Erin Hanan

Erin Hanan is an Associate Professor in Fire & Ecosystem Ecology at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). She is affiliated with the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Science within the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources (CABNR). Her research focuses on interactions among plant, soil, and hydrologic processes in terrestrial systems, particularly in response to disturbances like wildfire, insect outbreaks, and climate change. She holds a B.S. from the University of Southern California (2004), an M.S. from Florida International University (2008), and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara (2015).

Her work employs process-based models, remote sensing, and empirical analysis to study climate change impacts on disturbance regimes and biogeochemical cycles. She leads the FIRE & DRYLAND ECOSYSTEMS LAB, investigating topics such as nitrogen dynamics post-fire, ecohydrological processes, and forest management strategies under climate change. Key collaborations include projects on bark beetle effects, fuel treatments, and watershed nitrogen export. She is active in interdisciplinary research, publishing in journals like Biogeochemistry, Water Resources Research, and Earth's Future.

Dr. Hanan’s research addresses pressing issues like wildfire mitigation, carbon sequestration, and water quality protection. Her lab engages in field studies and computational modeling to advance understanding of ecosystem resilience in arid environments. Current projects include assessing nitrogen saturation in drylands and modeling future fire regimes under climate change scenarios.