Michael Davis

PZ Work

As a fellow with the Center for Digital Thriving, Michael is pioneering early developmental cyberpsychology through his project "Cultivating Digital Presence in Early Childhood Brain Development." He's developing research frameworks that track how children's emotional, relational, and somatic experiences are shaped by technology before digital habits harden.

His fellowship centers on MindfulBytes.io, a K-5 cyberpsychology curriculum that gives children language to understand how technology feels in their bodies. Through pilot implementations across New Mexico schools, Michael has documented a 40% decrease in cyberbullying, 85% student engagement rates, and measurable expansion in children's emotional vocabulary around digital experiences. The organization has helped 533+ students develop healthy tech habits with 100% school renewal rates—bridging the digital wisdom gap before middle school, when it's too late.
 

Work Highlights

• Founded The Center for Cybersecurity and Cyberpsychology Research (CCCR)
• Published manifesto "Confronting Our Digital Emptiness" on digital agency as civil right
• Research question: "How do we raise emotionally attuned, digitally literate children when algorithms shape their nervous systems before they learn to spell?"
   

Fun Facts

Michael is a poet and composer who spent 22 years in the Navy before diving into cyberpsychology research. You'll often find him running New Mexico trails, hanging out in coffeeshops getting to know strangers, or exploring the outdoors with dogs. He loves traveling and believes the best conversations happen when we create space for emotional connection—whether that's in person or navigating technology spaces that make us more human.
 

Where to Find Michael

You can catch Michael at CDT Fellows lab meetings, annual Harvard convenings, and serving as CEO of Merek Security Solutions in Santa Fe.