Heather Burley

• Senior Lecturer/Biology Lab Coordinator

After completing my undergraduate degree in animal science at the Pennsylvania State University in 2007, my interests shifted from becoming a veterinarian to instead attending graduate school. I completed my M.S. in 2009 and Ph.D. in 2012 focusing on organic poultry nutrition and environmental management at the same university. For the next three years, I worked remotely from my home in Maryland as a freelance research consultant, writer/editor, and data manager for my former Ph.D. advisor while raising my four young children.

I began teaching biology labs and genetics labs at McDaniel in 2015 after learning about the position from a professor who was also in a mom's group in my town. I now have also started teaching a course on food science, animal/plant science, and nutrition. I always imagined I'd end up becoming a researcher at a company or large university, but I am so happy to have instead found my path to teaching and to McDaniel specifically. Although I was unfamiliar with liberal arts education prior to my time here, I have come to wholly admire and respect the well-rounded learning opportunities it gives to students. It is always exciting and rewarding to work and teach here.