Richard Duane Hansen Ph.D. ’91

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While still a graduate student, Richard D. Hansen accomplished more than many archaeologists do in their entire careers. Hansen is already an internationally known expert on the Maya Preclassic, and his recent excavation of Nakbe, an important Mayan site in Guatemala, has contributed important new information on the genesis of one of the New World’s most advanced indigenous civilizations. He discovered that the Maya had begun to construct sophisticated, massive architecture much earlier than previously suspected.

As a result of his successes in Nakbe, Hansen was invited by the Guatemalan government to conduct a comprehensive survey of the entire north central portion of that country, a project that will keep him occupied into the 21st century.

In addition to his scholarly endeavors, Hansen is a successful executive in corporate agribusiness. Since 1982, he has been self-employed through personal ownership of agricultural land and heavy agricultural equipment in his native Idaho. These activities, along with subsidiary corporate businesses, boast annual sales of $14 million.

A family man and father of five, Hansen has taken an active role in Boy Scout leadership and was named District Scoutmaster of the Year in 1987. He has also served in Idaho as a member of a regional committee responsible for programs and allocations of federal funds in business development.

Clearly a top scholar with demonstrated community involvement, Hansen is known for his infectious enthusiasm and his ability to attract other outstanding researchers to his expeditions. His brilliance, dedication and hard work promise a stellar career marked by significant contributions to Mesoamerican archaeology.