PhD - University of California, Merced August 2020 - Present
Environmental Systems
Advisor: Dr.Rebecca Ryals,- 3.95 GPA
BS - University of California, Merced August 2016 - May 15, 2020
Earth System Science Major - 3.80 GPA, High Honors
PhD Student at UC Merced – Ryals Lab Aug 2020 – Present
• Research focusing on organic amendment application in urban settings
Center for Accelerated Mass Spectrometry Graduate Intern at LLNL May 2024 – Aug 2024
• Used radiocarbon measurements to assess impacts on soil carbon persistence and turnover with long-term compost application
Research Assistant at UC Merced – Ryals Agroecology Lab Sep 2019 – May 2020
• Independent research project analyzing the effects of biosolid application on soil health and forage production
Research Assistant at UC Merced – Moran Plant Lab Aug 2018 –May 2019
• Independent research: analysis of ecophysiology and carbon use in Pinus ponderosa and Pinus jeffreyi in the Sierra Nevada mountains during drought
Research Assistant at UC Merced – Dawson Marine Lab Sep 2017- May 2018
• Measurement of mollusk samples for analysis of evolution in the marine lake of Palau
• Technical Skills: R, GIS, Microsoft Excel
Under Review:
Defeo, S; Erickson, S; Perez Mendoza, M; Cooper, A; Barrios, B; Malone, Z; Baxter, R; Ghosh, S; Harmon, T. (2024). Examining the future of nanomaterial-based sensors for nitrate in water. Environmental Science & Technology.
McDonald, M. D., Owusu-Ansah, C., Ellenbogen, J. B., Malone, Z. D., Ricketts, M. P., Frolking, S. E., ... & Weissman, J. L. (2023). What is microbial dormancy?. Trends in Microbiology.
Malone, Z., Berhe, A. A., & Ryals, R. (2023). Impacts of organic matter amendments on urban soil carbon and soil quality: A meta-analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 419, 138148.
T Longbottom, L Wahab, A Jurusik, K Moreland, M Dolui, K Min, T Thao, M Gonzales,Y Perez Rojas, J Alvarez, Z Malone, T Ghezzehei, and AA Berhe. What's Soil Got to do With Climate Change? GSA Today. 2021.
Non-Peer Reviewed:
Hicks, Akiebia S., Zachary Malone, Megan A. Moore, Roslynn Powell, Austin Thompson, Patricia A. Whitener, and Rowan Williams. 2021. Green inequities: Examining the dimensions of socioenvironmental injustice in marginalized communities. Parks Stewardship Forum 37(3): 534–540
https://doi.org/10.5070/P537354736
Talks:
Malone, Z., Lee, S, & Ryals, R. 2024, May. Compost Impacts on Urban Soil Carbon, Soil Health, and Climate. State of the Alameda Creek Watershed Conference.
Malone, Z., & Ryals, R. 2023, October. Impacts of Compost on Urban Soils Greenhouse Gas and NOx Emissions. In ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting. ASA-CSSA-SSSA.
Malone, Z. 2023. Turning City Waste into Green Space; How to use Compost to Fight Climate Change in Cities. SNRI Research Symposium: Climate Action Research.
Malone, Z. 2022. Impacts Of Organic Matter Amendments On Urban Soil Carbon Sequestration And Soil Health: A Review. Research Committee W4170: Beneficial Use of Residuals to Improve Soil Health and Protect Public and Ecosystem Health 2022 Annual Meeting.
Posters:
Malone, Z., Lee, S., and Ryals, R. 2023, December. Impacts of Compost Use on Urban Soil Health and Climate, with Implications for Public Health. In AGU International Annual Meeting.
Malone, Z., Schoonmaker, K., Probert, T., Sung, Michelle., Young, Shannon., and Ryals, R. 2023, December. Partnerships between local government and scientists to achieving California’s landmark methane reduction policy (SB 1383). In AGU International Annual Meeting.
Malone, Z., & Ryals, R. 2023, October. Impacts of Compost on Urban Soils Greenhouse Gas and NOx Emissions. In ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting. ASA-CSSA-SSSA.
Second Place in the Poster competition presented by the Soil Science Society of America Urban and Anthropogenic Soils Division – SSSA 2023
Malone, Z., & Ryals, R. 2023, September. Impacts of Compost on Soil Health and Gas Emissions. FIRA USA California Agricultural Robotics and Technology Forum
Malone, Z, Berhe AA, Ryals R, 2022. Meta-Analysis of Organic Matter Amendments for Urban Soil Carbon Sequestration and Urban Soil Health. 8th International Meeting on Soil Organic Matter, Seoul, South Korea.
Malone, Z, Berhe AA, Ryals R. 2021. Meta-analysis of Organic Matter Amendments for Urban Soil Carbon Sequestration and Soil Health Improvements. Ecological Society of America Conference.
Malone, Z. 2018. Merced Trails Master Plan Community Outreach. Student Success Internship Poster Symposium, University of California, Merced.
LLNL Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Graduate Intern 2024 - $30,000
UC Merced Vista Farms, Food, Future Fellowship 2023 - $35,000
UC Merced CONDESA NSF NRT Fellowship 2022 - $35,000
UC Merced Environmental Systems Travel Grant 2022 - $1,000
SNRI Research Symposium Travel Award 2023 - $500
UC Merced Graduate Student Association Travel Grant 2022 - $400
Life and Environmental Sciences Best Paper Award 2024
• Award given annually to recognize a graduate student in Life and Environmental Sciences with a first author paper published with a life environmental science advisor
Second Place in the Poster competition presented by the Soil Science Society of America Urban and Anthropogenic Soils Division – SSSA 2023
AGU Voices for Science – Policy Track 2023
• Voices for Science centers around training scientists to address the critical need for communicating the value and impact of Earth and space science to key decision makers, journalists, and public audiences. One local outreach activity is conducted once per month ranging from letters to local congresspeople to running science events on campus or in the valley.
NSF EMERGE BII Summer Program 2022
• Summer program training in: Multidisciplinary science of how ecosystems are responding to climate change, Science of team science, Mentor training, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, and Science communication. Final product is a group review paper on microbial dormancy currently in review.
ESA Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Award
• This award provides graduate students with the opportunity to receive policy and communication training before participating in a virtual congressional visit day .
UC Merced John and Victoria Elia Fellowship
• Graduate award to recruit and support the top incoming PhD student who attended UC Merced for their undergraduate education
Outstanding Student Award
• Award given to one graduating undergraduate student in each major, whose senior faculty have recognized for excellence in regard to academics, research, and service to UC Merced
Chancellor’s List 2019-2020 School Year
• Maintained a 3.5 or better GPA for both fall 2019 and spring 2020 semesters.
Chancellor’s List 2018-2019 School Year
• Maintained a 3.5 or better GPA for both fall 2018 and spring 2019 semesters.
Chancellor’s List 2017-2018 School Year
• Maintained a 3.5 or better GPA for both fall 2017 and spring 2018 semesters.
Dean’s List Spring 2017
• Earned a 3.5 or better GPA for the spring 2017 semester.
Mentor for Research Technician August 2023 – Present
• Mentor for a research technician (Samuel Lee) on our Dublin and Pleasanton urban soil compost projects
Aristotle House Teaching Fellow August 2021 - May 2022
• House fellow for the Aristotle living learning community focused around leadership and education
Undergraduate Student Mentor January 2022 – May 2022
• Mentored one undergraduate UC Merced student on urban soils and organic matter amendments
Teaching Assistant August 2020 - May 2021
• Spring of 2021 acting as a teaching assistant at UC Merced for a section of Fundamentals of Soil Science and its associated lab (ESS170)
• Fall of 2020 acted as a teaching assistant at UC Merced for a section of Sustainability of Agricultural Ecosystems (ESS/BIO172) and Ecosystems of California (ESS050)
Teaching Assistant – Second Grade Feb 2016- May 2016
• High school teaching assistant at Folsom Hills Elementary for second grade.
Public Service and Outreach:
UC Merced Environmental Systems Graduate Student Association Representative (September 2022 – Present)
UC Merced Environmental Systems Group Representative (September 2022 – May 2024)
Stopwaste Recycling Board Members Presentation (May 2024)
UC Merced Stable Isotopes - Soils Guest Lecture (September 2022)
UC Merced Library Exhibit on Soils and Amendments (March 2022 – May 2022)
UC Merced Library Research Exhibit on Soils (March 2022 – May 2022)
Guest Presentation on Soil Health for Allensworth Progressive Association (June 2021)
UC Merced Wilderness Education Ranger Oct 2018 – May 2020
• Creation, implementation, and leading of outdoor programs for UC Merced and Merced county students
Yosemite Education Ranger May 2019 – August 2019
• Created and presented curriculum-based programs for various age groups (TK-college) up to 80 students per day, 30 students per program.
President of the Natural Resource and Ecology Association July 2019 – May 2020
• Founding president of the Natural Resource and Ecology Association (NREA) – Creation of projects for our members to receive professional development in collaboration with US Fish and Wildlife, UC Merced, and others.
Interpretation Intern, Yosemite National Park May 2018 - Aug 2018
• Creation and implementation of Mariposa Grove nature walks focusing on Giant Sequoia and fire ecology and staffing of Wawona visitor center
University of California, Merced, Trails Intern Dec 2017- May 2018
• Community engagement about UC Merced activities to the Merced community on potential trail creation
AGU (2023-Present)
SSSA (2023-Present)
ESA (2021)