Adam Moles

Adam Moles is a Non-tenure track Lecturer in the Biology Department at Western Washington University (WWU), where he teaches Medical Microbiology to pre-medical students. Previously, he held roles as a Research Biologist and Scientific Editor at NOAA's Auke Bay Laboratory in Alaska (1972-2012). He also served as an Adjunct Instructor in Biology and English at the University of Alaska Southeast.

Education: PhD in Fishery Biology (University of Alaska), M.A. in English (Middlebury College/Oxford University), and multiple B.S. degrees in Zoology, Molecular Biology, and Literature.

Research focuses on microbiology of disease organisms in fish and invertebrates, particularly how environmental changes (e.g., oil spills, contaminants) affect parasites and bacteria. He pioneered using fish parasites as habitat bioindicators and contributed to Exxon Valdez oil spill recovery efforts.

Editorial roles include Associate Editor of Fishery Bulletin and Marine Pollution Bulletin. His 75+ peer-reviewed publications address oil toxicity, parasite ecology, and fisheries management. Key contributions include linking PAH pollution to two-stroke engines and demonstrating parasite utility as bioindicators.

Advising and grants: Taught medical microbiology to PA, nursing, and dentistry students. Led NOAA’s scientific editing team, overseeing peer-reviewed journals like Fishery Bulletin. Collaborated with agencies on habitat assessments and oil spill mitigation.

Labs/Teams: Formerly part of NOAA's Auke Bay Lab (Alaska) and currently affiliated with WWU's Biology Department. Active in editorial boards for journals like Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.