Katie Heffernan

Dr. Katie Heffernan is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Richard Bland College (RBC), where she teaches anatomy and physiology courses. She holds a BS in Biology from the University of Wisconsin - Parkside (2009), an MS in Biological Sciences from Northern Illinois University (2011), and a PhD in Biological Sciences from Northern Illinois University (2019). Her research focuses on primate ecology, specifically tooth wear patterns in sifaka lemurs in fragmented habitats of Madagascar, conducted under Dr. Karen Samonds and Dr. Mitchell Irwin. She emphasizes student preparation for healthcare careers through rigorous coursework and study skill development.

Dr. Heffernan has over a decade of teaching experience, including reorganizing anatomy/physiology curricula at NIU with a colleague, which involved restructuring learning objectives and pedagogical approaches. She also supervised teaching assistants in NIU’s MS program. Her work combines field-based ecological research with innovative educational practices, reflecting a holistic approach to science education and conservation.