Matthew Schmidt

Matthew Schmidt is a Professor in the Department of Oceanography at Old Dominion University (ODU). His career includes roles as Associate Professor at Texas A&M University (2013–2014) and Assistant Professor there (2007–2013). He holds a PhD in Geology from the University of California, Davis (2005), and prior degrees from Vanderbilt University (B.S., 1993) and the University of South Florida (M.S., 1997). Schmidt leads the Schmidt Paleoclimate Lab at ODU, focusing on reconstructing past climate dynamics in the tropical Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

His research expertise includes

• Paleoceanography
• Climate Change mechanisms
• Geochemical proxy development
• ENSO variability
• Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) dynamics

Key projects involve multi-proxy reconstructions of ENSO behavior during glacial periods and links between ocean-atmosphere carbon cycles and abrupt climate shifts.

Major grants include NSF-funded studies totaling over $3.5M, investigating ENSO variability, CO2 dynamics, and tropical ocean circulation. His lab operates advanced instrumentation like plasma source mass spectrometers and isotope ratio mass spectrometers.

Scientific honors include the Allen G. Marr Prize (2006) and NOAA Postdoctoral Fellowship (2005). Over 40 peer-reviewed publications span journals like Science, Nature Geoscience, and Paleoceanography.