Dr. Natacha Pasche is a limnologist specializing in biogeochemical processes in lake ecosystems. Trained as an Environmental Engineer at EPFL, she completed her PhD on nutrient cycling and methane production in Lake Kivu. From 2009 to 2013, she worked with the Government of Rwanda to establish a comprehensive lake monitoring program, to assess the environmental impacts of methane extraction activities on Lake Kivu.
Since September 2013, Dr. Pasche has served as the Deputy Director of the Center for Limnology at EPFL. In this role, she coordinated the scientific, logistical, and financial aspects of three major research projects: the use of aerial imagery for water quality mapping, an exploration of under-ice life in Lake Onego, and a study on primary production in Swiss lakes.
As project leader, she oversaw the construction and ongoing operation of LéXPLORE, an advanced research platform on Lake Geneva that enables high-frequency, multi-parameter data collection. She continues to coordinate the diverse research activities associated with this platform.
In 2021, Dr. Pasche became the Operational Director of the Limnology Center, where she leads a team of four staff members to manage and develop the LéXPLORE platform. In addition to her research and leadership roles, she teaches the Limnology course to Master's students in the Environmental Engineering program at EPFL.
Her current research focuses on suspended particulate matter dynamics in Lake Geneva, with a particular emphasis on settling processes in the interflow of the Rhône River, which significantly influences sediment, pollutant and nutrient transport into the lake.

Hannah Chmiel, Hilmar Hofmann, Sebastian Sobek, Tatyana Efremova, and Natacha Pasche (2019): Where does the river end? Drivers of spatiotemporal variability in CO2 concentration and flux in the inflow area of a large boreal lake. Limnology and oceanography (accepted).
Alfred Wüest, Natacha Pasche, Bastiaan Ibelings, Sapna Sharma and Nikolay Filatov (2019): Life under Ice in Lake Onego (Russia) & An Interdisciplinary Winter Limnology Study. Inland Waters 9 (2), editorial.
Natacha Pasche, Hilmar Hofmann, Damien Bouffard, Carsten J. Schubert, Petr A. Lozovik, Sebastian Sobek (2019): Implications of river intrusion and convective mixing on the spatial and temporal variability of under-ice CO2. Inland Waters 9 (2) in Life under Ice in Lake Onego (Russia) & An Interdisciplinary Winter Limnology Study.
Camille Thomas, Victor Frossard, Marie-Elodie Perga, Natacha Tofield-Pasche, Hilmar Hofmann, Nathalie Dubois, Natalia Belkina, Mariya Zobkova, Serge Robert, Emilie Lyautey (2019): Lateral variations and vertical structure of the microbial methane cycle in the sediment of Lake Onego (Russia), Inland Waters 9 (2) in Life under Ice in Lake Onego (Russia) & An Interdisciplinary Winter Limnology Study.
Tatyana A. Efremova, Albina V. Sabylina, Petr A. Lozovik, Vera I. Slaveykova, Maria V. Zobkova and Natacha Pasche (2019): Seasonal and spatial variation in hydrochemical parameters in Lake Onego (Russia): insights from 2016 field monitoring, Inland Waters 9 (2) in Life under Ice in Lake Onego (Russia) & An Interdisciplinary Winter Limnology Study.
Damien Bouffard, Roman E. Zdorovennov, Gallina E. Zdorovennova, Natacha Pasche, Alfred Wüest and Arkady Y. Terzhevik (2016): Ice-covered Lake Onega: effects of radiation on convection and internal waves; Hydrobiologia. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-016-2915-3.
Pasche Natacha, Tuyisenge Janvière, Mugisha Ange, Rugema Edouard, Muzana Alice, Uwasempabuka Aline and Umutoni Augusta (2015). Building Local Capacities to Monitor Methane Extraction in Lake Kivu, pp 235-244. Chapter 21 in Hostettler, Silvia, Gadgil, Ashok, Hazboun, Eileen (Eds) Sustainable Access to Energy in the Global South, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-20209-9_21, © Springer International Publishing
Fabrice A. Muvundja, Alfred Wüest, Mwapu Isumbisho, Mwenyemali B. Kaningini, Natacha Pasche, Päivi Rinta, Martin Schmid (2014): Modelling Lake Kivu water level variations over the last seven decades. Limnologica Ecology and Management of Inland Waters 47, p 21&33, doi:10.1016/j.limno.2014.02.003.
Natacha Pasche, Fabrice Muvundja, Martin Schmid, Alfred Wüest, and Beat Müller (2012): Nutrient cycling in Lake Kivu, p 31 - 45. Chapter 3 in J.-P. Descy et al. (eds.), Lake Kivu: Limnology and biogeochemistry of a tropical great lake, Aquatic Ecology Series 5, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-4243-7_3, © Springer Science Business Media B.V. 2012.
Natacha Pasche (2012): Paleolimnology of Lake Kivu: past climate and recent environmental changes, p 153 - 163. Chapter 9 in J.-P. Descy et al. (eds.), Lake Kivu: Limnology and biogeochemistry of a tropical great lake, Aquatic Ecology Series 5, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-4243-7_9, © Springer Science Business Media B.V. 2012.
Alfred Wüest, Lukas Jarc, Helmut Bürgmann, Natacha Pasche and Martin Schmid (2012): Methane formation and future extraction in Lake Kivu, p 165 - 180. Chapter 10 in J.-P. Descy et al. (eds.), Lake Kivu: Limnology and biogeochemistry of a tropical great lake, Aquatic Ecology Series 5, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-4243-7_10, © Springer Science Business Media B.V. 2012.
Natacha Pasche, Martin Schmid, John Kessler, Mary Pack, Bill Reeburgh, Carsten Schubert, Francisco Vazquez and Helmut Bürgmann (2011): Methane sources and sinks in Lake Kivu. Journal of Geophysical Research 116, G03006.N
Natacha Pasche, Georges Alunga, Keely Mills, Fabrice Muvundja, David B. Ryves, Michael Schurter, Bernhard Wehrli and Martin Schmid (2010): Abrupt onset of carbonate deposition in Lake Kivu during the 1960s: response to recent environmental changes.Journal of Paleolimnology 44, 931-946.
Natacha Pasche (2009): Nutrient cycling and methane production in Lake Kivu, thesis es science, 127pp, ETH No.18606, Zürich.
Natacha Pasche, Christian Dinkel, Beat Müller, Martin Schmid, Alfred Wüest and Bernhard Wehrli (2009): Physical and biogeochemical limits to internal nutrient loading of meromictic Lake Kivu. Limnology and Oceanography 54, 1863-1873.
Fabrice Muvundja, Natacha Pasche, Fred W. B. Bugenyi, Mwapu Isumbisho, Beat Müller, Jean-Népomuscène Namugize, Päivi Rinta, Martin Schmid, Ruth Stierli and Alfred Wüest (2009): Balancing nutrient inputs to Lake Kivu. Journal of Great Lakes Research 35, 406-415.
Sebastian Sobek, Durisch-Kaiser Edith, Zurbrügg Roland, Nuttakan Wongfun, Martin Wessels, Natacha Pasche, and Bernhard Wehrli (2009), Organic carbon burial efficiency in lake sediments controlled by oxygen exposure time and sediment source. Limnology and Oceanography 54, 2243-2254.
Mathias Kneubühler, Toni Frank, Tobias Kellenberger, Natacha Pasche and Martin Schmid (2007): Mapping chlorophyll-a in Lake Kivu with remote sensing methods. European Space Agency, (Special Publication) ESA SP (SP-636).