Bios - Kelly

Research Interests

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 gender related 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

Professional Experience

2007-present 2004-present	Associate Dean of Women and Minorities, College of Engineering Formosa Plastics Endowed Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University
2000-2006	Director, Institute for Ecological Infrastructure Engineering, Louisiana State University
2000-2004	Formosa Plastics Endowed Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University
1997-1999	Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University
1993-1997	Assistant Research Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University

Honors and Awards (past five years)

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.

Professional Society Memberships

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

Courses Taught

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

Selected Journal Publications (since 2000)

Evans, D., Rusch, K.A. “Phosphorus Removal Capabilities of the Marshland Upwelling System Under Low Background Salinity Conditions”, J. Ecological Engineering (In Press, 2007).
Benson, B., Rusch, K.A. The Effect of Biorhythms on Selenastrum capricornutum cultured in the Hydraulically Integrated Serial Turbidostat Algal Reactor (HISTRA): Implications for Model Development”, J. Applied Phycology (In Press, 2007).
Benson, B., 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, (In Press, 2006).
Fontenot, J., Rusch, K.A., “Evaluation of the Marshland Upwelling System under High Hydraulic Loading and Low Temperature”, J. Air, Water, Soil Pollution (accepted, final version sent to editor).
Benson, B., Rusch, K.A., “Optimization of the Lighting System for the Hydraulically Integrated Serial Turbidostat Algal Reactor (HISTAR): Economic Implications”, J. Aquacultural Engineering (accepted, addressing reviewers’ comments).
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., 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., and 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. and 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. and 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. and 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. and 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. and 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, and 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. and 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. and 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. and 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. and 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., and 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. and 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. and 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. and 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. and 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

115 presentations since 1988

Kelly Rusch

Biography