Dr. Tom Gleeson

Areas of expertise

The Groundwater Science and Sustainability research group focuses on community-engaged groundwater science and art; groundwater systems and sustainability; and environment, health, and groundwater. Our mission is advancing scientific research ​and engaging with communities, governments and organizations to secure water resources in British Columbia and around the world.

About me

I am an interdiscipinary scientist and engineer, UVic President’s Chair and Clarivate highly cited researcher inducted into the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. I love new ideas and experiences, food and yoga, and helping people and our planet. I grew up in Haudenosaunee territory near the Six Nations of the Grand River and live and work on unceded Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt) and W̱SÁNEĆ territories. I am a settler Canadian with German, Irish and Ukranian ancestry (pronouns he/him) aware of the many unearned privileges that come with being white, cis-male, able bodied and well educated.

• Personal research webpage for more information on my research, teaching, research group, news or data downloads.
• LinkedIn profile for short CV and connections.
• Google Scholar, Researchgate or ResearcherID for references and citations.
• Youtube or Vimeo for research and teaching videos.
•  The Water Underground blog about active learning and research describing projects, highlighting in-class student research projects and sharing data.
• Twitter for announcements and ephemera.

Community groundwater science and art

How can community priorities and creativity enrich groundwater science? We collaborate with Indigenous and settler communities to co-create knowledge about groundwater, and are starting to integrate arts-based methods. This approach fosters meaningful engagement, aligning research with Indigenous rights and community priorities. From watershed research to storytelling through art, we aim to strengthen connections between science and society.

Groundwater systems and sustainability

How can we advance groundwater sustainability across scales and contexts? We view and characterize groundwater as part of a complex social-ecological system and we integrate innovative sustainability concepts like strong sustainability and multi-generational goal setting. From global groundwater footprints to national and aquifer-level analyses, our work helps inform the path toward resilient and equitable water resource management.

Environment, health and groundwater

How do groundwater systems interact with ecosystem and human health? Our research connects groundwater science with critical environmental and public health challenges. From predicting health impacts from contamination to analyzing groundwater-dependent ecosystems, we develop tools and approaches to safeguard water quality, ecosystem health, and societal well-being in a changing world.