Holly Kelchner
Aquatic Ecology Research Analyst
In the News:
- CIGLR’s Research Staff Provide Critical Information on Lake Erie’s Harmful Algal Blooms During the COVID-19 Pandemic, CIGLR Fall 2020 eNews, 12/22/2020
Photo Gallery
Aquatic Ecology Research Analyst Holly Kelchner deploys a Niskin bottle (left) used to collect water (right) for 2020 #LakeErie water quality observations. Photo Credit: Kent Baker.
Harmful Algal Blooms (#HABs) are a threat to human & ecosystem health. Here, CIGLR’s Holly Kelchner works in lab to help continue critical HABs monitoring & forecasting in #LakeErie. Photo Credit: Holly Kelchner.
Aquatic Ecology Research Analyst, Holly Kelchner, filters water from #SaginawBay, #LakeHuron for dissolved inorganic nutrients (DINs). DINs are comprised of nitrate plus nitrite & ammonium & are readily available to phytoplankton. Photo Credit: Kent Baker.
Today included sonicating filtered samples from WLE 2019 and 2020 to extract toxin conogeners. This process differs from the ELISA concentration, which only measures microcystin, by measuring other congeners of micrcystin, which can vary in toxicity. Photo Credit: CIGLR Holly Kelchner
Aquatic Ecology Research Analyst, Holly Kelchner, preparing to do laboratory work. Photo Credit: Holly Kelchner.
Happy Thanksgiving! Photo Credit: CIGLR Holly Kelchner
Holly is joining CIGLR as an Aquatic Ecology Research Analyst under supervision of Dr. Casey Godwin. She joined the HAB Team as a volunteer during the 2019 HAB season while finishing her master’s degree from LSU, and will now be coordinating the monitoring cruises on Western Lake Erie and leading toxin quantification through bioassay techniques.
Holly’s background is primarily marine-based. She lived in Juneau, Alaska while completing her bachelor’s degree and worked on a number of various projects including assessing the costs and benefits of whale watching, seaweed mariculture techniques, hormone regulation in shrimp, and marine debris accumulation. During her master’s research, she lived in Mozambique researching plankton dynamics and documented the presence of a harmful biotoxin, domoic acid, in an internationally recognized hotspot for whale sharks. Her research with Dr. Reagan Errera is the first examination of coastal primary productivity in the area and they hope to continue their work with All Out Africa Marine Research Centre.
When away from the lab, Holly enjoys SCUBA diving, rock climbing, hiking, and running. Her newest adventure is learning to sail with the Michigan Sailing Club and plans to sail around the world one day.
Education:
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M.S. in Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University, May 2020
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B.S. in Marine Biology, University of Alaska Southeast, May 2017
Research Interest/Area of Expertise:
- Harmful Algal Bloom Ecology
- Water Quality Monitoring
- Plankton Community Dynamics