Dr. Goulet is a Professor of Biology in the Department of Biology at the University of Mississippi. She is a coral reef biologist who studies symbiotic interactions between corals, octocorals, or sea anemones and their symbionts.
Research Interests
Dr. Goulet's lab investigates symbiotic systems. Symbiosis is the living together of a minimum of two different organisms from two different species. The work in her lab focuses on symbioses in the coral reef ecosystem primarily between corals, octocorals, or sea anemones and their symbionts. The symbionts include unicellular dinoflagellate algae (family Symbiodiniaceae), bacteria, and fish. Most of the work looks at mutualistic interactions, which are beneficial to the partners. With global climate change, some mutualisms may become too taxing, leading to a breakdown of the symbioses and potentially to the death of the host, the symbionts, or both.
Specifically in symbiosis, Dr. Goulet is interested in how different host/symbiont genotypic combinations influence the ecology and evolution of the symbiosis. In order to address this interest, research in her laboratory combines genetic techniques, to identify the hosts and symbionts, and other techniques relating to ecological assessment. For example, she is working on the physiology of different host/symbiont genotypic combinations and how various environmental parameters affect the physiology.
Dr. Goulet's lab also investigates clonality of organisms. As part of this research area, she is determining the ramifications of coral chimerism.
Biography
I am one of the 125 women American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) IF/THEN® ambassadors.
Publications
McCauley, M*, T.L. Goulet, C. Jackson, and S. Loesgen. 2023.
Nature Ecology and Evolution. 14:4899.
Guerrini, G., D. Shefy, J. Douek, N, Shashar, T.L. Goulet*, and B. Rinkevich. 2021. Spatial distribution of conspecific genotypes within chimeras of the branching coral Stylophora pistillata. Scientific Reports 11, 22554. *Corresponding author.
Goulet, T.L. 2021. Institutions key to inclusion and equity. Science 373,: 170-171.
Goulet, T.L. and D. Goulet. 2021. Climate change leads to a reduction in symbiotic derived cnidarian biodiversity on coral reefs. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9.
Goulet, T.L., I. Erill, M.S. Ascunce, S.J. Finley, and G.T. Javan. 2020. Conceptualization of the holobiont paradigm as it pertains to corals. Frontiers in Physiology 11: 1156.
McCauley M., C.R. Jackson, and T.L. Goulet. 2020. Microbiomes of Caribbean octocorals vary over time but are resistant to environmental change. Frontiers in Microbiology. 11.
McCauley, M.* and T.L. Goulet. 2019. Caribbean gorgonian octocorals cope with nutrient enrichment. Marine Pollution Bulletin 141: 621-628.
Courses Taught
- BISC 102 Inquiry Into Life: Human Biology
- BISC 110 Human Biology: An Integrated Exploration
- BISC 335 Human Reproduction
- BISC 345 Symbiosis: From Parasitism to Mutualism
- BISC 479 Special Topics in Biology
- BISC 491 Directed Study in Biological Sciences I
- BISC 492 Directed Study in Biological Sciences II
- BISC 498 Major Field Achievement Test
- BISC 580 Advanced Topics in Biology III
- BISC 650 Career Issues in Graduate Study
- BISC 697 Thesis
- BISC 797 Dissertation
Education
B.S. Biology, Tel-Aviv University (1988)
M.S. Marine Biology, Tel-Aviv University (1991)
M.A. Bio Science, Buffalo State College-SUNY (1996)
Ph.D. Bio Science, SUNY at Buffalo (1999)
Recognitions
- Honorable Mention Teaching Excellence Award, PLATO (Personalized Learning and Adaptive Teaching Opportunities) Program, 2018
- Cora Lee Graham Award for Outstanding Teaching of Freshmen, College of Liberal Arts, 2008
- Graduate Student Excellence in Teaching Award, SUNY at Buffalo, 1997
- Honorable Mention for Excellence in Teaching, SUNY at Buffalo, 1996