Emily Heaton

Emily Heaton is a Professor of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, affiliated with the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center and leading the Illinois Regenerative Agriculture Initiative. Her research focuses on perennial grasses like Miscanthus and switchgrass for bioenergy and ecosystem services, emphasizing climate-smart agricultural practices in the Midwest. She coordinates interdisciplinary efforts to improve soil health, nutrient management, and profitability in disinvested farming communities.

Her work integrates field experiments with advanced modeling and remote sensing, addressing challenges such as yield variability, carbon sequestration, and drought resilience. As CABBI’s Feedstock Production Theme Leader, she bridges fundamental plant science with practical applications in sustainable biofuel systems.

Key research areas include perennial crop productivity, nutrient cycling, and stakeholder-driven innovation to transition agricultural landscapes toward regenerative practices. Her lab collaborates with farmers and policymakers to scale solutions that harmonize environmental and economic outcomes.