Matthew F. Kirk

Ph.D., University of New Mexico

Matt joined the department in December 2012. In recent years, he has taught Earth in Action, Introduction to Geochemistry, Geomicrobiology, Geochemical Modeling, and Water Resources Geochemistry, and he recently published the open textbook, Microbiology for Earth Scientists. His research group carries out hydrogeology and geomicrobiology research primarily focused on groundwater. Recent projects consider water quality in the Great Bend Prairie aquifer, groundwater-surface water interactions across the Kansas precipitation gradient, the fate of carbon dioxide generated in soils at Konza Prairie, and geochemical controls on interactions between anaerobic microorganisms.

Matt leads the NSF-funded Kansas Groundwater Geopaths program (2023-2025), which provides undergraduate students at K-State and Barton and Dodge City Community Colleges with funded geoscience research experiences through groundwater quality monitoring in Kansas rural domestic water wells. Learn more and apply on the Kansas Groundwater Geopaths website.

Information about Matt's research publications is available here.

More information is available on Matt's personal website.