Biography
Simon Daniel is a Ph.D. candidate in Clinical and School Psychology at the University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development. He earned his B.A. in Psychology and Cognitive Science, along with an undergraduate certificate in Data Science, from Rutgers University—New Brunswick. At Rutgers, he conducted research on social-emotional learning and school-based mental health promotion in the Social Emotional and Character Development (SECD) Lab under the direction of Dr. Maurice J. Elias. Simon began his doctoral education at UVA in 2022 under the mentorship of Dr. Michael D. Lyons, earning an M.Ed. in 2023 and advancing to candidacy in 2025.
At UVA, Simon serves as a graduate researcher within Youth-Nex (The UVA Center to Promote Effective Youth Development), supporting initiatives that study and promote the implementation of evidence-based school mental health practices. He is also involved with UVA’s Thriving Youth in a Digital Environment (TYDE) initiative as a graduate student member of its Training and Events Committee. In addition to his research, Simon engages in clinical and school psychology training across outpatient, inpatient, and school settings.
Education
M.Ed., University of Virginia, 2023
B.A., Rutgers University, 2022
Research
- Youth mental health
- School-based mental health services
- Implementation science
- Youth and digital technology
- Social-emotional learning (SEL)