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Steven E Hanser

Since 2019, Steve has provided leadership at the Fort Collins Science Center as the Deputy Center Director. He has been acting as Center Director since April 2025.

Steve's work has focused on developing science, information, and tools in coordination with Department of the Interior, DOI bureaus, State wildlife agencies, and other partners. He has led or helped facilitate efforts to strengthen interagency coordination, identify multiagency research priorities, develop high-profile information syntheses, improve outreach and communication efforts, and enhance multiagency data sharing tools.

Professional Experience

  • Center Director (Acting), Fort Collins Science Center, U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: April 2025 - Present

  • Deputy Center Director, Fort Collins Science Center, U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: June 2019 - Present

  • Chief, Social and Economic Analysis Branch (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: December 2024 - Present

  • Chief, Invasive Species Science Branch, U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: July 2022 - December 2024

  • Chief, Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics Research Branch (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: July 2019 - January 2022

  • Chief, Decision Support Science and Tools Branch (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: April 2019 - June 2020

  • Sagebrush Ecosystem Program Specialist (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA: June 2019 - Sept 2019

  • Sagebrush Ecosystem Program Specialist, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA: January 2015 – June 2019

  • Wildland Fire Science Coordinator (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA: July 2014 - Oct 2014

  • Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Boise, ID: 2002-2015

  • Biological Science Technician, U.S. Geological Survey, Boise, ID: 2002

  • GIS Intern, City of Pocatello, Pocatello, ID: 2002

  • Graduate Research Assistant, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID: 1999–2002

  • Research Technician, Iowa State University, Ames, IA: 1998-1999

  • Undergraduate Research Assistant, Iowa Cooperative Research Unit, Ames, IA: 1998-1999

Education and Certifications

  • M.S. Biology, Idaho State University, 2002

  • Geotechnologies Post-baccalaureate Certification, Idaho State University, 2002

  • B.S. Biology, Iowa State University, 1999

Science and Products

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Chapter 3: Changes to the Wyoming Basins landscape from oil and natural gas development Chapter 3: Changes to the Wyoming Basins landscape from oil and natural gas development

Oil and natural gas have been produced in Wyoming since the late 1800s although the rate of extraction has increased substantially in the last two decades. Well pads, roads, and infrastructure built to support resource development alter native vegetation configuration; however, the rate and effect of land cover change resulting from oil and gas extraction has not been quantified across...
Authors
Sean Finn, Steven Knick
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center

The human footprint in the west: a large-scale analysis of anthropogenic impacts. The human footprint in the west: a large-scale analysis of anthropogenic impacts.

Anthropogenic features such as urbanization, roads, and power lines, are increasing in western United States landscapes in response to rapidly growing human populations. However, their spatial effects have not been evaluated. Our goal was to model the human footprint across the western United States. We first delineated the actual area occupied by anthropogenic features, the physical...
Authors
M. Leu, S.E. Hanser, S.T. Knick
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Hanser, S.E., 2001. The Diversity and Abundance of Small Mammals in Sage-steppe Habitat Fragments Within Agricultural and Lava-flow Matrices (Master Thesis, Idaho State University).
Hanser, S.E. and Huntly, N.J., 2006. The biogeography of small mammals of fragmented sagebrush-steppe landscapes. Journal of Mammalogy, 87(6), pp.1165-1174.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Filter Total Items: 27

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 32
Filter Total Items: 16
No Result Found
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 62

Chapter 3: Changes to the Wyoming Basins landscape from oil and natural gas development Chapter 3: Changes to the Wyoming Basins landscape from oil and natural gas development

Oil and natural gas have been produced in Wyoming since the late 1800s although the rate of extraction has increased substantially in the last two decades. Well pads, roads, and infrastructure built to support resource development alter native vegetation configuration; however, the rate and effect of land cover change resulting from oil and gas extraction has not been quantified across...
Authors
Sean Finn, Steven Knick
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center

The human footprint in the west: a large-scale analysis of anthropogenic impacts. The human footprint in the west: a large-scale analysis of anthropogenic impacts.

Anthropogenic features such as urbanization, roads, and power lines, are increasing in western United States landscapes in response to rapidly growing human populations. However, their spatial effects have not been evaluated. Our goal was to model the human footprint across the western United States. We first delineated the actual area occupied by anthropogenic features, the physical...
Authors
M. Leu, S.E. Hanser, S.T. Knick
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Hanser, S.E., 2001. The Diversity and Abundance of Small Mammals in Sage-steppe Habitat Fragments Within Agricultural and Lava-flow Matrices (Master Thesis, Idaho State University).
Hanser, S.E. and Huntly, N.J., 2006. The biogeography of small mammals of fragmented sagebrush-steppe landscapes. Journal of Mammalogy, 87(6), pp.1165-1174.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Filter Total Items: 27
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