Guide to the Frank Heppner Papers, 1961-2015

Biographical note

Born in San Francisco in 1940, Heppner received his BA from the University of California in 1962, Berkeley, MS from San Francisco State University in 1964, and a Ph.D in Zoology from the University of California, Davis in 1967. He then completed two years of post-doctoral research at the University of Washington. He came to the University of Rhode Island in 1969 as an Assistant Professor in the  Department of Zoology. He received promotion to Full Professor in 1979. In 2002 he served a term as Chairman of the Department of Biological Sciences. He retired in 2010 with the title Honors Professor of Biological Sciences.

His major research area was ornithology; more specifically organized flight in birds. He published papers in Science, Nature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and most of the major bird journals. He was part of one of the three groups who in the 1980’s developed the first computer simulations of bird flocks.

He was also active in community affairs. He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the South Kingstown Public Housing Authority, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Kingston Station (a historic preservation group), and a squadron commander and pilot in the Rhode Island Civil Air Patrol.

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Scope and Content Note

The Frank Heppner Papers consists of five unprocessed records storage boxes of original correspondence, office files, manuscripts, and audiovisual materials.  The records were transferred to the Distinctive Collections and Archives department in May, 2015.  Researchers may request an appointment to study the records in the collection by contacting the University of Rhode Island Distinctive Collections and Archives by email, archives@etal.uri.edu, or call 401-874-4632.

This collection is not processed and does not yet include a register or folder/title listing.