Matt Reeves, PhD

Matt Reeves is an internationally recognized hydrogeologist with over 25 years of research, teaching, and consulting experience. He is a Professor of hydrogeology at Western Michigan University, and former director of WMU's nationally-recognized Hydrogeology Field Course. Dr. Reeves' research involves fluid flow, heat and contaminant fate and transport in the environment, with a specialty in fractured rock systems and emerging contaminants.

Much of his work studying contaminant fate and transport in fractured rock is based on landmark research on radionuclides released from underground nuclear tests in fractured rock on the Nevada National Security Site. He has also applied his fractured rock expertise to related challenges in climate change impacts on water resources, geologic waste disposal, geothermal energy, hydraulic fracturing, and mining.

More recently, Dr. Reeves has focused on emerging contaminants such as PFAS and microplastics. His interest in the fate and transport of PFAS has evolved to include field-based investigations to characterize PFAS within environmental, solid waste, and wastewater media, and quantifying the interactions and cycling between engineered systems (landfills, landfill leachate, stormwater, and wastewater treatment plants) and the natural environment.

Matt promotes organized thinking according to the scientific process of Multiple Working Hypothesis during fractured rock projects. His flexible mindset combines innovative approaches in analyzing and interpreting field data with an ability to understand how fracture properties relate to contaminant migration and retention.