Matt is originally from a small town in Kentucky. He  received his B.A. from Kenyon College in 1981 and his Ph.D. in mthematical physics from Dartmouth College in 1985. He came to St. Olaf in 1986 and has been here ever since. Richey's areas of research are applied mathematics, mathematical computing, and data analytics. He has taught at courses all levels in mathematics, statistics, and computer science. In addition to his teaching and scholarship, Richey has extensive experience consulting with entities in the private sector. During his time at St. Olaf he has served as the chair of the department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science and as the Associate Dean for the Natural Sciences and Mathematics.  He is currently the Mildred and Paul Hardy Distinguished Professor of Science. For fun, Matt enjoys running,  music (especially Bob Dylan), and cooking.