While pursuing her doctorate in crop sciences at the University of Illinois, she pioneered and led research comparing the biomass production of Miscanthus and switchgrass in the U.S., research that indicated Miscanthus could produce 250 percent more ethanol than corn, without requiring additional land. Heaton joined Iowa State from Ceres, a plant genetics company in California that specializes in biomass crop breeding for fuel. At Iowa State, Heaton focuses on best management practices for perennial energy crops, with particular emphasis on Miscanthus and switchgrass.