Twelve doctoral students take the global stage
Faculty in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics provide experiential learning opportunities for students and enhance their visibility on a global platform.
Twelve Ph.D. students from the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics showcased their research at the annual Agricultural & Applied Economics Association conference held this year in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event provided a platform for students, who are part of the joint Ph.D. program in economics with the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Economics at Virginia Tech, to present their work.
The Agricultural & Applied Economics Association is a not-for-profit organization that caters to professionals in agricultural and related fields of applied economics globally. Members from academic, government, industry, and nonprofit sectors are involved in diverse teaching, research, and Extension endeavors. Their work encompasses key areas like agricultural economics, international development, resource management, consumer issues, and agribusiness.
“My experience was incredibly enriching,” said Ph.D. candidate Yixing Zheng. “Presenting at the poster session provided a unique opportunity to share my research. As a job market candidate, I gained a lot of career advice in academia, industry, and government. I am immensely grateful to our department and professors for their unwavering support throughout this journey.”
"Presenting my work in the vibrant city of New Orleans was incredible,” said Didar Islam, a Ph.D. candidate. “I had the chance to learn from prominent applied economists worldwide and connect with other budding young professionals. It's been inspiring to be in the same room with such influential individuals from nearly all the land-grant universities, government offices, the White House, and international research institutions. I believe the feedback and connections I've gained will significantly improve my research and career prospects."
Ph.D. students in attendance and their respective presentation titles included:
- Naveen Abedin
How does the kids SIPsmartER program impact the sugar-sweetened beverage intake of students: An investigation beyond total treatment effect in RCT - Anukul Bhattarai
Decomposing the effects of micro and macro factors on the price of food through changes in the prices of FAH and FAFH - Chenyang (Nate) Hu
Sunrise over fields: Assessing the influence of solar development on U.S. local property values - Didar Islam
The demand for food at home and food away from home in an aggregate demand system - Deepak Kumar
Cost of inaction: Impacts of reduced food assistance on welfare outcomes in Somalia - Yoonjung Lee
Impact evaluation of fortified rice on children’s health and cognitive outcomes in Cambodia - Yanggu Li
The impact of conservation practices on agricultural production and land value - William (Nic) McWilliams
Annual food price inflation forecasting: An auto-regressive random forest approach - Tao Qi
The local economy-wide effects of reduced refugee assistance in Uganda - Leonard-Allen Quaye
Exploring the dynamics of food commodity prices and weather anomalies using a STAR model - Kiseok Shin
Agricultural greenhouse gas emission estimates across countries, products, and global trade routes - Yixing Zheng
Direct and indirect impact of growing season weather shocks on Global Agricultural Trade
Nandini Das, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Economics, also attended and presented two papers at the conference, titled “Impacts of financial literacy training on refugee youth outcomes” and “Does training farmers on multiple technologies deter adoption? Evidence from a farm management program in Bangladesh.”
“The AAEA annual conference is the most prominent global gathering for agricultural and applied economists,” said Anubhab Gupta, assistant professor in the department. “Our students greatly benefited from the feedback they received from faculty and graduate students at other universities, researchers in government, and international organizations. Not only does participating help our students, but it also allows them to connect broadly in the profession. I was very pleased with the feedback I received from colleagues about our students’ presentations.”
Faculty in attendance included:
- John Bovay, associate professor and Kohl Junior Faculty Fellow
- Susan Chen, professor
- Zhenshan Chen, assistant professor
- Jason Grant, W.G. Wysor Professor of Agriculture and director of the Center for Agricultural Trade
- Anubhab Gupta, assistant professor
- Chanit’a Holmes, assistant professor
- Catherine Larochelle, associate professor
- Nicolas Legrand, research assistant professor
- Olga Isengildina Massa, John B. and Kristi L. Rowsell Professor, undergraduate director, and lead advisor for Commodity Investing by Students
- Pedro Queiroz, instructor
- Shamar Stewart, assistant professor
- Wei Zhang, Wei Zhang, assistant professor
Gupta expressed that the accolades received reflect the department's commitment to providing experiential learning opportunities for students and enhancing their visibility on a global platform.
“Professional engagement and the resulting experiential learning are a top priority for our undergraduate and graduate programs,” said George Davis, interim department head and professor. “It is a foundational part of the out-of-the-classroom experience that helps prepare our students to succeed.”
The department is actively seeking capstone projects from industry partnerships. This opportunity allows students to apply their knowledge while assisting stakeholders with problem-solving. For further details, email George Davis or Melissa Vidmar, the communications and marketing manager for the department.
Virginia Tech offers many programs that help students find internships and similar career-related experiences, including:
