Kevin Roche, Ph.D.

Bio

Dr. Kevin Roche joined Boise State University in Fall 2020. While his research has spanned disciplines ranging from fluid mechanics to microeconomics, it is unified by a need for improved predictive models that respect the natural variability of hydrologic processes. His work involves a combination of (1) novel observations at scales ranging from the laboratory (mm – m) to the field (m – km); and (2) developing mechanistic models that establish a parsimonious link between these scales. He uses this combined experimental and modeling approach to improve the physical basis of stream- and watershed-scale models of contaminant and nutrient fate.

Prior to Boise State, Dr. Roche was a Fulbright Junior Scholar at the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC) in Barcelona, Spain, where he developed theory of reactive transport in rivers. He also worked as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Notre Dame, where he worked on projects ranging from field experiments in streams to theoretical modeling of climate change and conflict.

Dr. Roche received his B.S. in chemical engineering from Purdue University. After undergraduate studies, Dr. Roche worked as a process control engineer at Eli Lilly and Company (Indianapolis, IN), where he improved automation to increase water efficiency in pilot-scale manufacturing facilities. He then served for three years in the US Peace Corps (Guinea, Costa Rica) before joining Northwestern University for his graduate studies.

Education

B.S. Chemical Engineering, Purdue University

Ph.D. Civil & Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University

Publications

Peer-reviewed Publications (*corresponding author).

–Link to Google Scholar–

[18] Müller, M.F., Roche, K.R., Dralle, D. et al 2021 Environmental Research Letters, 16, 08403.

[17] Grant, S. B., Gomez-Velez, J. D., Ghisalberti, M., Guymer, I., Boano, F., Roche, K., & Harvey, J. (2020). A one-dimensional model for turbulent mixing in the benthic biolayer of stream and coastal sediments. Water Resources Research, 56, e2019WR026822.

[16] Roche, K.R., Müller-Itten*, M., Dralle, D., Bolster, D., & Müller, M.F.* (2020). “Climate change and the opportunity cost of conflict.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117 (4) 1935-1940. (Click here for Notre Dame press release)

[15] Ward, A.S.* et al. (2019). “Spatial and temporal variation in river corridor exchange across a 5th-order mountain stream network.” Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, (12), 5199-5225.

[14] Bolster, D.*, Roche, K.R., Morales, V.L. (2019). “Recent advances in anomalous transport models for predicting contaminants in natural groundwater systems.” Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering 26, 72-80.

[13] Ward, A.S.*, et al. (2019). “Co-located contemporaneous mapping of morphological, hydrological, chemical, and biological conditions in a 5th-order mountain stream network, Oregon, USA.” Earth System Science Data, 11(4), 1567-1581.

[12] Kim, J., Roche, K.R., Bolster, D., & Doudrick, K.* (2019). “Transport of Food- and Catalytic-Grade Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Controlled Field Streams with Varying Streambed and Biofilm Conditions.” Environmental Science: Nano 6 (11), 3454-3466.

[11] Riis, T.*, Reisinger, A.J., Aubeneau, A., Roche, K.R., et al. (2019). “Riverine macrophytes control seasonal nutrient uptake via both physical and biological pathways.” Freshw Biol., 00, 1-15.

[10] Roche, K.R.*, Li, A., Bolster, D., Wagner, G., & Packman, A.I. (2019).  “Effects of turbulent hyporheic mixing on reach-scale transport.” Water Resources Research, 55.

[9] Sherman, T.*, Roche, K.R., Richter, D., Packman, A.I., & Bolster, D. (2019). “A dual domain stochastic model for predicting transport in open channels with hyporheic exchange.” Advances in Water Resources, 125, 57-67.

[8] Roche, K.R.*, Shogren, A., Aubeneau, A.F., Tank, J.T., & Bolster, D. (2019). “Modeling benthic vs. hyporheic uptake in unshaded streams with varying substrates.” JGR-Biogeosciences, 124(2), 367-383.

[7] Lian, Y.P., Dallmann, J., Sonin, B., Roche, K.R., Liu, W.K., Packman, A.I., Wagner, G.J.* (2019). “Large eddy simulation of turbulent flow over and through a rough permeable bed.” Computers and Fluids, 180, 128-138.

[6] Roche, K.R.*, Blois, G., Best, J.L., Christensen, K.T., Aubeneau, A.F., & Packman, A.I. (2018). “Turbulence links momentum and solute exchange in coarse‐grained streambeds.” Water Resources Research, 54 (Editor’s Choice Award; Featured in Eos)

[5] Aquino, T.*, Roche, K.R., Aubeneau, A.F., Packman, A.I., & Bolster, D. (2017). “A Process-based model for bioturbation-induced mixing.” Scientific Reports, 7 (1), 14287.

[4] Roche, K.R.*, Drummond, J.D., Boano, F., Packman, A.I., Battin, T.J., & Hunter, W.R. (2016). “Benthic Biofilm Controls on Fine Particle Dynamics in Streams.” Water Resources Research, 53, 222–236.

[3] Roche, K.R.*, Aubeneau, A.F., Xie, M., Aquino, T., Bolster, D., & Packman, A.I. (2016). “An Integrated Experimental and Modeling Approach to Predict Sediment Mixing from Benthic Burrowing Behavior.” Environmental Science and Technology, 50 (18), 10047–10054.

[2] Stonedahl, S. H.*, Roche, K.R., Stonedahl, F., & Packman, A. I. (2015). “Visualizing hyporheic flow through bedforms using dye experiments and simulation.” Journal of Visualized Experiments, (105), e53285-e53285.

[1] Roche, K. & Douce, L. (2007)*. “Synthesis of Mesomorphic 3,5-Bis(3,4,5-trialkyloxybenzoylamino)-4-methylbenzoates Involving Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding.” Journal of the Iranian Chemical Society, Vol. 4, No. 4., 402-407.

Other Publications

Roche, K. R., A. M. Marshall, P. Paiewonsky, J. Yan, L. Brenner, and S. M. Saia (2019), The value of early-career mentoring through AGU, Eos, 100, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019EO130127. Published on 02 August 2019

Roche, K.R. Transport Processes at the Sediment-Water Interface (2017). Northwestern University

Research

Hydrologic Interfaces And Processes Laboratory

Area of Interest

• Fate and transport in fluvial systems
• Surface water-groundwater exchange in rivers
• Biological drivers of solute and particle transport in water (ecohydrology)
• Basin-scale hydrologic variability
• Coupled human-natural systems