Our Faculty

Dr. Matthijs Fakkel (Gaurang) is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Cognitive Sciences and Psychology, Amrita University School of Social & Behavioural Sciences. Gaurang has always felt inspired by how young people find their place in society – in particular through the development of psychological skills. His PhD research identified the importance of adolescents’ self-control in the transmission of socioeconomic status across generations. His post-doctoral research contributed to a better understanding of what young people believe to be the causes of poverty.

Driven by a commitment to state-of-the-art research and societal impact – both inspired by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi – Gaurang is currently involved in shaping the novel MSc program Cognitive Sciences, Learning, & Technology. The diversity of projects that he is spearheading reflects his diverse interests: from conceptualizing self-esteem in rural communities, to the ethical use of AI in women empowerment research, to identifying the most important future workplace skills, and designing tools to support teachers.
In his spare time, Gaurang tries to better understand how scientific knowledge can be shared with a broader audience – an effort that culminated in the founding of Addendum in 2023.