Public Scholarship

Media & Outreach

Press features, interviews, and public scholarship, most recent first.

In the Press

From CNN Brasil to HuffPost — psychology, translated for the public, in two languages.

Mayron Piccolo interviewed live on CNN Brasil as a Harvard psychology professor
On CNN Brasil.

Medium · April 2026

Springing Forward: How the “April Theory” Is Transforming Goal-Setting and Mental Health on Social Media

Cited among psychologists linking spring's rise in serotonin and sense of renewal to improved mood and motivation.

Revista Candil · UFMS, No. 17

Primeiros Tons: estudo inédito analisa impacto das práticas comunais artísticas na saúde mental de crianças em idade pré-escolar

Portuguese-language feature on the First Tones (Primeiros Tons) communal music-making study and its pilot with preschool children in Brazil.

Podcast · November 2025

Harmony and Healing: Exploring Music, Mind, and Community

Harvard Extension School Psychology Student Club Podcast — on communal music, reward, and belonging.

Video · November 2025

The Psychology of Rewards & Mechanisms and Markers of Psychopathology

Harvard Extension Student Psychological Club — a talk on how reward shapes behavior and on the markers and mechanisms of mental illness.

Video · August 2025

Guess the Majors Concentrations of Harvard College Students

Harvard College Admissions & Financial Aid — put to the test as a Harvard advisor: guessing what six students concentrate in from just a few quick questions.

The Epoch Times · July 2025

10 Research-Backed, Natural Ways to Counter Depression

On behavioral loops in depression and the everyday effectiveness of CBT: “moving in the right direction matters more than moving quickly.”

HuffPost · May 2025

Inflation Is Hurting Everyone — But for Parents, It's Taking a Deeper Toll

Quoted on protecting parents' mental health under financial strain: “caring for your own nervous system is essential to caring for your kids.”

Medium · April 2025

Why April Is the New January: Embracing the “April Theory” for Personal Growth

Quoted on how spring's longer days and increased sunlight can boost serotonin, enhancing mood and motivation.

Verywell Health · April 2025

April Is the New January

By Kathleen Ferraro. Quoted on the seasonal lift in mood and motivation and how it shapes goal-setting and mental health.

Podcast · May 2024

QuantComigo, Episode 2

Portuguese-language conversation on his path from Brazil to Harvard, reward science, and mental health.

Swissnex Brazil · 2021

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships as a Springboard

On the path from a small town in southern Brazil to doctoral research in Switzerland.

Founder · Online Project · 2020–Present

Psicologia no Sofá

“Couch-talk psychology” — free, high-quality psychology talks and lectures that have reached more than 4,000 Portuguese- and English-speaking listeners since 2020.