Posted on June 2, 2025
VICKSBURG, Miss. – Matthew Rifkin, a physical scientist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Army Geospatial Center (AGC), has been chosen as one of five USACE participants for the 2025 session of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center University (ERDC-U).
Now in its tenth year, the professional development initiative, designed to encourage collaboration and technology transfer, welcomed participants as Antisa Webb, chief of ERDC’s Office of Research and Technology Transfer within the Technology, Knowledge and Outreach Division and co-sponsor of the program, announced the selectees.
“ERDC-U fosters collaboration between participants from USACE divisions and districts and mentors from relevant ERDC laboratories,” said Webb. “The program involves six-month research projects aimed at developing innovative technical solutions that enhance operations at the workplace, support the Corps and benefit the nation.”
Mr. Jason Feser, branch chief for the Data Generation and Production Branch, Warfighter Support Division with the AGC, endorsed Rifkin’s selection to ERDC-U.
By collaborating with subject matter experts across ERDC’s seven state-of-the-art laboratories, program participants tackle real-world challenges while simultaneously honing their leadership skills to benefit their home organization.
Rifkin, a dedicated USACE team member for 17 years, currently serves as a physical scientist at the AGC, within the Warfighter Support Directorate. In this role, he leads, directs and executes a variety of critical geospatial projects for USACE, particularly in regard to extracting geospatial data from remotely sensed imagery among a variety of sensor types while also proactively exploring and implementing cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and 3D visualization to advance geospatial science to better support the Warfighter.
Another key aspect of his role involves providing expert guidance, technical oversight and mentorship to colleagues. Rifkin has also provided support to national emergency response efforts as a member of the USACE Geospatial cadre when needed, demonstrating a commitment to both long-term project development and immediate operational support.
“With 17 years of experience in geospatial science and analysis at USACE, I’m eager to explore the opportunities offered by ERDC University,” said Rifkin. “At the Army Geospatial Center, we’re focused on providing geospatial support to the military. My previous work on coastal flood protection and ecosystem restoration projects from when I worked on the civil side, involved collaborating with ERDC’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) and Geospatial Research Laboratory (GRL), which highlighted the power of image processing and remotely sensed imagery for geospatial science.”
“Now, in line with current global trends, it’s the perfect time to forge stronger partnerships with ERDC to develop better geospatial products to support the Warfighter,” he continued. “I’m particularly drawn to CRREL’s expertise in remote sensing and environmental analysis, and I’m confident this collaboration will advance geospatial science throughout USACE and contribute to a safer world.”
In March, Rifkin joined his fellow selectees at an ERDC-U orientation session held on ERDC’s main campus in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to meet their mentors and familiarize themselves with their planned projects.
Rifkin will be mentored by Dr. Elias Deeb, a physical scientist at CRREL in Hanover, New Hampshire. His study will focus on developing more comprehensive analytical models capable of integrating diverse imagery sources. Building upon his years of experience as a physical scientist and his recent work leading AI-driven imagery extraction, he aims to leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence to enhance geospatial analysis.
Through collaboration with interdisciplinary teams at CRREL and under the mentorship of Dr. Elias Deeb, Rifkin intends to advance geospatial science throughout USACE, ultimately contributing to a safer world. His focus will be on expanding his expertise to encompass a wider range of imagery types and developing models that can effectively synthesize data from multiple sources.
Upon completion of ERDC-U, Rifkin, along with the four other selectees, will attend a graduation ceremony in September. During the ceremony, he will present a comprehensive overview of his ERDC-U experience, detailing his research.
Applications will open in October for the 2026 ERDC-U session. For information on ERDC-U and applications, visit: https://wiki.erdc.dren.mil/ERDC_University.
