Kimberly W. Heiman is a Senior Lecturer of Biology at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA., where she teaches undergraduate courses in biology, conservation, and sustainability studies. She’s loved the oceans from a young age and pursued her passion with a BA in Biology from New College of Florida and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University. Her doctoral work examined the impacts of human habitat modification and invasive species on a central California estuary. She has co-authored numerous scientific papers. 

As her pandemic coping strategy, she began creative writing in 2021 and is currently enrolled in the Wilkes University Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing, earning her MA in 2025 and will be completing her MFA in 2026.

She strongly believes that personal storytelling is a necessary and underutilized tool in science communication, and runs workshops training scientist on how to use memoir style narrative to enhanse their science communication skills. She also teaches creative writing to STEM audiences. Her first book, THE SCIENTIST AND THE STORY: A NARRATIVE CRAFT BOOK FOR STEM PROFESSIONALS, is under contract with the University of California Press for publication in late 2027/ early 2028. She has a vibrateTikTok channel on the topic, tune in for weekly storytelling tips.

Information about upcoming workshop can be found on her workshop page. If you would like more information on her workshops or are interesting in bookings please use the contact link.

Kimberly also writes short stories and essays. Her creative nonfiction essay “Quaking” was published in the International Human Rights Arts Movement Literary Magazine(2024), “Sea Sparkle” was published in CrayfishMag. Her essay about her time as a school board president, “Thank you for your Comment,” was published in Oddball Magazine. “Home of the Orange-Striped Anemone” about her class that travels to Japan was published in Scrawl Place. These essays are part of her first full-length creative non-fiction book, BIRDS ARE STUPID (currently querying). She has also published the short story “Cake” in Flash Fiction Magazine and had her horror story “Rainbows” produced for NoSleep Podcast. Her work has been nominated for the Best American Short Story Anthology.  

She is also querying science fiction novels.