Dr. Lorian Schweikert
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Principal Investigator
Credit: Ted Harty
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology at UNCW. I earned a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from the University of Tampa and a doctorate in Biology from the Florida Institute of Technology. After, I studied sensory ecology in postdoctoral positions at Duke University, Florida International University, and the Max Planck Institute of Chemical Ecology.
From this journey, my advice to you is to dare to take risks and to embrace the uncertainty that comes with conducting science and working toward a career in biology. It’s OKAY not to have all the answers in work or life, and ultimately accepting that will not only make you happier, but a better scientist.
Science is for everyone, and my lab has no greater priority than to advance that truth by fostering diversity and inclusion in science and beyond through our actions, thoughts, and words. Our goal is to actively combat injustice in academia of marginalized groups by engaging in steps that include, but are not limited to: seeking education about the history of discrimination in academic biology, completing training against implicit bias, microagressions, and related behaviors, and advocating for cultural change toward equity in our interaction with other Seahawks, the public, and the larger scientific community. As a member of this lab, one is also a member of a university community that values and upholds these principles. UNCW's Diversity and Inclusion Statement is accessible here.
Graduate Students
PhD Student
Lydia Naughton
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B.S. Neuroscience, Bucknell University
Ph.D. Integrative, Comparative, and Marine Biology, UNCW (sought)
Interests: I am curious about how animals sense and interact with their environment in different ways. I am especially interested in understanding the sensory/neural basis of behaviors such as skin color change and camouflage.
Email: lfn1671@uncw.edu
Publications:
Schweikert, L.E., Bagge, L.E., Naughton, L.F., Bolin, J.R., Wheeler, B.R., Grace, M.S., Bracken-Grissom, H.D., and S. Johnsen (2023). Dynamic light filtering over dermal opsin as a sensory feedback system in fish color change. Nature Communications, 24:4642
Naughton, L.F., Kruppert, S., Jackson, B., Porter, M.E., & Donatelli, C.M. (2021). A Tail of Four Fishes: An Analysis of Kinematics and Material Properties of Elongate Fishes. Integrative and Comparative Biology, icab060.
Freeman, M. Z., Cannizzaro, D.N., Naughton, L.F., & Bove, C. (2021). Fluoroquinolones-Associated Disability: It Is Not All in Your Head. NeuroSci, 2(3), 235–253.
Vanessa Moreno
PhD Student
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B.S. Marine Biology, Florida International University
MS.c. Marine Biology, UNCW
Ph.D. Integrative, Comparative, and Marine Biology, UNCW (sought)
Interests: My interests consist of the factors that affect vision and ecological adaptations in fish, particularly in the way organisms use their senses to “see” their surroundings. Areas of interest include skin sensory systems of fish required for camouflage.
Email: vmm6449@uncw.edu
Publications:
Bolin J.R., Moreno V.M., Johnsen S., Schweikert L.E. 2025. Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) visual acuity allows silhouette detection but not fine detail discrimination over ecological distances. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 292:20243101.
Moreno V.M. and Schweikert L.E. 2024. Visual acuity of the summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) captures spatial information relevant to dynamic camouflage at close range. The Anatomical Record, 1–19. *Special Issue, "Sensory World of Vertebrates"
Schweikert L.E and Thomas K.N, Moreno V.M, Casaubon A, Golightly C, Bracken-Grissom HD. 2022, Ecological predictors and functional implications of eye size in deep-sea shrimps. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.10: 787315.
Russell Ward
PhD Student
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B.S. Biology, West Virginia University
MS.c. Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Ph.D. Integrative, Comparative, and Marine Biology, UNCW (sought)
Interests: I am interested in the way animals sense their environment, and how they process sensory signals to modulate behavioral and physiological outputs. Specifically, I am investigating dermal photoreception in the summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), and how this unique sensory system may help facilitate or modulate dynamic color change.
Email: rhw6057@uncw.edu
Publication:
Ward R.H., Quinn, T.P., Dittman, A.H., and Yopak, K.E. 2024. The effects of rearing environment on organization of the olfactory system and brain of juvenile sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 64(1), 92-106.
Lab Manager
Umut Ayoglu
Postbaccalaureate Researcher
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B.S. Marine Biology, Minor in Oceanography, UNCW
Interests: I have a desire to learn more about evolutionary backgrounds of bioluminescent light organs of deep-sea animals. Especially the relations between visually sensory organs and bioluminescent organs make deep sea such a special place to ask questions about origins of life and how it shaped. I hope to answer some questions and come up with new ones during my journey to depths.
Email: ua4723@uncw.edu
Publication:
Schweikert L.E., Bracken-Grissom H.D., Ayoglu U., Johnsen S. 2025. Strategies and Significance of Self-Assessing Dynamic Visual Appearance. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 40(9):913-924.
Undergraduate Students
Ren Halstead
Work Study
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B.A. Individualized Major (Concentration: Law, Morality, and Politics), Minor: Russian and Slavic Studies, NYU
B.S. Biology (Concentration: pre-health), Minor: Forensic Science, UNCW (sought)
Interests: I am intensely and broadly interested in anatomy and physiology; how biological systems form and function, how they vary or resemble each other across species, and the evolutionary and ecological adaptations thereof.
Email: lah8265@uncw.edu
Isabelle Kuhn
Honors student
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B.S. Biochemistry, Minor in Marine Biology, UNCW (sought)
Interests: I have always had a passion for science, and I love to research and learn as much as I can across all specialties! My current interests lie in exploring the intersection of biochemistry and marine biology. I am excited to apply my knowledge and previous experiences in biopharmaceutical ophthalmology R&D as well as analytical and environmental chemistry to investigate the sensory capabilities of hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus) utilizing methods such as immunohistochemistry and microscopy.
Email: ivk1869@uncw.edu
Callie Darden
Directed Independent Study Student
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B.S. Marine Biology, (Concentration Marine Conservation), UNCW (sought)
Interests: My interests in the Marine Biology field include animal husbandry, animal training, marine megafauna, and marine animal physiology. I am eager to deepen my knowledge in aquarium habitat maintenance, including water quality management and tank system upkeep as well as the visual ecology and color change of aquatic species. I am particularly fascinated by the care and behavioral enrichment of marine species, and I hope to work as an animal care specialist in an aquarium in the future.
Email: cjd2236@uncw.edu
Savanna Roberts
Directed Independent Study Student
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B.S. Marine Biology, UNCW (sought)
Interests: I am interested in fish/marine mammal behavior and how they might interact with each other and other species or their environment! I am also really interested in fish husbandry and would like to gain experience in animal care or animal training!
Email: smr4399@uncw.edu