Matt Horn

About Matt Horn

Dr. Horn is the Business Unit Lead of Consulting Services for Tetra Tech WTR’s RPS Ocean Science (ROS) group in South Kingstown, RI. He is on the ROS Leadership Team, managing a team of expert scientists, engineers, and technical specialists and is involved in leading technical work, strategy, sales, and marketing initiatives. He also simultaneously manages numerous projects consisting of large teams of in-house technical staff, experts, and subcontractors.Dr. Horn is a Principal Scientist, specializing in unmitigated and response mitigated trajectory, fate, and effects modeling of liquids, gases, and solids. Working internationally, he provides a wide range of services for on-land and in-water releases, including freshwater (river and lake), estuarine, coastal, and offshore marine environments. He has led many large-scale projects that require numerous types of assessments, regulatory, tribal, stakeholder, and public engagement, strategies to effectively communicate complex technical topics, and navigates aspects of environmental law and legal challenges. Dr. Horn worked extensively on the Natural Resource Damage Assessments (NRDA) for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and has provided evidence and expert testimony for numerous regulatory and legal hearings in Canada and the U.S. related to offshore exploration and development, pipelines, facilities & tank farms, offshore ports, and rail. He focuses on assessing risk and the potential for environmental damages related to releases of hydrocarbons (liquid and vapor), chemicals, sediment/mud, hydrogen, CO2 and other substances onto land, into water, and to the atmosphere from energy infrastructure and facilities. Dr. Horn is involved in emergency response planning and preparedness, Full Scale Exercises (FSE), the development of OSRP, and 24/7 operational oil spill modeling for the Canadian Government. Dr. Horn guest lectures at several universities in the US and Canada. He received a B.S. in Science of Earth Systems, focusing on oceanography and climate dynamics from Cornell University in 2004, with distinction in research. He received a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography in 2011. He has a strong interdisciplinary background and expertise developing, testing, and maintaining proprietary software used in modeling. One of his main goals is to assist in projects to enable effective communication and the use of impartial approaches, modeling, and technical assessments to enable informed decision making.

Experience

1. Consulting Services Operations Lead

   Tetra Tech

   Oct 2025 — Present · South Kingstown, RI, US

   I currently lead the Consulting Service side of Tetra Tech WTR\'s Ocean Science group, which functions as a P&L center. I am also a Principal Scientist specializing in dispersion modeling (trajectory, fate, and effects) of released oil, chemicals, gases, and sediments in the environment. Working predominantly in the energy sector, I am involved in large scale infrastructure projects worldwide, and serve as an expert internationally.Within the business, my goal is to provide a framework for substantial and sustainable growth by providing empowerment and building accountability within the team. At its core, my focus is on delivery of the highest quality work products to meet client\'s needs through the safe, efficient, and successful operation of our group.

Education

• VCHS

  High School Degree

  1995 — 2000

• Cornell University

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with Distinction in Research, Science of Earth Studies - Oceanography / Climate Dynamics

  2000 — 2004

• University of Rhode Island - Graduate School of Oceanography

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Oceanography

  2004 — 2011