Andrew B. Heckert

Dr. Andrew B. Heckert is a Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at Appalachian State University. He directs the McKinney Geology Teaching Museum and teaches courses on the history of life, including GES 1842 (Dinosaurs Then & Now), GES 2250 (Evolution of the Earth), GES 2857 (Paleontology Field & Museum Methods), and GES 3264 (Paleontological Lab and Analytical Methods). His research spans three decades, focusing on Triassic vertebrate paleontology and stratigraphy in the American Southwest and North Carolina.

• Education: B.S. from Denison University, M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico.
• Research: Specializes in microvertebrate assemblages, archosauriform evolution, and biostratigraphy. Key projects include Upper Triassic bonebeds in New Mexico and South Africa, and outreach initiatives like the "Triassic Trip" field course.
• Awards: Recipient of the Donald W. Sink Outstanding Scholar Award (2015), Undergraduate Research Mentorship Excellence Award (2017), Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research (2021), and the N.C. Geological Survey’s Outstanding Earth Science Educator Award (2011).
• Publications: Over 150 peer-reviewed works, with recent focus on Late Triassic lungfish diversity, paleopathology in archosauromorphs, and statistical analysis of microvertebrate collections.