Researcher Profile

Timothy M. Goater

Job Title: College Professor
Employer: Malaspina University-College
Place of Birth: Moose Factory, Ontario, Canada
High School attended: Chippewa Secondary School, North Bay, Ontario
Further Education: Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba (B.Sc.), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (M.Sc., Ph.D.).
Geographic focus of research: British Columbia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, U.S.A.

Brief synopsis of current research:
In general: evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions

Specifically: ecology of parasites of intertidal marine fish and amphibians

Mailing address:
Biology Department, Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5S5
E-mail:
goatert@mala.bc.ca
Websites:
www.mala.bc.ca/www/discover/biol/tgoater2.htm
mala.bc.ca/parasite

Recent Publications:

Goater, T.M., G.W. Esch, and A.O. Bush. 1987. Helminth parasites of sympatric salamanders: ecological concepts at infracommunity, component and compound community levels. American Midland Naturalist. 118: 289-300.

Goater, T.M., C.L. Browne, and G.W. Esch. 1990. One the life history and functional morphology of Halipegus occidualis (Trematoda: Hemiuridae), with emphasis on the cystophorous cercariae stage. International Journal of Parasitology. 20: 923-934.

Goater, T.M., M. Mulvey, and G.W. Esch. 1990. Electrophoretic differentiation of two Halipegus (Trematoda: Hemiuridae) congeners in an amphibian population. Journal of Parasitology. 66: 431-434.

Jepps, S.F. and T.M. Goater. 2000. Colobomatus embiotocae (Copepoda: Philichthyidae) from shiner perch, Cymatogaster aggregata in Canadian waters. Comparative Parasitology. (in press)

Goater, T.M. 1999. An Exploration of Marine Parasitic Crustacea: An Interactive CD-ROM. University of British Columbia Press. website: http://mala.bc.ca/parasite

Comments:
I became a teacher/researcher of parasitology because the field is so dynamic and broadly integrative; you need to be a master of many fields of biology such as evolution, ecology, behaviour, genetics and immunology to truly understand the nature of the complexity of host-parasite relationships. One is never in danger of stagnating in such a diverse and challenging discipline. My biggest reward is witnessing students have fun experiencing these challenges. Parasitologists contribute significantly to the aquatic sciences in Canada; ranging from applied fisheries, aquatic ecosystem health and conservation perspectives to basic research using aquatic host-parasite systems as models to understand basic biological problems.