Matthew grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin only a walking distance away from Lake Michigan, and he spent most of his youth swimming in “Mama Michigan” or sledding down lake bluffs. Ever since then, he’s had water on the brain. At the University of Washington, Matthew studies environmental engineering and is always exploring the interdisciplinary nature of water resources. Some of his favorite water-related topics include stream geomorphology, glaciology, the applicability of ancient water acquisition strategies for mitigating modern water crises, and the link between water and community vibrance. Outside of school, Matthew has pursued his passion for enhancing community awareness of water resource issues by working as a RainWise contractor in the Seattle area. With the US Forest Service, he’s mapped landslides, monitored large woody debris installations, and investigated streambed geomorphology by reassessing aquatic organism passageway designs on streams recently disturbed by landslides.

In the Mountain Hydrology Research Group, Matthew curates the group’s website with the goal of making the group’s work accessible to as many audiences as possible. When he’s not in school or working, Matthew is usually hammocking along Lake Washington, playing his banjo, backpacking in the Cascades, or on a quest to find the northernmost salal plant (which he estimates is in the vicinity of Sitka, Alaska).