• Biofuel production from microalgae: reactor design, extraction.  Developed the Hydraulically Integrated Serial Turbidostat Algal Reactor (HISTAR) for the continuous, mass production of microalgae .
• Water Quality Management and Modeling: Water quality issues related to surface water, aquaculture systems and wetlands.  TMDL development for surface waters.  Numerical modeling of hypereutrophic lake systems.
• Decentralized Wastewater Treatment: Development of the Marshland Upwelling System to treat domestic wastewater from coastal dwellings; Impact assessment of domestic wastewater on coastal water quality.  Fate and transport of wastewater pollutants in the subsurface environment.
• Industrial Waste Stabilization and Reuse: Stabilization of soluble “gypsum” based wastes for marine application.
• Aquacultural Engineering: Development of automated microalgal and zooplankton production systems for feed production.
• Degradation and Environmental Impacts of Bioplastics: Investigation of degradation processes of bio-based bioplastics and the impact of degradation products on the environment.
• Engineering Education: retention and underrepresented student issues.

Education

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1992
• M.S. in Civil Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1989
• B.S. in Biology (aquatic) and Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Wisconsin, 1986 

Honors and Awards (past eight years)

• Recipient of Superior Paper Award - "Investigation of Light Dynamics and the Impact on Algal Growth Rate in the Hydraulically Integrated Serial Turbidostat Algal Reactor (HISTAR)”, J. Aquacultural Engineering, 35(2):122-134, 2006. Authors – B. Benson and K.A. Rusch
• Recipient of the LSU Distinguished Faculty Award for a sustained record of excellence in teaching, research and service, 2005.
• Recipient of the Louisiana Engineering Foundation (LEF) Faculty Professionalism Award, 2005.
• Recipient of Achievement Award, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (LSU), 2002.
• Recipient of refereed journal award – Aquacultural Engineering Society Honorable Mention Paper Award for the article “An Integrated System for Microalgal and Nursery Seed Clam Culture, Aquacultural Engineering, 24:15-31, 2000.
• Awarded University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse Rada Distinguished Alumnus Award (inaugural award), 2002.
• Recipient of the Tiger Athletic Foundation President’s Award for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education, Louisiana State University, 2000.

• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Aquacultural Engineering Society
• World Aquaculture Society
• Water Environment Federation
• Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors
• American Society of Engineering Education
• Sigma Xi
  

• ENGR 1050 Introduction to Engineering
• EVEG 2000 Introduction to Environmental Engineering          
• EVEG 4135 Water Quality Analysis for Natural Systems
• EVEG 4139 Lakes Management and Modeling
• CE 7100 Biochemical Unit Processes
• CE 7180 Water Quality Modeling

•  *Cao, H., Tsai, F.T-C., Rusch, K.A., “The Impact of Salinity on MS-2 Sorption in Saturated Sand Columns – Fate and Transport Modeling”, submitted to ASCE J. Environmental Engineering (accepted, corrections returned to editor, 2008).
• Boldor, D., Balasubramanian, S., Purohit, S., Gutierrez-Wing, M.T., Rusch, K.A. “A Continuous Microwave Treatment System for Prevention of Invasive Species during De-Ballasting Operation”.  J. of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, AMPERE-11 Special Edition (In Press, 2008). 
• Boldor, D., Ortego, J., Rusch, K.A. “An Analysis of Dielectric Properties of Synthetic Ballast Water at Frequencies Ranging from 300 to 3,000 Mhz”. J. of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, AMPERE-11 Special Edition (accepted, returned corrections to editor).
• Salvi, D.A., Boldor, D., Sabliov, C.M. Rusch, K.A., “Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Continuous Microwave Heating of Ballast Water as Preventive Treatment for Introduction of Invasive Species”. J. Marine Environmental Engineering (In Press, 2008).
• Boldor, D., Balasubramanian, S., Purohit, S., Rusch, K.A. “Design and Implementation of a Continuous Microwave Heating System for Ballast Water Treatment", J. Environ. Sci. & Tech., 42(11):4121-4127, 2008.  
• *Evans, D., Rusch, K.A. “Phosphorus Removal Capabilities of the Marshland Upwelling System Under Near Seawater Conditions”, ASCE J. Environmental Engineering, 133(11):1061-1071, 2007.
• *Evans, D., Rusch, K.A. “Phosphorus Removal Capabilities of the Marshland Upwelling System Under Low Background Salinity Conditions”, J. Ecological Engineering, 30(30):250-263, 2007.
• *Benson, B., Gutierrez-Wing, M.T., Rusch, K.A. Application of the Fourier Method to Differentiate Biological Rhythms from Stochastic Processes in the Growth of Selenastrum capricornutum Printz: Implications for Model Development, J. Applied Phycology, 20(2):103-111, 2007.
• *Benson, B., Gutierrez-Wing M.T., Rusch, K.A. “The Development of a Deterministic Model to Investigate the Impacts of Light Dynamics on Algal Productivity in the Hydraulically Integrated Serial Turbidostat Algal Reactor (HISTAR), J. Aquacultural Engineering, 36(2):198-211, 2007.
• *Addo, B. Boldor, D. Rusch, K.A. “Retention and Removal of Fecal Coliforms in a Marshland Upwelling System Operated under Near Freshwater Background Conditions”, J. Environmental Engineering Science, 23(5):745-760, 2006.
• *Fontenot, J., Rusch, K.A. “Evaluation of Nitrogen Removal in the Marshland Upwelling System Implementation in Loamy/Sand Soils”, J. Ecological Engineering, 27:22-36, 2006.
• *Benson, B., Gutierrez-Wing, M.T., Rusch, K.A., “Optimization of the Lighting System for the Hydraulically Integrated Serial Turbidostat Algal Reactor (HISTAR): Economic Implications”, J. Aquacultural Engineering (revised manuscript returned to editor).
• *Benson, B., Rusch, K.A. “Investigation of Light Dynamics and the Impact on Algal Growth Rate in the Hydraulically Integrated Serial Turbidostat Algal Reactor (HISTAR)”, J. Aquacultural Engineering, 35(2):122-134, 2006.
•  Walsh, M.M, Jenkins, D., Powell, K., Rusch, K.A. “The Campus Lake Learning Community: Promoting a Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Environmental Problem-Solving”, Journal of College Science Teaching, Vol. XXXIV, Number 5: 24-27, 2005.
• *Richardson, S.D., Rusch, K.A.  “Evaluation of the Marshland Upwelling System for the Removal of Fecal Coliform Bacteria from Coastal Dwelling Domestic Wastewater”, ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering, 131(1):60-70, 2005.
• Guo, T., *Deshpande, P., Rusch, K.A. “Identification of Dynamic Leaching Kinetics of Stabilized, Water Soluble Wastes”, Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 38:603-608, 2004.
• *Ruley, J.E., Rusch, K.A. “Development of a Phosphorus Management Model to Address Floating Filamentous Algae in a Shallow, Subtropical, Urban Hypereutrophic Lake”, Journal of Ecological Engineering, 22:77-98, 2004.
• *Richardson, S.D., Willson, C.S., Rusch, K.A. “Implications of Using Rhodamine WT as a Wastewater Plume Tracer in the Marshland Upwelling System”, Ground Water, 42(5); 678-688, 2004.
• Rusch, K.A., Christensen, J.M. “The Hydraulically Integrated Serial Turbidostat Algal Reactor (HISTAR) for Microalgal Production”, Journal of Aquacultural Engineering, 27:249-265, 2003.
• *Guo, T., Geaghan, J.P, Rusch, K.A., “Determination of Optimum Ingredients for Stabilized Phosphogypsum Composites for Aquatic Application – Response Surface Analysis with Process Variables”, ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering, 129(4):358-365, 2003.
• King, J.M., Liang, X., Rusch, K.A., “Nutritional Properties of the Marine Rotifer Brachionus plicatilis Fed the Freshwater Microalgae Selenastrum capricornutum”, Journal of World Aquaculture Society, 33(4):478-488, 2002.
• *Ruley, J.E., Rusch, K.A. “An Assessment of Long-term, Post-restoration Water Quality Trends in a Shallow, Subtropical, Urban, Hypereutrophic Lake”, Journal of Ecological Engineering, 19(4):265-280, 2002.
• *Watson, R.E., Rusch, K.A., “Performance Evaluation of a Marshland Upwelling System-Escherichia coli Removal Efficiency”, ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering, 128(7):643-652, 2002.
• Rusch, K.A., *Guo, T., Seals, R.K., “Stabilization of Phosphogypsum Using Class C Fly Ash and Lime: Assessment of the Potential for Marine Applications”, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 93(2):167-186, 2002.
• *Guo, T., Malone, R.F., Rusch, K.A. “Stabilized Phosphogypsum:Class C Fly Ash:Portland Type II Cement Composites for Marine Application”, Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 35:3967-3973, 2001.
• *Watson, R.E., K.A. Rusch. “Performance Evaluation of a Marshland Upwelling System for the Removal of Fecal Coliforms from Raw Domestic Wastewater”, Journal of Water Environment Research, 73(3):339-350, 2001.
• *Pfeiffer, T.J., Rusch, K.A. “Growth Comparison of Three Culture Methods for the Intensive Culture of Northern Quahog Seed, Mercenaria mercenaria”, Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, 32(1):11-20, 2001.
• *Pfeiffer, T., Rusch, K.A. “An Integrated System for Microalgal and Nursery Seed Clam Culture Using Computer Control, Recirculation and Fluidization”, Journal of Aquacultural Engineering, 24(1):15-32, 2000.
• Christensen, J.M., Rusch, K.A., Malone, R.F. “Development of a Model for Describing Color Accumulation and Subsequent Destruction by Ozone in a Freshwater Recirculating Aquaculture System”, Journal of World Aquaculture Society, 31(2):167-174, 2000.

 Conference Presentations

• >130 presentations since 1988