Dr. David M. Hassenzahl

Dr. David M. Hassenzahl is currently dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Interim Dean of the College of Agriculture at Chico State. Accomplishments during his tenure include a college-wide commitment to undergraduate research, a state-of-the art 112,000 square foot Science Building, focus on the university’s role as a Hispanic Serving Institution, and state-wide leadership in student food security. Previously, Dr. Hassenzahl was founding dean of the Falk School of Sustainability at Chatham University, and Chair and of the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is co-founder and past president of the Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, and in 2022 was awarded their William S. Freudenberg Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2016 he was named a Fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis. His work on risk analysis and uncertainty for environmental and public health issues has been supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He is the author of numerous academic publications and several books. Prior to his academic career, he did environmental compliance work in the private and public sectors. Dr. Hassenzahl holds an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and Paleontology from the University of California at Berkeley and a Ph.D. from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs.