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Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Dr. Melissa Heil

Assistant Professor of Geography
Office
FHS Felmley Hall Of Science
Office Phone
(309) 438-7649office
phone
Email
mkheil@ilstu.eduemail
  • About
  • Education
  • Awards & Honors
  • Selected Research

Biography

Melissa Heil is an urban geographer who studies cities of the American Rustbelt. Her research has focused on urban planning, economic development, social services, and community development in cities like Detroit and Flint, Michigan. Dr. Heil’s most recent research examines urban water systems and barriers to water access in US cities.

Current Courses

GEO 142.002 Human Geography

GEO 287.011 Independent Study - Geography

GEO 331.001 Social and Cultural Geography

GEO 431.001 Social and Cultural Geography

PhD Geography

University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign

MA Geography

University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign

BA Organizational Studies

University of Michigan
Ann Arbor

Teaching Initiative Award

Illinois State University
2024

Research Initiative Award

Illinois State University
2023

Winner, Graduate Student Paper Competition

Urban Geography Specialty Group American Association of Geographers
2020

Grants and Contracts

Advancing Research and Creative Scholarship Grant Track II
Joan Brehm, Melissa Heil, Eric Peterson, Noha Shawki, Guang Jin.
Illinois State University. July 2025 - June 2026
New Faculty Initiative Grant
Melissa Heil.
College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University. July 2021 - 2022
Illinois Geographical Society Research Grant
Melissa Heil.
Illinois Geographical Society. 2020 - May 2021
Graduate College Dissertation Completion Fellowship
Melissa Heil.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 2019 - May 2020
Charles S. Alexander Fellowship Graduate Fellowship for Women in Geography
Melissa Heil.
Department of Geography and GIScience University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 2018 - 2019

Book Review

Review: "Nor Any Drop to Drink: Flint's Water Crisis" (2018 Film)
Melissa Heil.
(2022), Water Alternatives
"Won’t you be my neighbor? Race, class, and residence in Los Angeles, by Camille Zubrinsky Charles." Book Review.
Melissa Heil.
(2015), Urban Geography

Presentations

Building Civic Connections for Students: Designing Courses for Civic and Political Engagement
Melissa I Calvillo, Chad Everett Woolard, Melissa Heil.
2023 University Teaching and Learning Symposium, Normal, IL, January, 2023