Stephen Stehman

Stephen Stehman is a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Sustainable Resources Management at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). His expertise focuses on environmental sampling, sampling design, and statistical analysis for land-cover monitoring. He holds a Ph.D. in Biometry from Cornell University (1990).

He teaches advanced courses including APM 620 (Experiment Design and Analysis of Variance), APM 625 (Sampling Techniques), and APM 671 (Map Accuracy Assessment). His research emphasizes improving methodologies for land-cover mapping accuracy, satellite-based forest monitoring, and REDD+ implementation.

Stehman’s work has significantly impacted global environmental monitoring, including contributions to the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), the global forest cover change maps in Science, and Peru’s REDD+ assessment. His recent publications highlight innovations in integrating volunteered geographic information (VGI) and stratified sampling designs.

He currently advises doctoral students Oswaldo Carrillo (focusing on GHG emission uncertainties) and Leslie Morrison. His grants and projects include SilvaCarbon initiatives and collaborations with the US Forest Service.

Stehman leads ESF’s efforts in statistical methods for environmental data, bridging remote sensing technology with rigorous statistical frameworks to address global environmental challenges.