Professional Links
Biography
Jacob is currently looking for post-doctoral fellowship positions starting in the fall of 2026.
Jacob VanderRoest was born in Holland, MI and grew up in the southwest Michigan area. After graduating from Saugatuck High School in 2017, Jacob studied chemistry and geology at Hope College where he also ran cross country and conducted organometallic chemistry research. At Hope College, Jacob was the Co-President of the Hope Advocates for Sustainability organization: an internship program that seeks to implement environmentally-friendly initiatives at Hope College and the surrounding community. This involvement sparked Jacob’s interest and commitment to environmental sustainability. After graduating from Hope College in 2021, Jacob enrolled in the chemistry Ph.D. program at Colorado State University to continue his chemical education tailored towards ecological sustainability. Since joining Dr. Borch’s research lab, Jacob has been studying the effects of wildfires on soil quality. Specifically, he is using high-resolution mass spectrometry and various incubation techniques to determine post-fire changes of soil organic matter composition and dissolved organic matter composition. Jacob is planning on graduating with his Ph.D. in the Spring of 2026 and ultimately wants to teach environmental chemistry at a liberal arts college where he can prioritize mentoring the next generation of environmental chemists.
Jacob is an avid runner who has run over 6,000 miles total with the goal of running 24,901 miles (equivalent to the circumference of the Earth). Upon moving to Colorado for graduate school, Jacob has invested in two new hobbies: rock climbing and salsa dancing. He often climbs in Rocky Mountain National Park and can be found leading salsa dancing lessons in downtown Fort Collins.
In addition to outdoor activities, Jacob is very passionate about music. He has listened to over 1,500 albums and tries to listen to a new one each day. At Hope College, he took acoustic guitar lessons and did a few performances while in Michigan. Since moving to Colorado, Jacob has learned to play the electric guitar and has performed with local punk rock bands as a guitarist and vocalist.
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
Merritt N Logan, Monique S Patzner, Jacob P VanderRoest, Bridget B McGivern, Nivetha Srikanthan, Myrna J Simpson, Amy M McKenna, Kelly C Wrighton, Casey Bryce, Andreas Kappler, Thomas Borch. Role of permafrost thaw transitions in biogeochemical nitrogen cycling. Soil & Environmental Health. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seh.2025.100148
Jacob P VanderRoest, Julie A Fowler, Charles C Rhoades, Holly K Roth, Corey D Broeckling, Timothy S Fegel, Amy M McKenna, Emily K Bechtold, Claudia M Boot, Michael J Wilkins, Thomas Borch. Fire impacts on the soil metabolome and organic matter biodegradability. Environmental Science & Technology. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c09797
Sierra Jech, Clifford Adamchak, Sean C Stokes, Marin E Wiltse, Jessica Callen, Jacob VanderRoest, Eugene F Kelly, Eve-Lyn S Hinckley, Holly J Stein, Thomas Borch, Noah Fierer. Determination of Soil Contamination at the Wildland-Urban Interface after the 2021 Marshall Fire in Colorado, USA. Environmental Science & Technology. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c08508
Alandra Marie Lopez, Claudia Christine E Avila, Jacob P VanderRoest, Holly K Roth, Scott Fendorf, Thomas Borch. Molecular insights and impacts of wildfire-induced soil chemical changes. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-024-00548-8
Jacob P VanderRoest. Using pyrocosms to determine fire impacts on soil molecules. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-024-00562-w
