# Q&A with Matthew Linick, Cohort 6 SDP Fellow Alumnus October 08, 2025 - [ Blog ](/news-categories/blog) ![Matthew Linick](/sites/g/files/omnuum4446/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2025-10/Matt%20Linick%20%281%29.png?itok=uSOzOG9N) Matthew (Matt) Linick, Ph.D., Senior Fellow for NORC at the University of Chicago, works with schools, districts, and state education agencies as they navigate change and implement practices and structures. Through research, evaluation, coaching, and facilitation, Dr. Linick supports his team’s efforts to provide evidence, insights, and technical assistance to educators and program providers across the education landscape. With a specific focus on facilitating the use of evidence in policy and practice, he is committed to pursuing success for all learners. Dr. Linick brings forth over 20 years of experience in education, working in a variety of communities and contexts. He has served as a teacher, researcher, leader, and coach in classrooms, universities, district administrative offices, state education agencies, and research firms. This experience includes serving as principal investigator on multiple federally funded research projects, panel reviewer for NSF and IES grant proposals, and board member of the governing board for multiple education and education research nonprofits like REL Midwest, Knowledge Alliance, and Planting Seeds International. He has also taught at the secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Dr. Linick holds an M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership and a B.A. in English Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago, along with a Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After earning his Ph.D., he served as a fellow on the Forum of the Future of Public Education at the University of Illinois and completed the Strategic Data Fellowship at the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University. **What drew you to the SDP Fellowship? What did you do prior to the SDP Fellowship? How did you get started in the education data/policy field?** After finishing my PhD in education policy, I worked at an education research firm. I was excited for an opportunity to take the skills I was using in the private sector and bring them directly to a school district. **What is the most memorable or impactful moment or experience from your time as an SDP Fellow?** Another SDP Fellow and I presented to the district's senior leadership team on the relationship between absenteeism and various outcomes. The data (presented in a new way for the team) was so impactful that that very same day, the superintendent approved a major internal investment and policy shift to address student absenteeism. Seeing our work inform major decisions so quickly has been one of the most impactful moments of my career. **Tell us about your current job.** I am a Senior Fellow at NORC. I oversee and advise teams of researchers across many different projects ranging in size and scope. I also spend a lot of time developing partnerships with other organizations and crafting proposals for contracts and grants. **What skills did you gain from your time as an SDP Fellow that you find helpful in your current role?** My time in has SDP critically informed every role I've had since the fellowship. From technical research and analytic skills to the social/leadership skills SDP is the reason I have had the successes I have. **What advice would you give for prospective SDP Fellows? What would you say to encourage prospective applicants to apply?** I would encourage prospective applicants to apply if they are seeking opportunities to do applied, real-time research and analytics, and if they want opportunities to inform policies and practices that directly affect students and communities. **When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?** When I was a child there were two things I wanted to be when I grew up: play second base for the Chicago Cubs or He-Man. **Please feel free to share anything else relevant or any other fun facts about yourself.** I spend almost all of my time working or entertaining my daughter. In my free time I enjoy baking sourdough and gaming. See also:- [ 2025 - 2027 Alumni Advisory Board ](/tags/2025-2027-alumni-advisory-board) - [ Alumni Advisory Board ](/news/alumni-advisory-board) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)