ABOUT ME

Hello there!

Hello! My name is Heather Donnelly (née Chan). I am a PhD candidate currently advised by Dr. Xingchen (Tony) Wang in the Earth and Enviornmental Sciences Department at Boston College. My research aims to understand nitrogen cycling within corals and coral reefs as well as how anthropogenic influences affect nitrogen cycling in these systems by using stable isotopes (δ¹⁵N).

Originally from Southern New Jersey, I received two B.S. degrees in Marine Biology and Geological Oceanography with a minor in Underwater Archaeology from the University of Rhode Island where I conducted research on nitrous oxide emissions from different oyster species. I later received a M.Sc. in Soil and Water Sciences from the University of Florida where I studied the effect of oyster aquaculture and oyster reefs on sediment nitrogen cycling. In my free time I could be found SCUBA diving, kayaking, and hiking with my pup.

BLOG POSTS

Applying to Grad School - Reaching Out to Potential Advisors

So you’ve decided to go to grad school. Congrats!! This is a big step in your life and you should be proud to decide on what to do next. While you know what you want to end up...

What to wear to a scientific conference?

As a woman in science, the one question I always have is “what clothes is considered professional enough?” This is especially true for those of us who spend time in a lab...

What to bring to a scientific conference?

After coming back from my first in-person conference in quite some time, I decided to make a few posts about how to prepare for conferences (see my first post on what to wear)!...