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 a diverse community in science and beyond through our actions, thoughts, and words. Our goal is to combat injustice in academia 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 equity in our interactions 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 Respect Compact 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
Kathryn Bachand
Postbaccalaureate Researcher
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B.S. Marine Biology, UNCW
Interests: I am fascinated by the evolution of unique adaptations in animals, and I am interested in uncovering the molecular mechanisms involved. I hope to compare convergent evolution strategies, such as color changing, across a variety of animals, specifically marine animals.
Email: ksb6812@uncw.edu
Undergraduate Students
Ren Halstead
Directed Independent Study Student
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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
Remy Figert
Directed Independent Study Student
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B.S. Marine Biology, UNCW (sought)
Interests: My research interests primarily lie in physiology and marine ecology, with a particular focus on understanding how organisms function and interact with their surrounding environments. I am especially interested in the physiological mechanisms that allow marine organisms to respond to dynamic environments and the processes that influence their behavior, survival, and interactions within ecosystems.
Email: acf4051@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
Sav Sullivan
Directed Independent Study Student
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B.S Marine Biology (Marine Conservation Conc.), UNCW (sought)
B.A Spanish, UNCW (sought)
Interests: I am interested in sensory biology, conservation, and ecological interactions within the marine environment. I am mainly interested in sharks and how their network of sensory systems impact their hunting, migration, and species interactions. I am also interested in how knowledge of the function of shark sensory systems can lead to new methods of conservation. This interest is intertwined with the research I will be performing in the Schweikert lab as I will learn more about the sensory systems and capabilities of large marine mammals and how understanding their sensory systems might lead to methods of reducing bycatch in large fishing operations.
Email: ss8111@uncw.edu
Kara Dorety
Directed Independent Study Student
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B.S. Marine Biology, B.S. Environmental Science (Biological Sciences Concentration), UNCW (sought)
Interests: As someone with a passion for both Marine Biology and Environmental Science, I love research incorporating both topics. Broadly, I am interested in how marine species interact with each other and their environment. More particularly, I am interested in how species utilize ecological adaptations such as dynamic camouflage and unique sensory systems to survive in our ever-changing marine environments.
Email: ked9186@uncw.edu
Madison-Mae Clapp
Directed Independent Study Student
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B.S. Marine Biology, Minor in Environmental Sciences (sought)
Interests: I am interested in marine mammal behavior and how they interact with their environment based on differing sensory adaptations. More specifically, I am curious about why differences develop between multiple cetacean species’ sensory features, like eye morphology and vision, and how this may impact or relate to different aspects of their behavior and biological functions.
Email: mcc9614@uncw.edu
Joah Feight
Research Volunteer
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B.S. Marine Biology, Minor in Neuroscience, UNCW (sought)
Interests: I am interested in researching unknowns about the world around particularly under the sea mysteries. I have been particularly interested in the reason why animals have evolved the way they did and how these reflect their environment and behavior with the world. I am also interested in the conservation field and what goes into determining policies get passed and how humanity determines what is valuable in nature.
Email: jpf2882@uncw.edu