Sam W. Heads, Ph.D., FLS

Education

• Ph.D. in Palaeontology, University of Portsmouth, UK, 2006–2009
• BSc (Hons) in Palaeobiology & Evolution, University of Portsmouth, UK, 2001–2004

Publications

Dr. Heads has published more than 60 scientific papers and book chapters on fossil and modern insects. See a full list.

PDFs of publications are available upon request via email: swheads@illinois.edu.

Biography

Dr. Heads is a paleontologist and the founding Director and Curator-in-Charge at the Illinois Center for Paleontology, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research interests are focused on the taxonomy, paleontology, and evolutionary history of terrestrial arthropods, specifically insects, with an emphasis on Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) and related polyneopteran groups. He has traveled the world pursuing his research, visiting every continent except Antarctica. In addition to his position at the Illinois Center for Paleontology, he also holds affiliate professorships in the departments of Entomology and Earth Science & Environmental Change (formerly Geology) at the University of Illinois, is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Kentiana, and is a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London.

Born in Northumberland, England, Dr. Heads completed his undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Portsmouth, UK, before joining the Illinois Natural History Survey in 2009. He founded the Center for Paleontology in 2017, bringing together for the first time the fossil collections of the Illinois Natural History and Illinois State Geological Survey, and the Department of Geology, in order to facilitate paleontological research at the university.

Eponyms

Malthodes (Libertimalthodes) headsi Fanti, 2021 (fossil soldier beetle in Baltic amber)
Olindanymphes headsi Makarkin, 2022 (fossil antlion from the Cretaceous of Brazil)
Scapteriscus headsi Cadena-Castañeda, 2011 (amole cricket from the Colombian Amazon)