Greetings and welcome! My name is Jessica Favorito. I am an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and have been a faculty member at Stockton University since Fall 2017. I am a soil scientist and trace metal geochemist, with interests primarily focusing on inorganic contaminant behavior and biogeochemical cycling in soil. Currently, my work focuses on the impacts of roadway and fungicide trace metal contaminants in soils throughout the Southern New Jersey area. My students and I are looking at the impacts of contaminants on soils and grapevines grown at vineyards across the state. Alongside teaching and research, I am also the coach for Stockton University’s very own soil judging team that competes in the Northeast Regional Collegiate Soil Judging Contest every Fall.
I think one of the most important aspects to know about me is that I grew up in New Jersey and am a Stockton alumna. I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry with an Environmental Chemistry concentration. Following this, I earned my doctorate in Soil Chemistry from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. My research throughout my graduate studies involved soil trace metal geochemistry and behavior in reclaimed phosphate mine soils in southeastern Idaho. This work focused on the contaminant, selenium, a highly toxic trace element that is taken up and accumulates in vegetation throughout western portions of the US. One of the main concerns regarding selenium is hyperaccumulation in plants throughout the region and ingestion by livestock. Selenium acute toxicity is responsible for hundreds of documented cases of livestock fatalities out west. One of the questions that I hear most often regarding my work is “Why soil science?” One of the aspects of soils that drew me in is how beautiful and complex they really are. I think most people do not think about this. It is, therefore, one of my goals to convey this through teaching. There are many interactions and reactions that are occurring in soils that we cannot see. They are also incredibly heterogeneous and unique. Of utmost importance, they are what sustain us - from our drinking water to the ground that we walk on to the food that we eat. I believe more people should learn to appreciate their value. When I am not teaching or conducting research experiments, you are likely to find me outside hiking, gardening, running, birding, traveling, or doing yoga. If soils are your thing, you've come to the right place - check out my teaching and research pages! |