Professional Links
Biography
I was born and raised in a quaint sleepy town in Northern Pakistan. As with most small-town dwellers, I am a hopeless romantic, who finds joy in storytelling and relishes the camaraderie of cooking and dining together while reciting the verses of regional poetry and swaying to the melodies of folk music.
I am an environmental enthusiast. My love for protecting the environment stemmed mostly from my upbringing closely connected to the earth and its fruit while growing up in the beautiful valley of Mansehra, situated at the feet of a beautiful mountain range. While initially, concerns about water and air pollution were primarily aesthetic, they later shaped my decision to choose environmental engineering as a career.
I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from the National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan. After graduation, I engaged in a World Bank-funded project that studied livelihood enhancement. This experience exposed me to the harsh realities faced by impoverished communities and the profound impact of environmental degradation on their lives. Working in the field inspired me to learn more; so, I enrolled at the U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water where I pursued a master’s degree in environmental engineering. Located in Southern Pakistan, this center operates in a region grappling with water scarcity and compromised water quality within the agriculture sector; living there I got a chance to witness the effects of these issues firsthand.
To be able to contribute professionally towards finding solutions to these problems, I wanted to undergird all my ideas with scientific backing and deepen my understanding of various agricultural inputs. So, I chose to continue my graduate studies and started a Ph.D. in Soil and Crop Sciences at CSU with the support of a Fulbright Scholarship and joined Dr. Thomas Borch’s lab.
Huma is currently looking for career opportunities in consulting and industry.
Project Description
The combined effects of climate change–induced droughts and the growing global food demand have placed significant pressure on the agriculture sector, threatening long-term food security. As a response, the reuse of treated wastewater, including oilfield-produced water (PW), has gained attention as a potential alternative for irrigation.
As part of my PhD research in Dr. Borch’s lab, I am engaged in several projects exploring the reuse and remediation of PW for agricultural applications. My work focuses on evaluating the effects of PW irrigation on soil and crop health, including changes in soil chemistry, microbial communities, plant physiology, and the crop metabolome. This integrated approach aims to identify both the risks and opportunities associated with PW reuse and to determine the treatment levels required to make this practice safe and sustainable.
Recent Publications
Huma Tariq Malik, Yael Zvulunov, Eva Kinnebrew, Timothy K Gates, Steven R Evett, Jacob P VanderRoest, Adi Radian, Jialin Chi, Gopinathan R Abhijith, Nathan D Mueller, Avi Ostfeld, Liping Fang, Thomas Borch. Advancing sustainable water use across the agricultural life cycle in the USA. Nature Water. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-025-00450-7
Marin E Wiltse, Brooke Ballenger, Connor B Stewart, Tamzin A Blewett, Claire Wadler, Holly K Roth, Maelle Coupannec, Huma Tariq, Pei Xu, Yeinner Tarazona, Yanyan Zhang, Ralf Sudowe, James S Rosenblum, Jason C Quinn, Thomas Borch. Oil and gas produced water for cattle, crops, and surface water discharge: Evaluation of chemistry, toxicity and economics. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138581
Yushun Yang, Lun Tian, Thomas Borch, Huma Tariq, Tong Li, Yuhua Bai, Yihong Su, Alberto Tiraferri, John C Crittenden, Baicang Liu. Safety and technical feasibility of sustainable reuse of shale gas flowback and produced water after advanced treatment aimed at wheat irrigation. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 2022. doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c02170.
Huma Tariq Malik, Emily K. Bechtold, Corey D. Broeckling, Michael J. Wilkins, Cassidy Buchanan, Marin E. Wiltse, James A. Ippolito, Thomas Borch*. Biological and Soil Indicators of Environmental Stress in Cropping Systems Irrigated with Produced Water. ACS ES&T Water. 2025. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsestwater.5c00351