Prior to this appointment, Peter Hagen had served as acting division director.
The federal fisheries agency said in his 16 years with the science center that Hanselman has distinguished himself through his innovative analytical methods and that he has been recognized by his peers as a leader in stock assessment methods.
Hanselman is the sablefish stock assessment lead and co-author on several rockfish assessments. He also served as co-chair of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands groundfish plan team and is a member of the councils scientific and statistics committee.
Hanselman has earned a Department of Commerce Bronze Medal for his contributions to the NOAA Scientific Integrity Committee and is a past winner of the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.