Hello!

I'm Matt! Thanks for visiting my site.

A Master of Social Work candidate at Saint Leo University, I utilize diverse applications of psychological and social science to foster human growth and connection.

As a researcher and thinker (see my publication list below), I am interested in a number of areas. First, I am highly curious about the human side of meteorology and human-weather-environment interactions. This includes scholarship on weather salience and sensitivity; the effects of weather and the environment on mental health; individual differences in response to dangerous weather situations; the use of color in weather communication; weather learning; and the psychology of meteorologists, among other topics. Another body of research investigates prejudice and stigma. I am interested, as well, in wider mental health; the psychology of science; person-centered approaches to learning and psychotherapy; and elements of prosociality like empathy and altruism.

At present, since August 2022, I am an adjunct professor of psychology at Saint Leo University.
Since April of 2021, I have volunteered with Crisis Text Line.

I have been involved with professional meteorology since my first year of high school. Although not as active in that work now, I am passionate about weather learning-facilitation and for about a decade was heavily involved with nationwide weather learning and education efforts. This included weather camp-related and other work with How The Weatherworks, and I also mentored nearly a dozen motivated, weather-interested middle and high school students.

I am a past President of the West Central Florida Chapter of the American Meteorological Society (2020-2022), was a founding member of the National Weather Association's Diversity Committee (2016, on which I served through 2021); was a student member of the NWA Professional Development (2013-2020); am an award-winning speaker and researcher, and was an American Meteorological Society Graduate Fellow (2020-2021). I am a member of the Center for Studies of the Person and webmaster for the Person-Centered Psychotherapy Academy.

Education

Experience and intensive self-study in meteorology. Training in psychology, clinical social work, multimedia.

  • Master of Social Work, Clinical Concentration
  • Saint Leo University, expected July 2025
    Faculty mentor: Elizabeth Ruegg, LCSW
  • Master of Science, Psychology
    Thesis: Weather on the brain II: A preliminary quantification of the need to think about weather through the development and initial validation of the Need for Cognition about Weather Scale
  • Saint Leo University, December 2021
    Co-supervisors
    Lara K. Ault, PhD
    Keith Burton, PhD
  • Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Cum Laude
    Senior thesis: Diagnostic Disclosure Increases Positivity Toward Autistic Individuals
  • Saint Leo University, June 2019
    Supervisor: Lara K. Ault, PhD
  • Associate of Arts, General Studies
    Minor: Multimedia Management
  • Pasco-Hernando State College, December 2015
    Supervisor: H. Michael Mogil, CCM, DMS (meteorologist)

    • Proficient Technical Skills

  • Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop
  • Audio production (Adobe Audition, Audacity)
  • Canon DSLR and Sony mirrorless photograpy
  • Canva image creator
  • Copy-editing and technical writing
  • HTML and CSS coding
  • JASP, Jamovi, and IBM SPSS statistical programs
  • Microsoft Office suite
  • Research design
  • Social media management
  • Qualtrics survey platform
  • Video production (Adobe Premiere, Open Shot)
  • Weather radar analysis
  • Wordpress content management system

    • Working Knowledge

  • Javascript web coding
  • PHP web coding
  • Python for statistical analysis
  • R for statistical analysis

Publications

*indicates high school student mentee | **indicates college-level student mentee
my authorship underlined

Books

  • Bolton, M. J. (2022). A journey to the intersection of psychology and meteorology: An exploration of weather’s human impacts. Revised edition. Self-published. Link
  • Bolton, M. J. (2021). A journey to the intersection of psychology and meteorology: An exploration of weather’s human impacts. Self-published.

2023

  1. Bolton, M. J. Digital weather information in an embodied world. Informatics, 10(1), 13. Link

    2. 2022

  2. Bolton, M. J. (in press). On the further de-centering of therapeutic neuro-normativity: Psychological contact to meet the needs of persons on the autism spectrum. The Person-Centered Journal.
  3. Bolton, M. J. (in press). De-centering neuro-normativity is an imperative in humanistic psychotherapy: Towards a neurodiversity-informed, person-centered approach. The Person-Centered Journal.
  4. Bolton, M. J., & Ault, L. K. A preliminary report on the measurement of a “global” weather curiosity: The Brief Epistemic Weather Curiosity Questionnaire (EWCQ-B) and implications for the measurement of weather curiosity. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  5. Ault, L. K., Vera, J., & Bolton, M. J. Emotional intelligence predicts accuracy of perceived emotional intent in email communication. Preprint, SocArxiv. Link
  6. Bolton, M. J., Ault, L. K., Burton, K., & Allen, D. R.* Developing and validating an individual difference questionnaire for the measurement of epistemic weather curiosity. Journal of Scientific Psychology, July, 1–18. Link
  7. Bolton, M. J., Ault, L. K., Burton, K., & Lazzaro, A. L.** Impostor syndrome and its association with adolescent experiences of parenting styles in general and two prototypically-high IS populations. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  8. Bolton, M. J., Haynie, H. V.,** Ault, L. K., Hanes, S. H., & Watt, M. C. Weather salience: A preliminary investigation into relationships with the big five personality traits, exposure to severe weather events, weather anxiety, and storm safety behaviors. Preprint, PsyArviv. Link
  9. Lazzaro, A. L.,** Bolton, M. J., & Kieffer, K. A brief report on amusement in college students: The positive effects of affiliative and self-enhancing humor styles on romantic relationship satisfaction and psychological wellbeing. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  10. Bolton, M. J., & Lazzaro, A. L.** Weather on the brain I: A theoretical view on needs to think about weather. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link

    11. 2021

  11. Bolton, M. J. On the turning away, part II: Combatting compassion fatigue in meteorology. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 21(11-12). Link
  12. Bolton, M. J. On the turning away, part I: Recognizing compassion fatigue in meteorology. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 21(10). Link
  13. Bolton, M. J., & Lazzaro, A. L.** “Lay beliefs about phobias” 25 years later: Conceptually replicating and extending Furnham (1995), on the treatment of phobias, in 2020. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  14. Bolton, M. J., Lazzaro, A. L.,** Ratliff, E.,** Ault, L. K., & Burton, K. “Lay beliefs about phobias” 25 years later: A 2020 conceptual replication and extension of Furnham (1995), on the development of phobias. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  15. Bolton, M. J., & Lazzaro, A. L.** Weather on the brain I: Some initial theorizing on the need to think about weather. Preprint, Psyarxiv. Link
  16. Stewart, A. E., & Bolton, M. J. Analogue weather in a digital world: On the value of integrating both the physical and the technological in day-to-day experiences of weather. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  17. Bolton, M. J., Ault, L. K., Burton, K., Allen, D. R.,* & Mogil, H. M. Measuring epistemic weather curiosity: Initial validation of a self-report, individual difference questionnaire. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  18. Huyck, K., Bolton, M. J., & Hanes, S. H. Applying hiring interview adjustments to benefit autistic and non-autistic job candidates in meteorology. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 21(4). Link
  19. Allen, D. R.,* Bolton, M. J., Ault, L. K., & Burton, K. So, you want to quantify weather curiosity? There’s a questionnaire for that! National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 21(3).
  20. Bolton, M. J., Mogil, H. M., & Hanes, S. H. Building bridges: On effective weather communication to, and with, vulnerable populations. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link

    21. 2020

  21. Bolton, M. J., Mogil, H. M., & Stewart, A. E. An interdisciplinary perspective on meteorological learning for humanistic psychotherapists facing Earth’s changing climate and everyday weather. The Person-Centered Journal, 25(1–2), 152–171. Link
  22. Bolton, M. J. Hello, neighbor: A process of person-centered mentorship inspired by Carl and Fred Rogers. The Person-Centered Journal, 25(1–2), 32–58. Link
  23. Bolton, M. J., Ault, L. K., & Meigs, S. D. “They think I’m amazing but won’t talk with me.” Neurotypical people are more cognitively than behaviorally positive towards their autistic friends. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  24. Bolton, M. J. Hello neighbor: Carl and Fred Rogers and a process of person-centered mentorship. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  25. Zhu, Y., & Bolton, M. J. West Central Florida AMS visits NOAA hurricane hunters. American Meteorological Society Local Chapter Affairs Newsletter, 10(1), 11. Link
  26. Bolton, M. J., Stewart, A. E, & Mogil, H. M. Using emotion-focused theories to understand how meteorologists cope with stress and traumatization in high-impact weather events. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 20(8).
  27. Allen, D. R.,* Bolton, M. J., Mogil, H. M., Ault, L. K., Toole, J., & Stewart, A. E. The “Jim Cantore Effect?” A preliminary test of individual difference-induced media effects upon hurricane evacuation decisions. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  28. Bolton, M. J., Stewart, A. E, & Mogil. H. M. An integrationist, meteorologist-oriented perspective on trauma and mental health coping. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  29. Bolton, M. J., & Ault, L. K. Weathering the storms: Workplace wellbeing, mental health, and the U.S. meteorologist. International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities, 12(1), 1-13. Link
  30. Hanes, S. H., & Bolton, M. J. Initial development of an autism-friendly SKYWARN® storm spotter program. U.S. National Weather Service NWS Insider newsletter, 1(2).
    (INVITED)
  31. Bolton, M. J., & Hanes, S. H. Improving prejudicial and stigmatized views towards autistic people in the weather enterprise. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 20(4).
  32. Bolton, M. J., Blumberg, W. G., Ault, L. K, Mogil, H. M., & Hanes, S. H. Initial evidence for increased weather salience in autism spectrum conditions. Weather, Climate, and Society, 12(2), 293–307. Link
  33. Bolton, M. J., Mogil, H. M., & Ault, L. K. An exploratory, preliminary report on United States weather education trends and general population links between weather salience and systemizing. Journal of Operational Meteorology, 8(4), 54–63. Link
  34. Bolton, M. J., & Mogil, H. M. The spirit of person-centered mentorship, in meteorology and life. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 101(1), 12-13. (INVITED)
  35. Hanes, S. H., & Bolton, M. J. Some notes on the development of an autism-accessible SKYWARN® storm spotter program. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 20(1). Link

    36. 2019

  36. Bolton, M. J., & Ault, L. K. A short discussion on meteorologists’ workplace wellbeing. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 19(12).
  37. Allen, D. R.,* Serré, A.,* & Bolton, M. J. A weather camp thank-you to NWA. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 19(10).
  38. Bolton, M. J. A plain-language primer on the theory of mind and empathizing-systemizing accounts of autism spectrum conditions. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  39. Bolton, M. J., & DePodwin, R. A. “So what if I’m not OK?” A discussion on meteorologists’ emotional wellbeing and healthy coping mechanisms for weather professionals in the face of mental health challenges. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link
  40. Mogil, H. M., & Bolton, M. J. Weather camps – where REAL mentoring happens! National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 19(4). Link
    (INVITED)
  41. Mogil, H. M., & Bolton, M. J. Meteorologists, mentors, and mentees – oh my! Learning opportunities are everywhere. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 19(2). Link
    (INVITED)
  42. Bolton, M. J., & Mogil, H. M. Helping others win, too: Mentorship in the meteorological community. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 19(1). Link (INVITED)
  43. Bolton, M. J., & Ault, L. K. Brief report: Exploring some aspects of social activism in the online autistic community. Preprint, PsyArxiv. Link

    44. 2018

  44. Bolton, M. J., Mogil, H. M., Harvey, G. T.,* & Ault, L. K. Rainfall estimation skill and links between weather salience and detail orientation. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 99(11), 2226–2227. Link
    (INVITED)
  45. Bolton, M. J. Social attitudes and empathy in the weather enterprise. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 18(7). Link
    (INVITED)
  46. Bolton, M. J., Ault, L. K., Greenberg, D. M., & Baron-Cohen, S. Exploring the human side of meteorology: A brief report on the psychology of meteorologists. Journal of Operational Meteorology, 6(3), 23–32. Link
  47. Bolton, M. J. With the silence of a thousand cries: Extremes of autistic advocacy. Disability & Society, 33(6), 980–984. Link
  48. Bolton, M. J., & Ault, L. K. Diagnosis disclosure increases positivity toward autistic individuals. Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research: Special Issue on Open Science, 23(3), 110–118. Link (Undergraduate thesis)

    49. 2012-2017

  49. Bolton, M. J., Blumberg, W. G., & Mogil, H. M. (2017). An analysis of the characteristics of autism spectrum conditions for application to weather communication methods in the weather enterprise. Preprint, OSF Preprints. Link
  50. Bolton, M. J. (2017). Social impairments in autism spectrum condition: A brief overview for meteorologists. National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 17(4), 7. (INVITED)
  51. Bolton, M. J. (2016). Diversity University: April is Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month! National Weather Association Monthly Newsletter, 16(4), 7.
    (INVITED)
  52. Roache, D., Collins, J. M., Mazza, C., & Bolton, M. (2012). Rainfall and severe weather influences in Pinellas County, Florida. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (Chapter Channel section), 93(5), 603–605.
    (Published as a high school senior)

Writing, Learning, and Community Facilitation

  • Personal Writing. I regularly publish a blog, Person-Centered Autistic, where I discuss what it's like to be multiply-neurodivergent--autistic and ADHD--in a neurotypical world; the nature of person-centeredness as I experience it; matters of social work and psychology; and other topics which are important to me.
  • Professional Writing. As part of my anti-oppressive scholarship I publish various position papers, editorials, and other writings. I am an advocate in the professional meteorology community, on the accessibility of weather products for color-blind individuals; autism stigma reduction; and other diversity topics.
  • Learning. I teach psychology and basic meteorology for middle and high school students on OutSchool. Recent and upcoming classes have centered around the basics of clouds; weather radar analysis; severe weather fundamentals; personality psychology; well-being and mindfulness; and the psychology of weather and climate.
  • Relational Activism. I believe in the power of relationships and community to foster change. I am active as a member of the Center for Studies of the Person in encounter groups, and I partake in other endeavors, such as crisis intervention, where meeting persons where they are at can serve to bring about change in their lives. I also strive for cultural sensitivity and to create a safe-but-challenging space in my classes.

Interested in supporting me?

If you appreciate the work I do, you can support me on a one-time or monthly basis with a donation below! Proceeds will benefit my research (allowing me to pay participants in an ethical manner!), writing (I won't have to teach quite so much and can spend that energy developing and sharing my thoughts!), tuition (every little bit helps!), and climate/environmental justice and disaster relief initiatives. Ideally I would like to set an equitable distribution across these domains as funds allow; that is, I will not only use the money towards any one area. I presently support Clean Air Task Force, Evergreen Action, the biosynergy project underway at the Center for Studies of the Person, and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.