Melissa Driessnack

Melissa is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Washington State University’s Puyallup Research and Extension Center, working under Dr. John Stark and Dr. Jenifer McIntyre. She earned her B.S. in Zoology from Miami University in 2007 before heading north to the University of Saskatchewan, where she completed her M.Sc. (2012) and Ph.D. (2017) in Aquatic Toxicology.

Since joining WSU in 2021, Melissa has played an integral role in multiple research projects. Her current work explores the environmental impacts of contaminants on aquatic ecosystems, including:

• Evaluating how anticoagulant rodenticides affect early-life stage and juvenile salmon, as well as aquatic invertebrate communities.
• Investigating how food quality and quantity influence the health, survival, and smolting capabilities of juvenile Chinook salmon.
• Assessing the effects of sediment contamination on native benthic invertebrates.
• Examining the effects of antiozonant tire chemicals on early-life stage coho salmon and aquatic invertebrate life histories.

Through her research, Melissa aims to advance understanding of aquatic toxicology and inform conservation efforts for freshwater ecosystems.