Aaron is the Doerr Institute's Postdoctoral Research Fellow. His research explores how culture and ideology influence support for ideas that harm both individuals and communities, and how these effects can be mitigated by developing self-aware, systems-focused leaders.

Aaron’s current research program focuses on three key areas: cultural influences on leadership, the role of the self-concept in fostering developmentally oriented leadership, and how an aspirational view of the self helps individuals grow and develop from failure. His research has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals, including Current Psychology, Self and Identity, and Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, and has presented his work at conferences including the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and the International Leadership Association Global Conference.
 
At the Doerr Institute, Aaron works with Dr. Ryan Brown to advance evidence-based practices in leader development through basic and applied research and program evaluation. Beyond his role at Doerr, Aaron has consulted with both organizations and entrepreneurs to measure the impact of their leader development and coaching programs, as well as other initiatives.
 
Aaron earned his Ph.D. in Social Psychology, with a minor in Quantitative Methods, from the University of Oklahoma in 2021 and served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of St. Thomas before joining the Doerr Institute in 2023.