Tom Gleeson

Dr. Tom Gleeson is a Professor and President’s Chair in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Victoria, Canada. His research focuses on groundwater sustainability, mega-scale groundwater systems, groundwater-surface water interactions, and fluid dynamics in geologic structures. He integrates geocomputation, data science, numerical modeling, field hydrogeology, and sustainability science to address interdisciplinary challenges. Gleeson holds a PhD from Queen’s University and is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).

• Education: PhD (Queen’s University), P.Eng. License
• Research Themes: Groundwater sustainability, climate change impacts, socio-ecological systems, and planetary boundaries

His work emphasizes global groundwater governance, environmental flow management, and Indigenous reconciliation in water science. Recent research highlights include quantifying groundwater’s role in planetary boundaries, evaluating nitrate contamination risks, and developing open-access groundwater modeling tools (e.g., GroMoPo). He advocates for community-based and arts-informed approaches to hydrogeology. His team, the Groundwater Science and Sustainability (GSAS) group, collaborates internationally to advance sustainable water management.

Publications focus on groundwater’s socio-ecological connections, climate adaptation strategies, and innovative modeling frameworks. He actively engages with policymakers, Indigenous communities, and the public through blogs, social media, and open-access platforms.