David Matthew Cole, MS, BCBA is a doctoral candidate in the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at Utah State University. He studies decision-making, especially as it concerns the leading cause of elderly accidents: falling down. His research is defined by multimodal neurophysiology (EEG, EMG, TMS, fNIRS); canonical psychological measures (inhibition, impulsivity, reaction time); and cutting-edge data science (signal processing, Bayesian multilevel modeling, machine learning). With a competitive fellowship this past summer, Dave visited Trinity College Dublin and added brain–computer interface to his repertoire. His research, funded by intramural and extramural grants, has accrued accolades including Best Talk by a Trainee at the World Congress of the International Society of Posture & Gait Research.

As a board-certified behavior analyst, he has treated developmental disorders in homes, schools, and facilities from Florida to California, overseeing hundreds of therapists and clients and millions of dollars in contracts. It’s mistakenly said that if you do not speak by 10 years of age, you never will. Among the highlights of his clinical practice is applying the principles of verbal behavior to teach three such children to speak in sentences. Other, non-exhaustive areas of clinical expertise include functional analysis of aggression and self-injury, developmental assessment (e.g., VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R), augmentative communication (e.g., PECS), play and social skills, eating and sleeping problems, crisis intervention (e.g., PCM), formative assessment, performance management, and parent training.