Dr. Heppert is currently Vice President for Research & Innovation at Texas Tech University. Previously, he served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Kansas (KU). He chaired the KU Chemistry Department from 2005-2009 and was the founding director of the University’s Center for Science Education from 2001-2009. He is a Fellow of the American Chemical Society and currently serves as chair of the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Budget and Finance. Dr. Heppert’s initial research focused on organic transition metal chemistry. This research resulted in the isolation and characterization of the first class of air-stable terminal transition metal carbide compounds. Dr. Heppert has also been active in projects to improve science teaching and science teacher preparation. He is past chair of the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Education. In this role, he testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and the National Science Board on science education policy issues.

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