Skip to main content
Linderman Library Rotunda stained glass dome
Jennifer Swann, Professor of Biological Sciences at Lehigh University

Jennifer Swann

Professor

610.758.5484
jms5@lehigh.edu
D215 - Iacocca Hall

Explore this Profile
×

Research Areas

Additional Interests

  • Behavioral Neuroscience
  • Workplace Bullying in Higher Ed
  • Gender Differences in Leadership

Research Statement

In my work within and without higher education to promote equity and inclusion I have repeatedly uncovered incivility among faculty that has been ignored creating somewhat hostile work environments. I have begun working in earnest to document these practices and pursue ways to restore harmony and build community. I have worked with Lehigh’s faculty senate to create a faculty code of ethics and more equitable positions for non-tenured faculty. And I am a member of the advisory board for the Academic Parity Movement a non-profit organization currently working to define bullying among the faculty in Higher Education. 

I have been a professor of Biological Sciences at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA for over 25 years. My career began in circadian rhythms where I worked to identify multiple circadian and food entertainable oscillators. I then moved to neuroendocrinology and behavior. My work showed that sex steroids induce neural plasticity in limbic areas but only in the male. And that these changes required BDNF. At present, my lab is on hiatus as I pursue my other interests which include: conflict management and negotiation; creating and reviewing open-access educational resources, and restorative practices.

Professional Affiliations

Societies:

  • Society of Senior Ford Fellows
  • International Ombuds Association
  • International Association on Workplace Bullying and Harassment

Board Memberships:

  • PennFutures
  • Lehigh Valley Justice Institute
  • MERLOT

Advisory Boards:

  • Academic Parity
  • COBRE (Delaware State)
  • Allentown Environmental Council
  • ASCEND (Morgan State)

Publications

Ashkarran, A. A., Swann, J., Hollis, L., & Mahmoudi, M. (2021). The File Drawer Problem in Nanomedicine. Trends in Biotechnology, 39(5), 425–427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.01.009

Sharifi, S., Caracciolo, G., Pozzi, D., Digiacomo, L., Swann, J., Daldrup-Link, H. E., & Mahmoudi, M. (2021). The role of sex as a biological variable in the efficacy and toxicity of therapeutic nanomedicine. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 174, 337–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2021.04.028

Swann, Jennifer, Gael Boucka, and Sarah Stanlick. 2020. "Border Crossing for Universities: Creating a Culture of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion." The International Journal of Community Diversity 20 (1): 1-9. doi:10.18848/2327-0004/CGP/v20i01/1-9.

Baldwin-SoRelle, Carrie and Swann, Jennifer M. “Scholarly Bridges: SciComm Skill-Building with Student-Created Open Educational Resources,” in Open Pedagogy Approaches: Faculty, Library, and Student Collaborations, ed. Alexis Clifton & Kimberly Hoffman, Milne Library Publishing at SUNY Geneseo, 2020.

Brague, J. C., Lenchur, C. N., Hayden, J. M., Davidson, R. H., Corrigan, K., Santini, G. T., & Swann, J. M. (2018). BDNF infusion into the MPN mag is sufficient to restore copulatory behavior in the castrated Syrian hamster. Hormones and Behavior, 102, 69–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.05.006

Swann JM, Wang J, Govek EK. The MPN mag: introducing a critical area mediating pheromonal and hormonal regulation of male sexual behavior. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2003 Dec;1007:199-210. doi: 10.1196/annals.1286.020. PMID: 14993054.

Fiber, J.M., Adames, P. and Swann, J. (1993) Pheromones induce c-fos in limbic areas regulating male hamster mating behavior. NeuroReport 4,871-874

Swann, J.M. and Turek, F.W. (1985) Multiple oscillators regulate the timing of behavioral and endocrine rhythms in female golden hamsters. Science 228, 898-900.

Stephan, F.K., Swann, J.M. and Sisk, C.L. (1979) Anticipation of 24-hour feeding schedules in rats with lesions of the suprachiasmatic nuclei. Behav. Neurol. Biol. 25: 346-363.