outcomes after formal education
  • Employee engagement and organisational performance