Evan Heeg – CUR

Student NameEvan Heeg

Faculty Mentor NameDr. Bruce MacFadden, PhD

CollegeFlorida Museum of Natural History

MajorGeology

MinorN/A

Research InterestsFossil Morphology, Climate Science, Mammal Evolution

Academic AwardsURSP Member, Benacquisto Scholar Recipient, Dean’s List Fall 2019, USP Scholar

OrganizationsUF Geoclub, UF Running Club, Honors Program

Hobbies and Interests
Playing guitar, running, hiking, kayaking, and going to concerts

Research Project

North American Rabbit Evolution Across the Eocene-Oligocene Transition?

The main objective of this project is to study the paleoecological response of leporids (rabbits and hares) from a classic Eocene-Oligocene Trasition (EOT) fossil sequence of northwestern Nebraska known as the White River Group. Over the past several decades, we have amassed a considerable collection from these deposits that are enhanced by high-resolution chronology and GPS location data. We will use a multiproxy approach to analyze changes in fossil leporid dental structure in evolutionary response to the EOT.