Leila Hamdan

Associate Vice President for Research, Coastal Operations at the University of Southern Mississippi

Dr. Leila J. Hamdan serves as Associate Vice President for Research at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and is Professor of Marine Microbial Ecology in USM’s School of Ocean Science and Engineering. She began her career as a NRC Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and spent 10 years in the role of Research Microbial Ecologist at NRL. Hamdan’s research centers on ocean exploration, and the ways natural and human made features on the seabed shape coastal to deep-sea ecosystems. In 2017, she received the NOPP Excellence in Partnering Award for leadership of a multidisciplinary team of scientists studying impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Spill. She was President of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) from 2021-2023, and led development of CERF’s current strategic plan. She is co-PI on a collaborative award from NSF to CERF to train and empower leaders in professional societies to create culture change that advances diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. She represents USM as PI for the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute and PI on the NSF award for the operation of the future Regional Class Research Vessel Gilbert R. Mason. She is also a member of the National Academies’ 2025-2035 Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences committee. She holds a BS in Biology from Rowan University of New Jersey, and MS and PhD in Environmental Science and Policy from George Mason University.