Megan Porter

Dr. Megan L. Porter is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She directs the Porter Vision Lab, which studies the molecular evolution of visual systems with a focus on crustaceans. Her NSF-funded research examines bioluminescence in deep-sea shrimp and eye reduction in bat flies.

Her research investigates:

• Molecular evolution of light detection mechanisms
• Evolution of complex visual systems in mantis shrimp
• Bioluminescence in marine organisms
• Regressive evolution of visual systems in cave-dwelling species

Dr. Porter has received significant research funding including NSF grants for studying deep-sea bioluminescence and eye reduction evolution. Her work has been published in Biological Bulletin, Genome Biology and Evolution, and Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

She actively mentors graduate and undergraduate researchers in evolutionary biology and sensory system studies. The Porter Vision Lab collaborates with researchers internationally on crustacean physiology and visual ecology projects.