Amy Hessl

Amy Hessl is a Professor of Geography at West Virginia University (WVU), affiliated with the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on paleoclimatology, using tree rings to study Earth's climate variability, solar storms, and human-environment interactions over the past 2,000 years. She has conducted fieldwork in Mongolia, Australia, and the American West, contributing over 60 peer-reviewed publications. Hessl leads the Montane Forest Dynamics Lab and actively promotes geoscience education through NSF-funded initiatives like the 'Appalachian Geoscience Learning Ecosystem.' Her work has been featured in major media outlets such as The New York Times and The Economist.

Her research integrates dendrochronology with isotopic analysis to address climate change, ecosystem resilience, and historical environmental events. Current projects include NASA-funded studies on extreme solar energetic particle events and NSF-supported programs to enhance undergraduate retention in geosciences. Hessl emphasizes supporting early-career researchers, mentoring students such as Michael Walker, Anna Mueller, and Kelsey de Graauw.

• Grants: NSF Research Infrastructure (2023–2026), NASA WV Space Grant (2023–2024)
• Labs/Teams: Montane Forest Dynamics Lab (PI)
• Publications: Focus on tree ring-based climate reconstructions, radiocarbon dating, and Mongolian environmental history