Matthew Wappett is the Executive Director of the Utah State University Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practie (IDRPP), Utah's UCEDD, with an affiliate appointment as a Research Associate Professor in the USU College of Education and Human Services. He was formerly the Co-Director of the University of Idaho Confucius Institute, and Associate Director of the UI Center on Disabilities and Human Development.  Dr. Wappett’s background is in special education and disability studies; most of his research has been focused on creating inclusive environments to accommodate the needs of diverse populations and the effects of environmental stress on learning and social interaction.  Dr. Wappett also conducts research and writes about the effects of laughter in the classroom and genuinely enjoys teaching people how to laugh!  Dr. Wappett earned his Ph.D. in Special Education, an M.Ed. in Educational Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Utah.

In his spare time, Dr. Wappett plays ice hockey, coaches youth hockey, competes in powerlifting, and spends as much time as possible outdoors rafting and fishing Western rivers.