Tamara Pandolfo

Tamara Pandolfo is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University, affiliated with the College of Natural Resources. Her research focuses on freshwater mussel ecology, thermal tolerance, and the impacts of environmental stressors such as climate change, land use, and pollutants on aquatic ecosystems. She contributes to graduate leadership in the department and has published extensively on species conservation and physiological responses to environmental challenges.

Her work integrates field studies, modeling, and laboratory experiments to assess threats to freshwater mussels, including temperature extremes, chemical contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, PFAS), and habitat degradation. Pandolfo’s studies highlight the vulnerability of imperiled species and inform conservation strategies for biodiversity preservation.

Her publications span topics like stream temperature projections under climate change, microhabitat suitability, and the effects of land-use practices. She emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining ecological modeling with toxicology to address multifaceted environmental challenges.

No awards or grants are explicitly mentioned, but her research demonstrates significant contributions to freshwater conservation science and education through undergraduate and graduate teaching roles.