Thomas Hegna
@thomashegna.bsky.social
Arthropod paleontologist, father, science educator in western New York. Teaches paleontology, Earth history, stratigraphy, and more at SUNY Fredonia. University of Iowa and Yale G&G alum. WIU refugee.
Little known fact about the glacial sediment near Lake Erie in our area. Sometimes, you can see a swath of this sediment in the swash zone of the beach—the waves sort them differently because they are denser than the other sediment. #sunyfredonia #geology #lakeerie #sedimentology #glacialsediment
October 2, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Little known fact about the glacial sediment near Lake Erie in our area. Sometimes, you can see a swath of this sediment in the swash zone of the beach—the waves sort them differently because they are denser than the other sediment. #sunyfredonia #geology #lakeerie #sedimentology #glacialsediment
Our Dunk is nearing completion. It now has a stand! #paleontology #geology #Devonian #sunyfredonia #3dprinting
September 30, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Our Dunk is nearing completion. It now has a stand! #paleontology #geology #Devonian #sunyfredonia #3dprinting
The water level of lake Erie is at a point where we can reach parts of Point Gratiot that I have never been able to visit. So, I took some students on an impromptu field trip this afternoon to see the Kellwasser event exposed at the Lake Erie Beach. #sunyfredonia #geology #paleontology #devonian
September 29, 2025 at 11:57 PM
The water level of lake Erie is at a point where we can reach parts of Point Gratiot that I have never been able to visit. So, I took some students on an impromptu field trip this afternoon to see the Kellwasser event exposed at the Lake Erie Beach. #sunyfredonia #geology #paleontology #devonian
Reposted by Thomas Hegna
More pictures from measuring stratigraphy with Dr. Hegna's class out at the Sheridan Bay Park. Included is some meta-photography with SUNY Fredonia's Roger Coda (marketing and communications). #geology #stratigraphy #fredonia #lakeerie #sunyfredonia
September 27, 2025 at 8:01 PM
More pictures from measuring stratigraphy with Dr. Hegna's class out at the Sheridan Bay Park. Included is some meta-photography with SUNY Fredonia's Roger Coda (marketing and communications). #geology #stratigraphy #fredonia #lakeerie #sunyfredonia
Another 3d printed skull to guess. It is harder than it looks.
September 15, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Another 3d printed skull to guess. It is harder than it looks.
Reposted by Thomas Hegna
A beautiful day to measure the Hanover Shale. Found a crinoid-filled lens amongst the layers. #Fredonia #geology #stratigraphy
September 8, 2025 at 11:52 PM
A beautiful day to measure the Hanover Shale. Found a crinoid-filled lens amongst the layers. #Fredonia #geology #stratigraphy
I don't think I am exaggerating when I say this is the fastest brachiopod ever. Introducing the Brachio-Bot. #fredonia #paleontology #3dprinting
September 1, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I don't think I am exaggerating when I say this is the fastest brachiopod ever. Introducing the Brachio-Bot. #fredonia #paleontology #3dprinting
Reposted by Thomas Hegna
The Trilo-bot is now fully operational!
August 26, 2025 at 4:48 PM
The Trilo-bot is now fully operational!
Guess who? Printed at about 1/2 scale.
August 21, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Guess who? Printed at about 1/2 scale.
I bring you the latest advance in lophotrochozoan technology:
The Brachio-bot®
The Brachio-bot®
June 3, 2025 at 2:07 AM
I bring you the latest advance in lophotrochozoan technology:
The Brachio-bot®
The Brachio-bot®
New paper out describing the first fossil ovaries and unfertilized eggs in a primitive horseshoe crab. #paleontology #xiphosura #ordovician
May 30, 2025 at 2:41 PM
New paper out describing the first fossil ovaries and unfertilized eggs in a primitive horseshoe crab. #paleontology #xiphosura #ordovician
So, Tom, how have you been procrastinating the arthropod cuticle preservation paper? Oh, you know . . .
#Devonian #dunkleosteus #3dprinting
#Devonian #dunkleosteus #3dprinting
May 23, 2025 at 9:12 PM
So, Tom, how have you been procrastinating the arthropod cuticle preservation paper? Oh, you know . . .
#Devonian #dunkleosteus #3dprinting
#Devonian #dunkleosteus #3dprinting
Reposted by Thomas Hegna
Proper signage is key in an academic building.
May 23, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Proper signage is key in an academic building.
Reposted by Thomas Hegna
"A successful college education is measured not by what its graduates believe but by what they can conceive." Important piece by Lynn Pasquerella on @aacu.org's Call for Constructive Engagement statement and higher ed leaders' response to the present crisis.
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
Our Debate Over Higher Ed Has Lost the Plot (opinion)
We need to reorient the national conversation, Lynn Pasquerella writes.
www.insidehighered.com
May 20, 2025 at 3:25 PM
"A successful college education is measured not by what its graduates believe but by what they can conceive." Important piece by Lynn Pasquerella on @aacu.org's Call for Constructive Engagement statement and higher ed leaders' response to the present crisis.
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
New paper out! Open Access!
doi.org/10.1017/jpa....
doi.org/10.1017/jpa....
May 9, 2025 at 6:09 PM
New paper out! Open Access!
doi.org/10.1017/jpa....
doi.org/10.1017/jpa....
Academic folks: Our departmental page has a 'links' page. Does anyone else get frequent emails from 'teachers' who have a student who has 'found our links useful' and wants us to add links that the student found? 1/2 . . . .
April 21, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Academic folks: Our departmental page has a 'links' page. Does anyone else get frequent emails from 'teachers' who have a student who has 'found our links useful' and wants us to add links that the student found? 1/2 . . . .
I don't even think a modern car would fit through the renovated doorway of Houghton.
SUNY Fredonia Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences
@sunyfredgeoesci.bsky.social
· Apr 17
When making precise measurements in lab, students sometimes ask, "When are we going to actually use this?" Sometimes, you'd be surprised. Houghton Hall, 1973. #geology #prank #sunyfredonia #fredonia #VWbeetle
April 17, 2025 at 7:15 PM
I don't even think a modern car would fit through the renovated doorway of Houghton.
Reposted by Thomas Hegna
Associate professor Thomas Hegna gave a talk titled: "Teaching Critical Thinking on a Flat Earth." His presentation detailed his use of flat Earth myths, in a general education science class, to help students to think more critically.
April 15, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Associate professor Thomas Hegna gave a talk titled: "Teaching Critical Thinking on a Flat Earth." His presentation detailed his use of flat Earth myths, in a general education science class, to help students to think more critically.
Reposted by Thomas Hegna
At the recent NE-NC GSA conference, Syd Lamberton, a senior at SUNY Fredonia, displayed her poster, titled Looking for Critical Minerals in Carboniferous Clays Beneath Coal Deposits in Pennsylvania: A Multipronged Approach. 1/4
#SUNYFredonia #geology #undergraduateresearch #gsaconnects
#SUNYFredonia #geology #undergraduateresearch #gsaconnects
April 15, 2025 at 11:01 PM
At the recent NE-NC GSA conference, Syd Lamberton, a senior at SUNY Fredonia, displayed her poster, titled Looking for Critical Minerals in Carboniferous Clays Beneath Coal Deposits in Pennsylvania: A Multipronged Approach. 1/4
#SUNYFredonia #geology #undergraduateresearch #gsaconnects
#SUNYFredonia #geology #undergraduateresearch #gsaconnects
Reposted by Thomas Hegna
Hey it me! Thanks for being excellent hosts @weinersmith.bsky.social and @danielwhiteson.bsky.social!
🧪🦀🦑
🧪🦀🦑
Does nature keep evolving crabs? Is the crab body plan the peak of evolution?
Daniel and Kelly talk to @jopabinia.bsky.social about some misconceptions about "carcinization".
www.iheart.com/podcast/105-...
Daniel and Kelly talk to @jopabinia.bsky.social about some misconceptions about "carcinization".
www.iheart.com/podcast/105-...
April 3, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Hey it me! Thanks for being excellent hosts @weinersmith.bsky.social and @danielwhiteson.bsky.social!
🧪🦀🦑
🧪🦀🦑