Student Spotlight: Hannah DeFelice

November 17, 2025

Hannah DeFelice is a doctoral student in ecology and evolutionary biology from Presque Isle, Maine. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology and now studies methane cycling in trees and areas with permafrost under the guidance of Christy Goodale at Cornell.

What is your area of research and why is it important?

Broadly speaking I study biogeochemistry, or the way nutrients move through ecosystems. I am particularly interested in methane cycling in trees and in areas with permafrost. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that plays an important role in climate change.

What are the larger implications of this research?

Atmospheric methane levels have increased dramatically since pre-industrial times and are estimated to contribute about 20% of warming. Some of this additional methane is coming from human activities, but a lot of it is coming from natural sources, such as wetlands. Understanding where methane is coming from and where it is being stored will allow us to produce better models of future climatic conditions. In addition, it might help us to mitigate climate change by finding ways to either reduce methane emissions or to increase uptake.

What does it mean to you to be a Dean’s Scholar?

It is hard for me to explain just how much it means to me to be at Cornell in a Ph.D. program and to be a Dean’s Scholar. I experienced a lot of barriers in my educational journey both because I am a person with disabilities (I am DeafBlind) and because I am a first-generation student from a low-income background. To not only be accepted to Cornell, but also to be recognized as a Dean’s Scholar, is such a big recognition and beyond what I would have imagined myself capable of when I first started college! I think it also gives me a sense of duty—that I need to use this to serve others and my community.

What are you most looking forward to in regards to being a Dean’s Scholar?

 I’m really enjoying the Engagement Seminar series. I’ve attended a lot of the summer and fall programing and I’ve learned a lot about how to navigate graduate school.

What are your hobbies or interests outside of your research or scholarship?

I love to be outdoors so a lot of my hobbies involve physical activities outside: running, swimming, hiking, and cross-country skiing. I also am an avid (though not very talented) fiber artist and I do a lot of crocheting, sewing and some weaving. Outside of that, I have two young nieces who I try to spend as much time as possible with as well as a cat and a dog.

Why did you choose Cornell to pursue your degree?

Cornell has an amazing biogeochemistry program, and my advisor for my master’s is an alum and spoke highly of it. I really like Ithaca and I wanted to stay in the New England/New York area for family reasons. With all the changes in government funding last year, Cornell’s ability to commit to funding their graduate students ended up being a big factor for me as well.