Swiss geologist whose studies of the Swiss Alps greatly advanced knowledge of the dynamics of mountain building and of glacial effects on topography and geology.

Heim was appointed to the chair of geology at the Federal Polytechnic School in Zürich in 1873. He served as director of the Swiss Geological Commission for 30 years and was professor of geology at the University of Zürich from 1875 to 1911. In 1912 he helped prepare the geologic map of Switzerland. In addition to Untersuchungen über den Mechanismus der Gebirgsbildung (1878; “Inquiries into the Mechanism of Mountain Building”), Heim's works include Handbuch der Gletscherkunde (1885; “Handbook of Glaciology”) and Geologie der Schweiz (1916–22; “Geology of Switzerland”).