Heather Morrison

Heather Morrison is an Associate Professor of History at SUNY New Paltz, where she has taught since 2005. She holds a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University (2005), an M.A. from the University of Toronto (1997), and a B.A. from Indiana University (1996). Her research focuses on Early Modern Europe, particularly cultural and intellectual movements from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, with specialties in Vienna’s Habsburg Monarchy, political upheaval, and popular culture.

Dr. Morrison’s academic career includes earlier part-time roles at Tulane University and Louisiana State University. She has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Service (2020) and a 2018 College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Excellence in Service Award. Her research has been supported by fellowships from institutions such as the Fulbright Program in Austria and the Botstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies.

Her publications explore themes like 18th-century Freemasonry rituals, Habsburg scientific expeditions, and transatlantic botanical diplomacy. Recent work examines how Enlightenment ideals intersected with imperial power structures, particularly in Vienna’s intellectual and cultural landscapes.