Merlin Hanauer, Ph.D.

Office

About

Merlin M. Hanauer joined the faculty of the Department of Economics at Sonoma State University in the Fall of 2011. Dr. Hanauer earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Georgia State University (2011) with a concentration in Environmental Economics.

Dr. Hanauer's research addresses the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of environmental policy. He employs extensive use of geographic information systems (GIS), quasi-experimental and experimental design to elucidate policy impacts. Dr. Hanauer's research has been published in journals such as The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Environmental and Resource Economics, Philosophical Transactions B, Conservation Letters, World Development, Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Journal of Environmental Management, and Environmental Research Letters.

HONORS

Cozzarelli Prize (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) for outstanding paper in Applied Biological, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (selected from over 3,800 articles), 2012
SSU School of Business and Economics Students’ Choice Award: Best Economics Teacher, 2014 and 2015

Education

Georgia State University - Ph.D. in Economics
Georgia State University - M.A. in Economics
Humboldt State University - B.A. in Economics

Academic Interests

Environmental Economics
Impact Evaluation
Conservation

Selected Publications & Presentations

Hanauer, M., Canavire-Bacarreza, G., & Diaz-Gutierrez, J. (2018). Unintended consequences of conservation: Estimating the impact of protected areas on violence in Colombia. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. 
Hanauer, M. & Reid, J. (2017). Valuing urban open space using the travel cost method and the implications of measurement error. Journal of Environmental Management. 198P2, 50-65.
Hanauer, M. & Canavire-Bacarreza, G. (2015). Implications of heterogeneous impacts of protected areas on deforestation and poverty. Philosophical Transactions B. 307.
Hanauer, M. & Ferraro, P.J. (2015). Through what mechanisms do protected areas affect environmental and social outcomes? Philosophical Transactions B. 307.
Hanauer, M., Ferraro, P.J., Miteva, D.A., Nelson, J.L., Pattanayak, S.K., Nolte, C., & Sims, K.R.E. (2015). Estimating the impacts of conservation on ecosystem services and poverty by integrating modeling and evaluation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 112(24), 7420-7425.
Hanauer, M. & Ferraro, P.J. (2014). Advances in measuring the environmental and social impacts of environmental programs. Annual Review of Environment and Resources. Volume 39, 495-517.
Hanauer, M. & Ferraro, P.J. (2014). Quantifying causal mechanisms to determine how protected areas affect poverty through changes in ecosystem services and infrastructure. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2014.111(11), 4332-4337.
Hanauer, M., Ferraro, P.J., Miteva, D.A., Javier, G., Canavire-Bacarreza, G.J., Pattanayak, S.K., & Sims. K.R.E. (2013). More strictly protected areas are not necessarily more protective: Evidence from Bolivia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Thailand. Environmental Research Letters. 8(2).
Hanauer, M., Andam, K., & Ferraro, P.J. (2013). The effects of protected area systems on ecosystem restoration: A quasi-experimental design to estimate the impact of Costa Rica's protected area system on regrowth. Conservation Letters. no. 00,  1-7.
Hanauer, M., & Canavire-Bacareza, G. (2013). Evaluating the impact of protected areas on poverty in Bolivia. World Development. Volume 41, 265-285.
Hanauer, M., Ferraro, P.J., & Sims, K.R.E. (2011). Conditions associated with protected area success in conservation and poverty reduction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 108(34), 13913-13918. Awarded Cozzarelli Prize (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) for outstanding 2012 paper in Applied Biological, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (selected from over 3,800 articles). 
Hanauer, M. & Ferraro, P.J. (2011). Protecting ecosystems and alleviating poverty with parks and reserves: `Win-win' or tradeoffs? Environmental and Resource Economics. 48(2), 269.