Amy Moran

Amy Moran is a faculty member at the School of Life Sciences within the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. Her research focuses on the physiological ecology and evolution of marine invertebrates, with particular emphasis on eggs, embryos, and larvae, as well as their responses to climate change factors. She leads the Moran Lab, which conducts interdisciplinary research across diverse environments from the tropics to the poles.

• Research Themes:
  • Marine invertebrate ecophysiology
  • Larval development and thermal sensitivity
  • Climate change impacts on Antarctic and tropical species
  • Evolutionary life history biology
• Recent Student Advancements:
  • Graham Lobert (PhD 2025): Temperature effects on Antarctic invertebrate embryos
  • Ethan Nash (MS 2025): Plasticity in tropical echinoids
  • Aaron Toh (PhD 2025): Antarctic larval and thermal ecology
  • Gabi Mukai (PhD 2025): Fisheries insights via oceanographic modeling and sociology
• Scientific Awards:
  • ADVANCE Fellows Award (2005): Recognizing research on egg size evolution in tropical marine invertebrates

The Moran Lab integrates field and laboratory studies to explore how temperature and oxygen availability influence body size (e.g., polar gigantism), developmental energetics, and dispersal mechanisms in marine organisms. Their work spans Antarctic sea spiders, corals, and barnacles, with recent articles analyzing phenotypic plasticity, thermal tolerance, and metabolic scaling. Lab members actively engage in marine education and outreach.