Degrees Earned
Ph.D., Arizona State University, Biology 2016
B.S., Duke University, Biology Major, Environmental Science Minor 2009
Undergraduate Courses Taught
Sensory Systems- BIO 280
Milestones in Neuroscience- BIO 370
Invertebrate Zoology- BIO 220
General Physiology- BIO 370
Concepts in Biology Laboratory- BIO 160L
Independent Study in Biology- BIO 490
Publications & Editorships
Undergraduate or post baccalaureate authors indicated by asterisk*
Lessios, N., Rutowski, R.L., Cohen, J.H., Sayre, M.S*., Strausfeld, N.J. (2018). Multiple spectral channels in branchiopods. I. Vision in dim light and neural correlates. Journal of Experimental Biology. 221: jeb.165860.
Lessios, N., Rutowski, R.L., Cohen, J.H. (2018). Multiple spectral channels in branchiopods. II. Role in light-dependent behavior and natural light environments. Journal of Experimental Biology. 221: jeb.165878.
Lessios, N. (2017). Using electroretinograms and multi-model inference to identify spectral classes of photoreceptors and relative opsin expression levels. PeerJ 5, e3595.
Bergman, M., Lessios, N., Seymoure, B., & Rutowski, R. (2015). Visual mate detection in a territorial butterfly- the effect of background and luminance contrast. Behavioral Ecology, 26:851-860.
Forward, R.B. Jr., Bourla M.H., Lessios, N. N., Cohen, J.H. (2009). Orientation to shorelines by the supratidal amphipod Talorchestia longicornis: wavelength specific behavior during sun compass orientation. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 376: 102–109.
Cohen, J. H., Cronin, T.W. Lessios, N. and Forward, R.B. (2010). Visual physiology underlying orientation and diel behavior in the sand beach amphipod Talorchestia Longicornis. Journal of Experimental Biology 213: 3843-3851.
Dickinson, W., Ferreyra, J., Imbesi, K. L., Joshi, S., Kingsolver, C., Klein, E., Lessios, N. N., Ng, A., Stamp, T., White, K., Xu, D., and Vidra, R. L. (2006). The ethical challenges faced by ecological restorationists. Ecological Restoration Vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 102-104.
Presentations
Lessios N., Cohen, JH., Rutowski, RL., Sayre, ME*., Strausfeld, NJ. Multiple spectral channels in branchiopods: Vision in dim light and neural correlates. Crustacean Society Summer Meeting. Washington DC, May 2018.
Lessios N., Modeling spectral sensitivities of visual systems: identification of photoreceptor arrays using electroretinograms and multi-model inference. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, January 2017
Murphy, P.J.*, Lessios N., and Rutowski, R.L. Regional Genetic Variation of Two Ephemeral Pool Crustacean Species: Implications for Visual System Plasticity or Local Adaptation. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, Portland, OR, January 2016.
Rutowski, R.L., Lessios, N., Seymoure, B.M., and Pegram, K. The behavioral ecology of iridescent signals. Animal Behavior Conference. Anchorage, AK, June 2015.
Lessios N., Cohen J. H. and Rutowski R.L. How do natural light environments maintain multiple pigment Pancrustacean visual systems? An answer from branchiopod crustacean vision and behavior in desert ephemeral pools. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, West Palm Beach, FL January 2015.
Bergman M., Lessios N., Seymoure B.M., and Rutowski R.L. Visual mate detection in a territorial butterfly – the effect of background and luminance contrast. International Conference for Biology of Butterflies. Turku, Finland, August 2014.
Lessios N., Cohen J.H., and Rutowski R.L. How do natural light environments maintain multiple-pigment visual systems? An answer from branchiopod crustacean vision and behavior in desert ephemeral pools. Eleventh International Congress of Neuroethology Sapporo, Japan, July, 2014.
Lessios N. Cohen J. H. and Rutowski R.L. Visual ecology of a branchiopod crustacean (Triops): phototaxis and light-orientation behavior. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, January 2013.
Rutowski R.L, Raymundo A*., Seymoure B.M., and Lessios N. 2013. Courtship behavior of male butterfly enhances transmission of iridescent signal. Animal Behavior Conference. Boulder, CO, July, 2014.
Thome A*., Rutowski R. L., Lessios N Distribution of Large Branchiopods in Arizona. School of Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Symposium, Tempe, Arizona, May 2013.
Lessios N. and Rutowski R.L. Vision of an ancient crustacean: vertical orientation and wavelength-specific behavior of Triops. The Crustacean Society Summer Meeting Athens, Greece, June 2012.
Lessios N. and Rutowski R.L. Visual behavior of an ancient crustacean: Triops. Animal Behavior Society, Albuquerque, NM, June 2012.
Lessios N. and Thome A*. Distribution of Large Branchiopods in Arizona. North America Center for Transborder Studies. NACTS Fellowship Meeting, Tempe, Arizona, April 2012.
Seymoure, B., Borchert, J. Lessios N., Ligon, R. Ganesh, T. and Webber, A. Graduate Partners in Science Education: A graduate student-led program focused on hands-on science education for middle school students. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA January 2013.
Lessios N. and Rutowski R.L. Orienting Behavior and Possible Visual Statocyst in a Crustacean from the Sonoran Desert: Triops (Branchiopoda: Notostraca). Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, Charleston, SC, January 2012. Runner-up Best Student Presentation Division of Invertebrate Zoology.
Lessios N. and Rutowski R.L. Wavelength-specific behavior and compound eye spatial resolution of Triops longicaudatus (Notostraca) from the Sonoran Desert: adaptive significance and constraints. The Crustacean Society Summer Meeting Honolulu, Hawaii, June 2011. Best Student Poster Award.
Grants & Awards
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (Arizona State University), Graduate Partners in Science Education Citizen Award (Arizona State University), Neural Systems and Behavior Course Endowed Fellowship (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole), James B. Rast Department Award for Comparative Organismal Biology (Duke University)
Professional Affiliations
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
International Society for Neuroethology
The Crustacean Society