Administrative Responsibilities

    As department head, I am the chief executive officer of the academic unit, with responsibilities for faculty, academic professional staff, and classified staff employment and development; fostering academic, research, and outreach program planning and execution; financial planning, administration, and accountability; participation in College and University administrative activities and relationships; and fostering clientele and alumni relations.

Research Responsibilities

    My former research interests were in symbiotic nitrogen fixation and carbon assimilation of forage legumes; measuring nitrogen cycling in cropping systems with stable isotope methods; team strategies to improve nitrogen fixation of alfalfa; dietary intake of heavy metals by infants and adults; fossil energy budgets of cropping systems; and physiology of plant-pest interactions.

Teaching Responsibilities

    My former teaching responsibilities included team-teaching of a graduate course in crop physiology & metabolism. Now I give occasional guest lectures on agricultural ethics and plant intellectual property rights in various courses.

Outreach Responsibilities

    I foster and maintain liaison relationships with Illinois commodity groups & producer organizations, state and national private and governmental agencies, state and national nonprofit public interest organizations, and friends and alumni of the College. I make presentations to clientele organizations on the mission and programs of the Department and College. I serve nationally in professional and scientific societies.

Select Publications

• Heichel, G. H., and E. Ryder. 1993. Ethical and social issues of protection. In P. S. Baenziger, R. A. Kleese, and R. F Barnes [eds]. Intellectual Property Rights: Protection of Plant Materials. Spec. Publ. No. 21, Crop Science Society of America, Madison, WI.

• Heichel, G. H. 1994. Ethical challenges in crop protection and production. pp. 19-21. In Proc. 20th Annual Illinois Crop Protection Workshop, CES, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana.

• Miller, D. A., and G. H. Heichel. 1995. Nutrient metabolism and nitrogen fixation. Chap. 4 In R. F Barnes, C. J. Nelson, and D. A. Miller [eds]. Forages: The Science of Grassland Agriculture. Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA.

• Heichel, G. H., D. R. Buxton, H. A. Fribourg, D. B. Hannaway, and M. P. Russelle. 1995. Role of grasslands in environmental quality. In W. F. Wedin and J. P. Jones [eds]. Proc. Workshop on Innovative Systems for Utilization of Forage, Grassland, and Rangeland Resources. USDA-CSRS, Washington, D. C.

• Lamb, J. F., D. K. Barnes, M. P. Russelle, C. P. Vance, G. H. Heichel, and K. I. Henjum. 1995. Ineffectively and effectively nodulated alfalfa demonstrate biological nitrogen fixation continues with high nitrogen fertilization. Crop. Sci. 35:153-157.

• Heichel, G.H. 1998. Designs for a new century: a research & education park. Threshold 2:1-2.

• Heichel, G.H. 1999. New dimensions in extension. Threshold 3:1-2.

• Heichel, G.H. 2000. Birth and impacts of C-FAR. Threshold 4:1-2.

• Heichel, G.H. 2001. Three centuries and 300 feet: Bridging from the Morrow Plots to genomics. Threshold 5:1-2.

Professional Experience

1995-current	Head, Dept. of Crop Sciences and Professor of Plant Physiology	University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
1990-1995	Head, Dept. of Agronomy and Professor of Plant Physiology	University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
1994-1995	Interim Head, Dept. of Plant Pathology	University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
1976-1990	Plant Physiologist to Acting Research Leader	USDA-ARS
1976-1990	Adjunct Professor	University of Minnesota
1968-1976	Asst. Plant Physiologist to Plant Physiologist	The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station - New Haven, CT

Education

Ph.D.: Cornell University, Ithica, NY	Crop Science	1968
M.S.: Cornell University, Ithica, NY	Crop Science	1968
B.S.: Iowa State University	Agronomy	1962

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