Tiantian Zhou

Dr. Zhou

Title: Assistant Professor

Email Address: ttzhou@nmsu.edu

Office Location: Skeen Hall, N320
Office Phone: (575) 646-3405
Research interest/area:
Dr. Tiantian Zhou is a hydrologist and soil physicist with research interests in investigating the movement of water and contaminants through the groundwater-soil-plant-air continuum system. She addresses fundamental questions regarding subsurface processes, including the quantity, origin, and residence time of water flow and solute transport. Her research integrates field observations, isotopic tracers, and physics-based modeling with advanced techniques such as geophysics, remote sensing, and machine learning across multiple spatial scales.

Google Scholar:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DSkYBUsAAAAJ&hl=en

Education:

  • University of California, Riverside, Environmental Science, Ph.D., 2022
  • Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Physical Geography, MS (with honors), 2018
  • Taiyuan University of Technology, Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering, BE (with honors), 2015.

Appointments:

New Mexico State University, PES Assistant Professor in Soil Physics, 2026 - present

 Professional Experience:

Tiantian is an Assistant Professor in Soil Physics in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University. After receiving a PhD in Environmental Science (specializing in soil water stable isotope transport modeling) from the University of California, Riverside, in 2022, Tiantian held postdoctoral appointments at the University of California, Davis, and the University of Arizona. At the University of Arizona, she worked on quantifying water transit time distributions at hillslope scales. During her time at UC Davis, her research focused on modeling contaminant transport and fate under agricultural managed aquifer recharge. She joined the PES department at NMSU in February 2026, where she will focus on addressing water challenges within the lower Rio Grande region.

 Professional services

  • Associate Editor for Journal of Hydrology (Jan. 2026-Present)
  • Associate Editor for Soil Science Society of America Journal (Jan. 2026-Present).
  • AGU Unsaturated Zone Hydrology Technical Committee 
  • Judge, for SSSA Soil Physics and Hydrology Division-Poster and 5 Minute Rapid student competition, 2023.
  • Grant Reviewer, for AGU Travel grants, 2024.
  • Co-organizer, SSSA soil physics and Hydrology Social Event, 2021.
  • Co-convenor, for European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2025.