Scientific discovery can happen in many and varied ways. Thousands of scientists at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN can spend years searching for evidence of the Higgs boson before they find it. Or, like Isaac Newton, you can be sitting under a tree when an apple falls, and you conceptualize gravity as the universal force responsible for the moon’s orbit as well as an apple falling. For Robert Donnelly ’27, his eureka moment came when he accidentally discovered a molecule new to science while interning at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, D.C.

Donnelly, a chemistry and environmental science double major and an Asian studies minor, had applied for the NRL internship on the recommendation of his chemistry professor, Anne Marteel-Parrish. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, this unpaid internship, allotted specifically to one Washington College student each year, combines work for the United States Government with military research conducted by the Department of Defense and the Department of the Navy.

At NRL, Donnelly’s task was to repeat experiments that researchers had already conducted on known organic ligands—molecules that can act like catalysts on metals. This is standard scientific methodology—experiments must be repeatable by others to confirm findings. Donnelly was given a published research paper on the ligands and asked to repeat the paper’s experiments precisely, following the original experiments step by step. However, when Donnelly made what he thought was a slight tweak to the process, thinking it would improve the purity of the molecules he was trying to produce, his deviation led to the creation of a new, as-yet-to-be-named molecule. 

“This new organic ligand may not have commercial application soon, but its discovery is an important step to future uses,” Donnelly observed. “That’s the fun part of scientific research, you discover something, and it leads to more research to find out additional things. It is an iterative and unexpected process.”

Donnelly, a seasoned rower and member of Washington’s rowing team, likened the laboratory culture to that of his rowing team. “Rowing helped me really understand the lab culture and the specialists I worked with. In rowing, it’s Team, Boat, Self. In the lab, it’s Team, Experiment, Researcher. 

“From day one, all the various people I met [at NRL], regardless of their specialty, collaborated with me and helped me when I had questions,” he said. “After I discovered the X molecule, everyone jumped in and helped me work through all the details I needed to account for in my research. It felt like we were all racing together to win the same race.”

While much of the research Donnelly conducted was hands-on, using chemical materials and handling and employing sophisticated equipment like an X-ray Crystal Defractometer, Donnelly was surprised by how much writing was involved. He credits Washington College with preparing him for this aspect of research. “There was a massive writing component to this research. I had to write down every step, in great detail.” It was in part thanks to his detailed, clear notes that the other scientists recognized that his molecule had not been reported previously in the research literature.

Donnelly reflects that the discovery has changed his perspective, especially regarding his career path. “I am definitely going to pursue a career in chemistry research. Next for me is likely graduate school. And while this internship with the Navy was around chemistry and biomolecular engineering, chemistry is now my primary interest,” he said. “In high school, I actually wanted to pursue a degree in oceanography. I applied to a lot of big colleges, and I applied to Washington College. Once I visited Chestertown, I knew I could pursue a different journey here.”

Donnelly shared a piece of advice for prospective students. “Don’t be fixed in your mindset. My two years at Washington College opened up several new avenues for me to explore, and then this internship changed a lot of things for me. One big change is that when I returned to campus, the conversations I have with the chemistry and environmental science professors, whom I personally know and who know me, are so much deeper. Many of the conversations with the specialists at the Naval Research Laboratory were over my head. But I never felt intimidated or lost because of the skills I learned in liberal arts and even in rowing. Listen, learn, and apply.”

Donnelly is in the process of applying for 2026 summer internships and hopes he may return to NRL in a paid internship role.

There is no doubt that whatever internship he gets, the summer of 2026 cannot compete with the summer of 2025. And Donnelly understands that it may be years before the molecule he discovered is used commercially or scientifically. But for now, Donnelly will enjoy his time at Washington College, discussing science with his professors and peers, and mornings rowing on the Chester River with his teammates. 
—Peter Shafer III ’86