Dr. Meschke is an environmental and occupational health microbiologist, specializing in the fate, transport, detection and control of pathogens in environmental media (air, water, food and surfaces). He was associate chair and graduate program coordinator for the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences.
Not available to mentor new students in Autumn 2026. Please follow the instructions on the How To Apply page.
Interests: Detection of viruses and bacteria in water and food. Environmental surveillance for viruses. Market prevalence of foodborne pathogens. Freshwater toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Viruses of anaerobic digesters. Microbiological quality of produce. Irrigation and produce wash-water quality. Bioaerosol sampling. Quantitative microbial risk assessment. Health and environmental co-benefits of adaptive responses to climate impacts. Infection control. Indicators of fecal contamination. Comparative adsorption of enteric viruses in soil and groundwater. Phage ecology. Survival and persistence of pathogenic microorganisms. Microbiological quality of water, soil and vegetation. Alternative methods of water and wastewater disinfection. Surface disinfection. Biosafety. Mathematical models for exposure assessment. Policy implications of infectious agents. Poliovirus eradication. Endotoxins. Agricultural safety and health. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Mold. Pathogen detection. Solid wastes and waste disposal. Waterborne pathogenic microorganisms.
