Matthew M. Mars

Hello, and thank you for visiting my site!

I am Matthew M. Mars, though most people call me Matt. You may have noticed that there is no shortage of M’s in my name. With a smidge of cleverness and a growing sense of self, I have leveraged my initials to create my always-evolving personal brand—M3!

Beyond my name, who am I? I am many things – a husband and father, a professor, a tinkerer, avid reader, and outside artist.

I grew up in southern Vermont and upstate New York in a lower-middle-class family. I was the first in my immediate family to attend college, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1995. The search for meaning and purpose took me west in my early 20s, and I ultimately landed in Arizona, which I have called home for nearly 30 years. I earned a Ph.D. in the Sociology of Education at the University of Arizona (Tucson) in 2006. I have remained at Arizona for most of my academic career, where I currently serve as Professor and Head of Public and Applied Humanities. My research and teaching are positioned at the intersection of social entrepreneurship and community innovation, everyday consumption, and rural and creative placemaking. You can find my CV and an assortment of abstracts under the Research tab.

Now for the truly important stuff! My wife, Cindy, and I welcomed twin boys, Rielly and Jordan, into the world in 2004. We are proud beyond words of these two objectively amazing and kind humans. Rielly is a brewer with a passion for developing and refining his craft (have no fear, he is making plenty of beer!). Jordan is an entrepreneur and graduate student in Management Information Systems at the University of Arizona.

While our nest is now empty, we do not live alone. We are surrounded by nearly a handful of critters. We have two rescue dogs (Aimee and Robin), Sylvester the rabbit, and Buddy the desert tortoise. These guys not only help fill my heart, but also spur my sense of joy and fuel my imagination. How can animals fuel one’s imagination, you ask? A quick (or ideally, not-so-quick) visit to the “Art” tab will show the answer!

I created this website as part of my ongoing identity work. I set out on this journey to interrogate my core sense of self, better balance my personal and professional selves, and expand and refine the things I turn to for fun, joy, and meaning. Here you can find examples of my academic writing, descriptions of my consulting services, a brief overview of the philosophical leanings that inform my creative process, photos of my artwork, and miscellaneous musings.

Thank you for visiting my site! If what you find here piques your interest, please drop me a note at m3@matthewmars.com.