Melissa T. Moos

I am a Lecturer in the School of Occupational and Public Health at Toronto Metropolitan University. I completed my BScH (2004) at Queen’s University, my PhD in Biology (2010) at Queen’s University, and subsequently completed a professional Master’s of Public Health (2018) at Brock University. 

My NSERC-funded, post-doctoral fellowship with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority focused on source water protection in urban areas and threats to water quality. One of my projects investigated sediment phosphorus release from storm-water management ponds, and the efficacy of remediation methods. 

My current research interests include the intersection of human health and the natural environment, including microbiological threats, water quality, impacts of climate change, and source water protection.

Current:

• ENH 617: Applied Ecology
• ENH 440: Biostatistics
• ENH 522: Research Methods
• ENH 220: Pathphysiology
• PUB 301: Agents of Communicable Disease

Past:

• ENH 222: Foundations of Aetiology
• ENH 422: Communicable Diseases II
• ENH 809: Seminars in Public Health
• ENH 766: Research Project I
• OHS 508: Occupational Health and Safety

Research interests:

• Microbiology
• Water Quality
• Source Water Protection
• Climate Change

Research projects:

• Trends in Beach closures and water quality following invasion by Zebra/Quagga mussels
• Urban Growth and Planning for Water Quality in the Kawartha Lakes Region
• Harmful Algal Blooms and Bacterial Contamination of Source Water in the Lake Simcoe Watershed
• Integrated Watershed Management and Effectiveness of Lanthanum based Phosphorus remediation for stormwater management
• Oil Sands Contamination and Water Quality
• Water Quality and availability for Hydro Power Generation, Queen’s/Manitoba Hydro

Journal Publications:

• Lam, D., Meldrum, R., & Moos, M. 2020. Surface microbiology of electronic menus in All-You-Can-Eat Sushi Restaurants, Toronto, Canada. Environmental Health Review. 63(1) 14–20.
• Rohit, C., Moos, M., Meldrum, R., Young, I. 2019. Comparing Infrared and Probe Thermometers to Measure the Hot Holding Temperature of Food in a Retail Setting. Food Protection Trends. 39(1):74-83.  
• Perrella, M., Meldrum, R., Moos, M., Young, I. 2017. The effectiveness of common methods of cold-holding on the temperature of milk. Environmental Health Review. 60(4): 98-103.
• Park, M., Moos, M., Young, I., MacDonald, C., Meldrum, R. 2017. Microbiological quality of Portuguese custard tarts in Toronto—a pilot study. Environmental Health Review. 60(3): 73-76.
• Moos, M.T., and Ginn B.K. 2016. Tracking changes in nutrient load due to anthropogenic activity in a kettle lake on the Oak Ridges Moraine (Ontario, Canada). Lake and Reservoir Management 32: 231-242. 
• Moos, M.T., Taffs, K.H., and Ginn B.K. 2014. Tracking the effectiveness of lanthanum-saturated bentonite clay in Canadian and Australian ponds as a management strategy for increased nutrients in aquatic systems: an applied paleolimnological approach. Journal of Environmental Management 141: 77-85.
• Laird K.R., Das B., Kingsbury M., Moos M.T., Plas S., Ahad J.M.E., Wiltse B., and Brian F. Cumming. 2013. Paleolimnological assessment of limnological change in ten lakes from northwest Saskatchewan downwind of the Athabasca Oils Sands based on analysis of siliceous algae and trace metals in sediment cores. Hydrobiologia 720: 55-73. 
• Moos, M.T., and Brian F. Cumming. 2012. Climate-fire interactions in the warmer early-to-mid Holocene: A test of the utility of charcoal morphotypes in lacustrine sediment from the boreal region of northwestern Ontario (Canada). International Journal of Wildland Fire 21: 640-652. 
• Moos, M.T., and Brian F. Cumming. 2011. Changes in the parkland-boreal forest boundary in northwestern Ontario over the Holocene. Quaternary Science Reviews 30: 1232-1242.
• Moos, M.T., Laird, Kathleen R., and Brian F. Cumming. 2009. Climate-related eutrophication of a small boreal lake in northwestern Ontario: A paleolimnological perspective. The Holocene 19: 359-367.
• Moos, M.T., Laird, Kathleen R., and Brian F. Cumming. 2005. Diatom assemblages and water depth in Lake 239 (Experimental Lakes Area, Ontario): Implications for paleoclimatic studies. Journal of Paleolimnology 34: 217-227.
• Danesh, D., Moos, M.T., Karmakar, M., and Brian F. Cumming. Submitted to The Holocene. Using Pollen assemblages to determine the timing and character of the Holocene Thermal Maximum across the boreal region in northwest Ontario (Canada). 
• Moos, M.T., Ginn, B.K., Meldrum, R. In prep. Trends in beach closures, E. coli, and a shift in dominance from zebra to quagga mussels on a large Canadian lake.

Conference Abstracts/Presentations:  

• Moos, M.T., Ginn, B.K., Meldrum, R. 2019. Trends in beach closures, E. coli, and a shift in dominance from zebra to quagga mussels on a large Canadian lake. NALMS
• Perrella, M., Meldrum R., Moos M. 2017. The effectiveness of common methods of cold-holding on the temperature of milk. CIPHI 78th Annual Educational Conference
• Juchniewicz, N., Pushchak, R., Moos, M. 2017. Bugged Out: Entomophagy Safety Risks and Legislative Review. CIPHI 78th Annual Educational Conference
• Huang, R., Moos, M., Meldrum, R. 2017. Evaluation of the surface cleanliness of shared condiment bottle in Toronto burger restaurants. CIPHI 78th Annual Educational Conference
• Perrella, M., Meldrum, R., Moos, M. 2017. The effectiveness of common methods of cold-holding on the temperature of milk. OFPA Spring Technical Meeting
• International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR): May 2015 (Burlington, Vermont) Moos, M.T., B.K. Ginn, J.C. Vermaire. Setting effective and sustainable lake management objectives
• 9th National Monitoring Conference: April 2014 (Cincinnati, Ohio) Moos, M.T., B.K. Ginn. Investigating anthropogenic water quality changes in Musselman Lake 
• 2nd Biennial Lake Simcoe Science Forum: October 2013 (Barrie, Ontario) Moos, M.T., B.K. Ginn. Determining the cause and timing of water quality changes in Musselman Lake: setting lake management objectives using paleolimnological techniques
• International Paleolimnology Symposium (IPS): August 2012 (Glasgow, UK) Moos, M.T., Longstaff, B., and B.K. Ginn. Tracking the effectiveness of lanthanum-saturated bentonite clay as a management strategy for increased nutrients in aquatic systems: an applied paleolimnological approach
• Society for Canadian Limnology: January 2009 (Ottawa, Ontario) Moos, Melissa T., Laird Kathleen R., and Brian F. Cumming. 2009. Climate-related eutrophication of a small boreal lake, Experimental Lakes Area, NW Ontario: A paleolimnological perspective.
• Laird, Kathleen R., Moos, Melissa T., and Brian F. Cumming. 2008. Mid-Holocene lake level decline and eutrophication in Rawson Lake (Lake 239), Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario. American Geophysical Union – Annual Meeting
• 30th Congress of the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology: August 2007 (Montreal, Quebec) Moos, Melissa T., and Brian F. Cumming. 2007. Tracking long-term climate related trends using diatoms, pollen and charcoal from a lake in NW Ontario.
• Ontario-Québec Paleolimnology Group Graduate Student Conference: April 2007 (Waterloo, Ontario) Moos, Melissa T., and Brian F. Cumming. 2007. Tracking Holocene climatic change and aridity in the Experimental Lakes Area (Ontario, Canada) using paleolimnological techniques.
• Society for Canadian Limnology: January 2007 (Montreal, Quebec) Moos, Melissa T., and Brian F. Cumming. 2007. A Holocene-level fossil diatom record of climate change and aridity at the Experimental Lakes Area: Northwestern Ontario.
• Society for Canadian Limnology: January 2006 (Calgary, Alberta) Moos, Melissa T., and Brian F. Cumming. 2006. Hydrologic Variability and extremes in NW Ontario: Paleolimnological investigations from Lake 239 (Experimental Lakes Area).
• Canadian Quaternary Association (CANQUA): June 2005 (Winnipeg, Manitoba) Moos, Melissa T., Laird, Kathleen R., and Brian F. Cumming. 2005. Hydrologic variability and extremes in NW Ontario: Paleolimnological investigations from Lake 239 (ELA).
• Society for Canadian Limnology: January 2005 (Windsor, Ontario) Moos, Melissa T., Laird, Kathleen R., and Brian F. Cumming. 2005. Diatom assemblages and water depth in Lake 239 (Experimental Lakes Area, Ontario): Implications for paleoclimatic studies.

Technical Reports:

• Ginn, B.K., Moos, M.T. Results from the monitoring program on Musselman Lake: 2013-2014. Technical Progress Report Series No. 4. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA)
• Moos, M.T. Phoslock in the Lake Simcoe Watershed. 2013. Technical Progress Series, LSRCA
• Moos, M.T. A History of Musselman’s Lake. 2013. Technical Progress Series, LSRCA

• Dean’s Teaching Award (CUPE 1). Faculty of Community Services, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada, 2021.
• Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships (QES): Advanced-Scholars, Canada, 2016-2017.
• Dennis Mock Student Leadership Award, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada, 2016.
• On-Campus Student Leader Award, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada, 2016.
• Ontario Trillium Scholarship (OTS), Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada, 2012-2016.
• Colombian Research Grant for Young Professionals, COLCIENCIAS, Cartagena, Colombia, 2014-2016.