Pamela Hallock Muller is a scientist, oceanographer and professor at the University of South Florida in the College of Marine Science.[1]
Overview
Hallock Muller's research has focused on reef-associated Foraminifera and algal symbiosis, extending into coral-reef ecology, paleobiology and carbonate sedimentology.
She has worked as a diversity and inclusion advocate who has promoted gender equality within academia and marine science.[2][3][4]
Early years and education
Hallock Muller was born in 1948 on a small ranch on the Rosebud Reservation in south-central South Dakota, Pamela Hallock attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse and started high school in Mission before her family moved to Missoula, Montana in 1963, where she completed high school.
She received her Bachelor's degree in zoology from the University of Montana, Missoula in 1969,[5] and married a fellow zoology major, Robert Muller, in summer 1969. She received her Master's and Ph.D. degrees in oceanography from the University of Hawaii in 1972 and 1977.[6]
She has spoken on the discrimination that she faced as a young woman in academia. [7]
A key aspect of her research is the study of reef-associated Foraminifera, including distributions, population dynamics and functional morphologies, with applications in studies of environmental quality, paleoenvironments, carbonate sedimentation, and global environmental change.[10]
Her 1986 paper in PALAIOS with colleague Wolfgang Schlager-”Nutrient excess in the demise of coral reefs and carbonate platforms”-was named one the “Landmark Papers in Carbonate Sedimentology and Stratigraphy” by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists 100th Anniversary Committee in 2017.
When not working, Dr Hallock Muller enjoys scuba diving, kayaking, and traveling. She also volunteers as a member of ARCS Tampa Bay since 2011, a science judge for the Spoonbill Regional National Ocean Sciences Bowl, a judge for local, regional, and state science fairs in Florida, and with the Pinellas Coastal Cleanup.[24]
