Area of Study: Applied Food Economics and Policy (Farm to School)
Deadlines: Application deadline is February 15, 2017, start date is August 2017.
Contact: Marco Costanigro, Chair of the Graduate Program, (970) 491-6948, marco.costanigro@colostate.edu
Apply online: http://graduateschool.colostate.edu/prospective-students/apply/
The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (DARE) at Colorado State University is recruiting students to participate in a research project focused on evaluating the different economic impacts of farm to school programs on households, communities, and farm/value chain participants.
The selected student will work closely with an inter-disciplinary team of faculty involved in applied research. The student will develop a skillset in the areas of applied policy analysis, micro econometric modeling, and protocol design for systematic review of the literature. This is a unique opportunity to perform both primary data collection as well as empirical analyses of secondary, restricted-access data. Additionally, partnerships with the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado school districts, and stakeholders will provide an opportunity to understand and evaluate the importance of applied research for effective policy recommendations.
Requirements: strong candidates will possess an open mind, innate curiosity, and a passion for studying the economics of food systems. Formal training in economics (including econometrics and microeconomics) and a demonstrated facility with mathematics and/or quantitative methods is expected, but candidates with interdisciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Previous research experience, excellent written and oral communication, organizational skills, ability to work independently, and experience in any segment of the food system are desirable.
Graduate assistantship includes:
- · 4 years of a competitive stipend, commensurate with the student’s experience and engagement in research
- · 4 years of full tuition support
- · Full medical insurance
The student will be responsible for required graduate fees. CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer and conducts background checks on all final candidates.
The graduate program in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at CSU We offer rigorous coursework, coupled with training in applied research and an emphasis on close collaborations between faculty and students. Most of our students are directly involved in grants and projects in cooperation with government agencies and industry stakeholders.
Specific information about the program can be found at http://dare.agsci.colostate.edu/graduate/graduate-programs/
The research team of supervising faculty for these positions includes:
Alessandro Bonanno’s expertise is at the intersection of empirical industrial organization; food marketing; economics of food retailing; and food, health, and policy. He studies how consumers’ demand differs across products’ “health content” and consumer types, and how manufacturers’ use strategically health content to price their products and to compete with one another. He also investigates policy-relevant aspects of traditional and non-traditional food retailers / food distribution channels, and their effects on different outcomes (food security, obesity, etc…). Dr. Bonanno is part of a multidisciplinary research team studying regional food systems in the Northeast.
Marco Costanigro’s research agenda encompasses multiple aspects of the economics of information in food markets, more specifically how information is transferred from producers to consumers, and its effects on consumer behavior. His most prominent work relates to the study of reputation effects of brands and geographical indications and the marketing/policy implications of food labeling. His research couples experimental methods, advanced econometric analysis and often a good reason to go wine or beer tasting.
Becca Jablonski’s research focuses on understanding processes of rural and regional development, with an emphasis on identifying strategies to support entrepreneurship, improve agribusiness performance and enhance regional food systems. She is particularly interested in assessing the impacts of food system initiatives and strengthened rural-urban linkages to farmers, supply chain participants, and rural/regional economies. Dr. Jablonski is a co-leader of CSU’s Extension Food System Team.
Dawn Thilmany McFadden specializes in analyzing markets and consumer behavior surrounding local, organic and other value-added food market segments. She holds or has held leadership positions with the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, the Western Agricultural Economics Association, several USDA regional research committees, and served as a Farm Foundation Fellow. Her current projects include leading the CSU Extension Food Systems team, Colorado Building Farmers programs, Colorado MarketMaker in partnership with the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the Colorado Farmers Market Working group.
About DARE and CSU
DARE centers its research, teaching and outreach activities in defined areas of excellence: agricultural education, agribusiness management and food systems, the economics of water, land, energy and environment, and agricultural, food and resource policy. We are dedicated to, and appreciated for, engaging stakeholders in high-quality disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, as well as the ability to effectively communicate findings to the public and peers. Excellence in teaching and mentoring students is created with thoughtful and innovative curricular design, emphasizing experiential learning where appropriate and fostering student achievement.
Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins, Colorado, approximately 65 miles North of Denver. Fort Collins is at the base of the Rocky Mountain foothills, with ample opportunity for outdoor recreation.
