Research Interest Statement
I work in Ying Fan's Global Change, Hydrology and Ecology Lab where I am interested in earth's critical zone, where geology, atmosphere and life intimately interact. My PhD work focuses on the biotic and abiotic influences on plant rooting depth - where, why, and which plants root deep, accessing stable water stores and meanwhile weathering rock, buring carbon, and bringing the living world deeper than the conventional "root zone". I seek to sharpen our current understanding of the drivers of plant root growth, provide practical insights relevant to climate & earth systems modeling, water resource management, forestry and agriculture best management practices, and phytoremediation technologies, and academic insights into how & why vascular plants came to colonize the terrestial world, and how this colonization may have impacted the global cycles of the past.
Research Experience & Pubs
PhD CHAPTER 1 -> G Anne Mailloux, Mazvita Chikomo, Ying Fan, 2025. Where do we expect to find deep plant roots?, Ecography, August 2025.
PhD CHAPTER 2-> G Anne Mailloux, Ying Fan, 2025. Nature versus Nurture - The Relative Role of Phylogeny and Environment in Deep Plant Rooting (In Prep).
MASTERS THESIS -> Callum J. Hetherington, Georgene Anne Mailloux, Brent V. Miller, 2021, A multi-mineral U-(Th)-Pb dating study of the Stetind pegmatite of the Tysfjord region, Norway and implications for production of NYF-rare element pegmatites during orogenic collapse, Lithos 398-399(2):106257
UNDEGRADUATE RESEARCH -> David A. Grimaldi, David Sunderlin, Georgene A. Mailloux (nee Aaroe), et al. 2018, Biological Inclusions in Amber from the Paleogene Chickaloon Formation of Alaska, American Museum Novitates.
2016-2017 - Research Assistant, Geosciences Department, Texas Tech University MILL Mineral Isotope Laser Laboratory
2013 - Research Assistant, Geology Department, Lafayette College
2012 – Research Assistant, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University
Teaching Experience
2024-2025 - Teaching Assistant, Rutgers University - New Brunswick - *Recipient of Rutgers EPS Excellence in Teaching Award 2025*
2014-2016 - Teaching Assistant, Texas Tech University
Industry Experience
2016-2024 – Geosyntec Consultants, Project Geologist, Professional Geologist (PA)
Presentations & Other Engagements
December 2024 - "Where do we expect to find deep plant roots?" - Poster Presentation, AGU 2025
December 2023 - "Seasonality Drives Deep Roots" - Poster Presentation, AGU 2024
June 2023 - "Use of Spreadsheet Models for Site Characterization and Decision Support" - Guest Lecturer, New Jersey Site Remediation Conference - New Jersey Licensed Site Remediation Professionals Association