What more is there to know about me?
I was the Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006. Go look it up! I also attended the funeral of a medieval king… and have photographs to prove it. When people ask me what my job is, I say “I talk to dead people for a living” (isn’t that the definition of a historian?). And I have always said that my dream job is to be an elbow model (someone must do it in moisturizer commercials). At parties, I always write the name ‘Shirley’ on my plastic cup because there are far too many Matts in the world.
I hail from New England but have lived almost half of my life elsewhere. My family proudly embraces our Irish ancestry. A colleague told me that the Irish can identify with the suffering of so many people around the world. It’s true. They have withstood religious persecution and racism, conquest and colonization, famine and mass migration. The list could go on. Like other communities, they also created a vibrant and beautiful culture.
You might also find me inside the rink coaching high school girls ice hockey.
I was voted Connecticut All-State Assistant Coach of the Year in 2026.
I worked in heavy construction for many years, and I deeply respect the skill and work ethic of those who labor with their hands. I find that such work enhances my academics, keeps me rooted in the physical world (as opposed to the world of ideas) and helps me unwind (see The World Beyond Your Head). Or, as Sheldon says in Big Bang Theory: “I had a minor epiphany regarding the polymer degradation phenomenon while scraping congealed nachos off a plate.”
My dad has been teaching me woodcarving, and (shock!), I gravitate towards historic patterns from the periods and places I study.
The History of Religion and Conflict 