Sandra Rideout-Hanzak received her PhD in Forestry from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2001. Sandra then began a post-doc position as a research forester with the USDA Forest Service at their Southern Research Station in Athens, GA and later Clemson, SC. In 2005 Sandra joined the faculty at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. She was appointed to the faculty at Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 2010 where she is currently Associate Professor and Research Scientist in the Department of Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences and Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, respectively.
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
Research Interests
As a researcher, Sandra is exploring the effects of prescribed burning on tick communities and tick-borne pathogens, nearest neighbor relationships in herbaceous plants, and Texas tortoises. She is also investigating phenology and pollinators of native grass species, plant ecology in the Texas Hill Country, and rabbit hemorrhagic disease effects on Davis Mountain cottontails. In the past she has explored season of burning effects on coastal Gulf cordgrass community composition, production, and nutritional value, as well as its effects on butterfly populations. She has also researched fire effects on invasive plants such as Old World bluestems and tanglehead, the effects of the East Amarillo Complex wildfires of 2006 on vegetation and bird communities, restoration of endangered slender rush-pea habitat, fire and water relations in hedgehog cacti varieties, and fire effects in southern pine, Piedmont, and Appalachian ecosystems.
Outreach and Community Service
Sandra serves as the Board Secretary for the Texas Prescribed Fire Council. She is a founding member of the Association for Fire Ecology where she served as Vice President of the board. She is a licensed Lead Burn Instructor for Texas' Certified and Insured Prescribed Burn Manager program.
Teaching Appointments
Restoration & Fire Ecology – Graduate Level
Prescribed Fire – Undergraduate and Graduate Levels
