Dr. Matt Becker, October 2025 Snapshot

Published October 16, 2025

Dr. Matt Becker, professor in the Earth Science Department and Conrey Endowed Chair in Hydrogeology, and students in his lab perform research related to water flow in the shallow subsurface. They study natural systems (e.g., groundwater flow from the coasts) and engineered systems (e.g., drinking water recharge and supply and geothermal energy extraction).

In many ways, the Becker lab tries to solve problems that threaten the environment or people. Some current projects include protection of tropical reefs in French Polynesia by measuring the water quality and movement on atolls and volcanic islands, development of geothermal clean energy, and workforce development to fill the critical need for earth scientists to help protect the environment.

Benji in the lab
Benji Bigarre works with a water balance model of the French Polynesian Island of Mo’orea.
Hannah in the lab
Hannah Fitzpatrick fusion splices fiber optic cable for use in distributed fiber optic temperature sensing, a very useful tool in hydrology.
Siena and Dr. Becker in the lab
Dr. Matt Becker and Siena Oswald work on an instrument that is designed to measure the velocity of groundwater flow in an aquifer.
Becker group in a team meeting
Hydrogeology graduate students during weekly lab meeting. Left to right: Edgar Villasano, Hannah Fitzpatrick, Benjamin Bigarre, Siena Oswald, Dr. Matt Becker.
student researchers in the field taking samples
Earth Science Master’s student Garret Maloney and Post-Doctoral Research Associate Ghoulem Ifrene monitor flow rate during a test at the Utah FORGE enhanced geothermal experimental site. Enhanced geothermal energy is the creation of carbon neutral energy in naturally hot rock.  

Dr. Becker was also the 2024 National Ground Water Association Darcy Distinguished lecturer and gave 70+ lectures in 14 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia/New Zealand. He is the first Darcy Lecturer to come from a non-Ph.D. granting institution.

Matt Becker and student researchers
Members of the Hydrogeology lab, left to right: Dr. Matt Becker, Benjamin Bigarre, Hannah Fitzpatrick, Lena Wilson, Eduardo Martinez, Garret Maloney, Siena Oswald.