Matt Downen
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Offices & Programs
Education
BS: geology, Western Kentucky University
MS: geology, University of Kansas
PhD: geology, University of Kansas
BIOGRAPHY
Matt Downen joined Centre College in 2023 as the Assistant Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning and moved to a full-time position as an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies in August 2025.
Matt Downen’s research looks at how Earth systems interact over time. Their scholarship includes both fossil spiders and the geochemistry of ancient environments. Recently, Downen started a collaboration with the Phillips Coal Ball Collection in Illinois studying and digitizing coal balls— masses of ancient plant material that has been petrified. Coal balls are helpful for understanding plant biodiversity and ancient environments of the past.
Downen’s teaching interests include introductory environmental science, environmental geology, and advanced geoscience and environmental courses and labs.
Previously, he participated in the Kentucky Governor’s Scholar Program at Centre, was the Recycling Coordinator at Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College, and was the Assistant Director of the Center for Undergraduate Research at the University of Kansas.
PUBLICATIONS
Downen, M. R., Schiffbauer, J., Selden, P. A., Olcott A. N. 2022. Steinkern spiders: A microbial mat-controlled taphonomic pathway in the Oligocene Aix-en-Provence Lagerstätte, France. Palaeoentomology 5(6). https://doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.5.6.4
Downen, M. R., Olcott, A. N. 2022. Supporting LGBTQ+ geoscientists, in and out of the classroom. Journal of Geoscience Education. DOI: 10.1080/10899995.2022.2116205
Downen, M. R., Selden, P. A. 2021. A palpimanid spider (Araneae: Palpimanidae) from the Crato Fossil-Lagerstätte (Cretaceous, Brazil). Journal of Arachnology 49:91–97. https://doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-19-059
Downen, M. R., Selden, P. A. 2020. Fossil spiders (Araneae) from the Eocene Kishenehn Formation of Montana. Paleontologia Electronica 23(3):a57. https://doi.org/10.26879/1135
Downen, M. R., Selden, P. A., Hasiotis, S. T. 2016. Spider leg flexure as an indicator of salinity in lacustrine paleoenvironments. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 445:115–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.11.028