Education
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), July 2017 – Present
  • Ph.D. in Geochemistry
  • NSF GRFP recipient
University of Southern California (USC), Aug. 2012 – May 2016
  • B.S. Geological Sciences, Magna Cum Laude and Departmental Honors
  • Senior Thesis: The Effect of Heated Vapor Phase Acidification on Organic Carbon Concentrations and Isotopic Values in Geologic Rock Samples.
Phillips Exeter Academy, Sept. 2009 – May 2012
  • High School Diploma; Cum Laude

Publications
Published in Peer-Reviewed Journals: In Preparation:
  • Wang, R. Z., West, A. J., Yager, J., Rollins, N., Li, G., Berelson, W.M. In preparation. The Effect of Heated Vapor Phase Acidification on Organic Carbon Concentrations and Isotopic Values in Geologic Rock Samples.

Poster Presentations
  • Wang, R. Z., Nichols, R. J., Shih, P. M., Savage, D. F., Eiler, J. M., Fischer, W. W. (2019) How Has Evolution Impacted C Isotope Fractionation by the Calvin Cycle? 2019 Annual Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life (SCOL) Symposium, Simons Foundation, New York City, New York.
  • Wang, R. Z., Nichols, R. J., Shih, P. M., Savage, D. F., Eiler, J. M., Fischer, W. W. (2019) Carbon Isotope Fractionation by Ancestral Rubisco in Cells, 2019 Southern California Geobiology Symposium, Caltech, Pasadena, California.
  • Wang, R. Z., Nichols, R. J., Shih, P. M., Savage, D. F., Eiler, J. M., Fischer, W. W. (2018) V11E-0063: Carbon Isotope Fractionation by Ancestral Rubisco in Cells, 2018 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington, D.C.
  • Wang, R. Z., Nichols, R. J., Shih, P. M., Savage, D. F., Eiler, J. M., Fischer, W. W. (2018) Carbon Isotope Fractionation by Cyanobacteria Containing an Ancestral RuBisCO Enzyme, Conference on Photosynthesis, Carbon Fixation, and the Environment, Berkeley, California.
  • Wang, R. Z., West, A. J., Yager, J., Rollins, N., Li, G., Berelson, W.M. (2016) PP51C-2324: The Effect of Heated Vapor-phase Acidification on Organic Carbon Concentrations and Isotopic Values in Geologic Rock Samples, 2016 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California.
  • Wang, R. Z., West, A. J., Yager, J., Rollins, N., Li, G., Berelson, W.M. (2016) Standardizing Organic Carbon Measurements in Rocks for Geologic Time Scales, Southern California Geobiology Symposium, Caltech, Pasadena, California.
  • Wang, R. Z., West, A. J., Yager, J., Rollins, N., Li, G., Berelson, W.M. (2016) Standardizing Organic Carbon Measurements in Rocks for Geologic Time Scales, Undergraduate Symposium for Scholarly and Creative Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
  • Wang, R. Z., Piñedo-Gonzalez, P., Clark, K. E., West, A. J. (2016) Trace Metal Mobilization from Artisanal Gold Mining in Peru, Annual Undergraduate Writers’ Conference, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
  • Wang, R. Z., West, A. J., Yager, J., Rollins, N., Li, G., Berelson, W.M. (2015) PP23B-2294: Standardizing Organic Carbon Measurements for Modern and Geologic Timescales, 2015 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California.
  • Wang, R. Z., West, A. J., Yager, J., Rollins, N., Li, G., Berelson, W.M. (2015) Standardizing Organic Carbon Measurements for Modern and Geologic Timescales, 2015 Pacific Section American Association of Petroleum Geologists Student Expo, California State University Northridge .
  • Wang, R. Z., West, A. J., Yager, J., Rollins, N., Li, G., Berelson, W.M. (2015) Unexpected Consequences: Gold Mining in Peru and Trace Metal Mobilization, Southern California Geobiology Symposium, University of California Riverside.
  • Wang, R. Z., Piñedo-Gonzalez, P., Clark, K. E., West, A. J. (2014) B43F-0308: Unexpected Consequences: Gold Mining in Peru and Trace Metal Mobilization, 2014 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California.
  • Wang, R. Z., Piñedo-Gonzalez, P., Clark, K. E., West, A. J. (2014) Unexpected Consequences: Gold Mining in Peru and Trace Metal Mobilization, Undergraduate Symposium for Scholarly and Creative Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
 
Awards
  • National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) (Fall 2017 - Spring 2022)
  • W. A. Tarr Award (May 2016): highest honor awarded by the department on behalf of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, national earth science honor society
  • USC Discovery Scholar (May 2016)
  • Best poster for B.S. student, Pacific Section American Association of Petroleum Geologists Student Expo, California State University Northridge (October 2015)
  • Phi Kappa Phi (May 2015)
  • 2nd Place Poster in the Physical Sciences and Engineering Category, USC Undergraduate Research Symposium (April 2014)
  • USC Dornsife College’s Dean’s List (every semester eligible)
  • USC University Scholarship (every semester eligible)
  • USC University Grant (every semester eligible)

Grants
  • Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) USC Chapter: Researcher Grant (for Fall 2015 Academic Semester)
  • Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) USC Chapter: Fellow (for 2013-2014 Academic Year)
  • American Geophysical Union Student Travel Grant (for Fall 2014 Meeting)
  • USC Earth Science Dept. Fieldwork Grant (May 2014)
  • USC Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) Grant (Jun. – Aug. 2014)
  • USC Student Opportunities for Academic Research (SOAR) Grant (for 2013-2014 Academic Year)
  • USC Provost’s Office: Undergraduate Research Grant (Jun.-Aug. 2013)

Research Experience
U.S. Geological Survey – Menlo Park Office, National Research Program, May – Aug. 2015
  • Performed lab and fieldwork to investigate the fate and transport of different mercury species in the San Francisco Bay Area, the effect of wetland restoration on mobilizing mercury in sediment, and the interaction of wetland plants and the microbial mercury cycle. Role: Biological Field Technician. Project Chief: Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, Ph.D.
USC Geochemistry Lab, Jun. 2013 – May 2016
Advisor: Professor A. Joshua West, Dept. Earth Sciences
  • Senior Thesis:  May 2015 – May 2016. Investigated methods for removing inorganic carbon from total carbon in rocks in order to measure the concentration and isotopic values of organic carbon.
  • Project assistant, studied trace metal transport due to gold mining in Peru. Sept. 2013 – May 2016.
  • Project assistant, studied flux and burial rates of organic carbon in the Amazon Basin. Jun. 2014 – May 2015.
Advisor: Professor Doug Hammond, Dept. Earth Sciences
  • Project assistant, studied marine biogenic silica and carbon sequestration off S. California coast. Jun. – Aug. 2013.

Work Experience
Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF), Oct. 2016 – Dec. 2017
  • French Ministry of National Education program to teach English to French students.
S. S. Papadopulos & Associates, Inc. – Maryland Office, Jun. – Aug. 2016
  • Projects: Performed basic geochemical modeling of fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contaminated soils and surface waters; researched and wrote reports on the toxicology of polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs); compiled literature values of various partitioning coefficients for organic contaminants; compiled literature values of landfill leachate concentrations; field sampling of air and soil samples for analysis of petroleum contamination. Role: Summer Intern.

Field Experience
  • Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction Boundary Outcrop, New York Canyon, Nevada. (May 2016)
  • ExxonMobil Global Geoscience Recruiting Field Course, Guadalupe Mountains (April 2016)
  • U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Field Technician (May-Aug. 2015)
  • USC Field Geology Course (May 2014)

​Instrument Experience
  • Thermo Element2 High Resolution ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry) at USC
  • Picarro cavity ring down spectrometer (CRDS) (G2131-i) coupled via a Picarro Liaison (A0301) to a Costech Elemental Combustion System (EA 4010) at USC
  • PANalytical Axios FAST XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) at Pomona College
  • Clean lab for trace metal analysis at USC for ICP-MS analysis in a clean environment

Service
To the Department and the Profession
  • Founder/President of USC Earth Science Mentor Program (Aug. 2014 – May 2016)
    • Worked with department chair, Prof. Will Berelson, and graduate student Audra Bardsley to create a mentor program by connecting USC Earth Science alumni with current students.
  • Vice President of Sigma Gamma Epsilon chapter at USC (Aug. 2015 – May 2016)
  • Member of Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) at USC (For entire undergraduate career)
To the University
  • USC Residential Advisor (Aug. 2013 – May 2014)
    • USC Women’s NCAA Div. 1 Rowing (Aug. 2012 – May 2013)

Affiliations
  • Phi Kappa Phi since 2015
  • American Geophysical Union since 2014
  • Sigma Gamma Epsilon since 2014

Language Skills
  • English – Native born speaker (IRL Level 5)
  • Chinese – Professional working proficiency (IRL Level 3)
  • French – Professional working proficiency (IRL Level 3)