David Hassenzahl About
Dr. David M. Hassenzahl, dean of the College of Natural Sciences at the California State University at Chico, is dedicated to providing high quality science, math, and nursing education in service to the future of California and the world. An internationally recognized scholar of sustainability and risk analysis, his leadership, research, teaching, and outreach efforts focus on incorporating scientific information and expertise into public decisions, with particular emphasis on the management, interpretation, and communication of uncertainty. He has dedicated the last three decades to addressing subjects as diverse as climate change, energy and water resources, toxic chemicals, nuclear materials, and public health; has presented on these topics on four continents; and has supported decision making in public, private, and not-for-profit contexts. Previously, Dr. Hassenzahl served as founding dean of the Falk School of Sustainability at Chatham University, and Chair of the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Hassenzahl holds a B.A. in Environmental Science and Paleontology from the University of California at Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School. Grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Department of Education have supported his work. Among his publications are Should We Risk It, co-authored with Daniel M. Kammen, and two widely used environmental science textbooks: Environment and Visualizing Environmental Science. He is a founding member and past president of the Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, and a Fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis, which also recognized him with their Outstanding Educator Award. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Hassenzahl worked in the private sector as an environmental manager at a pulp and paper mill, and in the public sector as an inspector for the (San Francisco) Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
