Tamar Goulet

Dr. Tamar Goulet is a Professor of Biology at the University of Mississippi’s Department of Biology within the College of Liberal Arts. Her research focuses on symbiotic interactions in coral reef ecosystems, particularly between corals, octocorals, sea anemones, and their symbionts such as Symbiodiniaceae algae, bacteria, and fish. She examines how environmental changes impact these mutualistic relationships and explores clonality in marine organisms, including coral chimerism. A certified diver since 1988, Goulet has witnessed decades of coral reef degradation due to climate change. She actively participates in science communication, notably as an AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassador and through outreach efforts like STEM camps.

Dr. Goulet holds a B.S. (1988) and M.S. (1991) in Biology from Tel-Aviv University, followed by an M.A. (1996) in Bio Science from Buffalo State College-SUNY and a Ph.D. (1999) in Bio Science from SUNY at Buffalo. Her teaching career includes multiple awards: Honorable Mention for Excellence in Teaching (1996), Graduate Student Excellence in Teaching Award (1997), Cora Lee Graham Award (2008), and PLATO Teaching Excellence recognition (2018).

Her research combines genetic and ecological techniques to study host-symbiont genotypic combinations and their ecological consequences. Current projects include analyzing physiological responses to environmental parameters and the implications of coral chimerism. She also investigates microbiome stability in cnidarians and the role of symbiont diversity in ecosystem resilience.

• Research Lab: Goulet Lab
• Key Publications: Nature Ecology and Evolution, Science, Frontiers series, and Coral Reefs journal
• Outreach: IF/THEN Ambassadorship, virtual STEM workshops, and media features

Dr. Goulet advises multiple graduate and undergraduate students, evident through co-authored works. Her work has been featured in high-profile venues such as the Smithsonian and Dallas Arboretum. She emphasizes equity and inclusion in academia, advocating for systemic changes to support underrepresented groups in STEM.