Sandra Rideout-Hanzak

Dr. Sandra Rideout-Hanzak serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences at Texas A&M University-Kingsville within the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and concurrently as Research Scientist at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. Her academic career spans faculty positions at Texas Tech University (2005-2010) and a USDA Forest Service postdoctoral research forester appointment.

Education:

• B.A. in Health & Safety Education, Latin minor, Ball State University (1987)
• M.S.F. in Forestry, Stephen F. Austin State University (1997)
• Ph.D. in Forestry, Stephen F. Austin State University (2001)

Her research centers on fire-driven ecosystem dynamics, with emphasis on prescribed burning effects across multiple ecological scales. Key investigations include tick-borne pathogen transmission in fire-managed landscapes, plant community responses to fire regimes in Texas Hill Country ecosystems, and wildlife impacts ranging from Texas tortoises to cottontail populations affected by disease. Her work integrates restoration principles with fire ecology across diverse habitats from southern pine forests to endangered species habitats.

Dr. Rideout-Hanzak maintains active professional engagement as Board Secretary of the Texas Prescribed Fire Council and founding member of the Association for Fire Ecology (serving previously as Vice President). She is licensed as Lead Burn Instructor for Texas' Certified and Insured Prescribed Burn Manager program, demonstrating applied expertise in fire management practices.