Rochester Institute of Technology
TH Gosnell School of Life Sciences
Life Sciences

Office: GOS 1266
Phone: 585-475-5602 (voice/text)
Email: sjcsbi@rit.edu
http://www.rit.edu/science/people/sandi-connelly
NIH Biosketch

I have been teaching and conducting research at RIT since 2007. While much of my time is spent in the classroom, I have a lab with very active collaborations with faculty at RIT (Chemistry, Sustainability, and Museum Studies) and outside of RIT at regional universities (Monroe Community College, University at Buffalo, and others). I also work with many K-12 classes in the Rochester area, and with public scientists at museums and nature centers in Monroe County. My research focuses on three key areas: UV radiation in freshwater ecosystems, ecotoxicology of anthropogenic pollutants in freshwater and surrounding ecosystems, and making ecology, biology and evolution accessible to the masses.

Typically, I have 2-4 students in my lab at a given time - a small group due to my lab size, and my teaching responsibilities. I have worked with many deaf and hard-of-hearing students both in my classrooms and in my research labs over the years. I have taken these students to regional and national meetings to present their work, most of which has focused on freshwater invertebrate responses to changes in their environments (e.g. stress tolerance and adaptation). Currently, I do not have any deaf or hard-of-hearing students in my lab, but anticipate the addition of several in the coming year.

I can communicate in ASL as a moderate conversationalist and continue to improve my ASL through frequent interactions in ASL and through additional coursework as my professional development.