IPPA Fellows 2021

At a professional level I took a leadership role as being promoted on the post of being a director for the Emirates Center for happiness research, UAE which is currently a very growing and promising platform in research and capacity building in the field of wellbeing. I have initiated, lead and supervised various research and innovative projects that not only promote wellbeing and positivity in the UAE University where this center is based but also in the United Arab Emirates. Following are my achievements:

• My first initiative apart from research was the Wellbeing Officer program aimed at empowering faculty and staff members to promote wellbeing at workplace.
• Happiness and Wellbeing Course and Wellbeing Society: Empowered students to know more about the science of wellbeing
• Mattering at workplace initiative was aimed for directors to understand how integrating the science of wellbeing can enhance the employee’s productivity.
• Happiness Research talk is a current ongoing project which provides researchers all over the world a platform to talk about their researches on wellbeing.
• 30 minutes for us is also an ongoing project where colleagues can meet and talk about topics related to wellbeing.
• I have used my voice to be a strong advocate for promoting wellbeing at many International and National forums as a speaker along with running my own Instagram page ‘I Matter”

Mindful of Chris Peterson’s ‘so what?, she promotes application of positive psychology in everyday living, creating ripple effect via groups of influencers to reach the widest populations quickly and economically.

Sulynn founded the Asian Center for Applied Positive Psychology as first point of contact in Asia for the curious or seeking – a launchpad towards their own destinations: a successful School of PP in Singapore, PP research and application in education across the Philippines, supporting germination of early seeds in China, Hong Kong, and Middle East. Speaking – whether keynote or parenting, writing, demonstrating how PP applies in all domains and situations, Sulynn designs PP workshops for the clergy, medics, students, parents, geriatrics, relationships, workplaces, corporate restructure, coaches, consultants, individuals – just ask and it shall be done.

Empathy circles, help Scottish University become first positive educational institution in Malaysia, upskill professionals and educators with PP, virtual coaching and webinars are Sulynn’s current pursuits. Her heart is full – raising awareness for change, giving hope, and encouraging others to learn, teach and research PP on their own turf!

He is deeply committed to improving lives through positive psychology research and education.  He is Co-Founder of the first Ph.D. and research focused masters programs in positive psychology at Claremont Graduate University, and mentors many graduate students specializing in positive psychology and evaluation science. Professor Donaldson serves on the Council of Advisors for the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA), is Faculty Advisor for the Student Division of IPPA (SIPPA), served on the IPPA Board of Directors (2013-2017), and was Chair of IPPA’s World Congress of Positive Psychology in Los Angeles (2013). He has published numerous articles, chapters, and books on the science of positive psychology including Positive Organizational Psychology Interventions: Design and Evaluation (2021); Positive Psychological Science: Improving Everyday Life, Well-Being, Work, Education, and Societies Across the Globe (2020), Toward a Positive Psychology of Relationships (2018), and Scientific Advances in Positive Psychology (2017).   Professor Donaldson has been honored with many career achievement awards for his research, teaching, and evaluation contributions including the 2019 IPPA Work and Organizations Division Exemplary Research to Practice Award, and the 2019 SIPPA Inspiring Mentor Award.

He is also researcher at Lorraine University laboratory and at the Armed Biomedical Research Institute. He studies the role of psychological resources (e.g., optimism, hope, mindfulness, …) in resiliency, quality of life at school, workplace or health. Moreover, he also studies the impact of physical activity in patients with cancer and type 2 diabetes. Motivation, emotions, flow, physical activity, quality of life and well-being are fields that are fully linked to his research issues. He has published or edited 10 books and monographs and over 100 scientific articles and book chapters. He is associate editor of the European Journal of Trauma and Dissociation. He is the President Elect of the French and French Speaking Association of Positive Psychology and was awarded the Gold Medal by the French Ministry of Sports for his involvement in the promotion of sport and health. He is also a recipient of the Bronze Echelon of the Voluntary Military Services for his work on psychological resources.

He has published over 300 papers in peer-reviewed journals including numerous major papers on the promotion of flourishing; religious communities; workplace well-being; purpose, forgiveness, volunteering, and hope; and new measures of flourishing, meaning, suffering, community well-being, and spiritual well-being. He is also author of the books Measuring Well-Being; Explanation in Causal Inference; and Modern Epidemiology. He has been involved in the design of major studies including a 3,000 person randomized trial of a forgiveness intervention; a six-university Catholic Student Center Study; a longitudinal well-being assessment study with Aetna; and most recently a Global Flourishing Study which will consist of a longitudinal panel of 300,000 individuals from 22 geographically and culturally diverse countries,  with nationally representative sampling, constituting two-thirds of the world’s population, and with annual data collection for at least five years. He has written on the need to establish a “positive epidemiology” – to launch a movement analogous to positive psychology, but within epidemiology and public health.

Mathew is also a principal fellow in the Centre for Wellbeing Science in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. Mathew was a secondary school teacher for 20 years and has a decade’s senior leadership-level experience in schools. Currently, he is the Director of the Master of Education and co-authored the University of Adelaide’s Initial Teacher Education Wellbeing Framework with Professor Faye McCallum. His research focuses on wellbeing and positive education. He has published over 50 scientific journal articles and book chapters focusing on wellbeing and positive education.

Notable publications include:

Critical Perspectives on Teaching, Learning and Leadership: Enhancing Educational Outcomes (with Faye McCallum, Springer, 2020)

Future Directions in Wellbeing: Education, Organisations and Policy (with Gavin Slemp and Simon Murray, Springer, 2017)

Theology Encountering Positive Psychology

Evidence-Based Approaches in Positive Education: Implementing a Strategic Framework for Wellbeing in Schools (with Simon Murray, Springer, 2015).

Recent awards include a 2020 University teaching award, the 2020 South Australian Branch of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders Distinguished Contribution to Research in Educational Leadership Award and recognition for his pro-bono education service. He has been the Education Division President of the International Positive Psychology Association since 2018.