[3][4] His work leading what became known as the Binary Black Hole Grand Challenge Alliance[5][6][7] featured in Kip Thorne's Nobel Prize lecture, including when Matzner and Alliance collaborators wagered Thorne that numerical relativity would produce a simulated waveform comparable to observation prior to the first LIGO detection.
"[14] Matzner's research in theoretical questions includes topology and signature change in the early universe, and quantum gravity using the tool of path integration.
[17][18] These experiments resulted in the first (and best as of 2023) measurement and confirmation of the Lens-Thirring frame-dragging effect, predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity, to within 10 percent.
[10][31] He advised on subjects including "Space and Cyber questions, Health, Environmental and Climate Change and its effect on the oceans, topics relating to Energy and to Scarce Material resources, on Innovation, and on Commercialization of academic research" and "contributed to and participated in meetings on space security in Vietnam and Malaysia, and on joint scientific commission meetings with Malaysia and Australia.
"[31] Matzner participated on scientific editorial boards,[10][31] served for a decade as Southwest Region Lead Judge for the Siemens/Westinghouse Science Competition, and co-directed international summer schools on Relativistic Astrophysics in Erice, Italy.