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About the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics

The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AAEC) is ranked in the top ten percent worldwide of institutions and economists in the field of agricultural economics. 

Inspired by our land grant mission and motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), we teach, conduct research, and distribute findings that empower a diverse audience of students, stakeholders, and alumni to change the world. Our faculty and graduates have expertise in applied economics and agribusiness principles that help address the food, financial, health, development, policy, environmental, and social needs in Virginia and beyond. 

We offer a competitive graduate program that provides impactful study and research opportunities for our students. The department has an outstanding record of graduate student placement. AAEC offers an M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics and a Ph.D. in Economics jointly with the Department of Economics. 

The master's degree focuses on applied economics and students enrolled in the program take courses in microeconomics, math programming, econometrics, and research methodology, along with courses in the following specialty areas:

Environmental and natural resource economics

Food and health economics

Management and finance

Agribusiness economics and management

International development and trade

Rural and regional development 

The M.S. degree offers both thesis and non-thesis options. 

Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program may use their Ph.D. coursework to earn a master's degree simultaneously. In the joint Ph.D. program with the Department of Economics, students take a common set of core courses in the first three semesters of the program and a common written qualifying examination. AAEC Ph.D. students then complete field courses in each of their two major fields, and elective courses that support their areas of research specialization. AAEC offers fields in:

Applied econometrics

Rural and regional development

Graduate students pursuing M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are eligible for graduate teaching assistantships and graduate research assistantships. 

Combined program:

Academic Employment Track with Future Professoriate Graduate Certificate AAEC partners with the Virginia Tech Graduate School to offer an academic employment track that prepares Ph.D. students for future roles in academia. 

Interdisciplinary Degree in Remote Sensing AAEC Ph.D. students can combine their program with the  Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program in Remote Sensing by taking additional courses related to Remote Sensing and participating in a weekly seminar. Students who complete the requirements receive a certificate in Remote Sensing in addition to their Ph.D.

Ph.D. with Data Analytics and Applied Statistics M.S. Ph.D. students in AAEC have the option to also earn an M.S. degree in Data Analytics and Applied Statistics from the Virginia Tech Department of Statistics .

AAEC also offers graduate-level certificates.

Degree Requirements

Agricultural and Applied Economics Facilities Introduction

In addition, you will be able to use the resources available through VT's Advanced Research Computing (ARC) clusters ( https://www.arc.vt.edu/ ) once you create an ARC account with the help of your (temporary) advisor. ARC offers high-speed parallel computing and Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). Current software available through ARC includes Matlab, Stata, RStudio/R, QGIS, and Jupyter Notebook, and new software is regularly added.

Students on assistantship are allocated office space in the department and offices are made available to those students not on assistantship as space allows. 

All students have access to our graduate student lab. This lab houses three 24-core, high-powered PCs that allow multiple simultaneous jobs submitted by different users and that feature institutional licenses for specialized statistical and geospatial software so that, if needed, you do not have to purchase them yourself.

Course Listing for Agricultural and Applied Economics

Ph.D. in Planning, Governance, and Globalization (PGG)

Global events have fueled a growing demand for social scientists with truly global perspectives on government, corporate and non-profit sectors. Globalization has restructured our society, resulting in a need to redefine and redirect governance strategies in areas like the workplace, the neighborhood, municipal or state government, nation-states or non-governmental organizations. Likewise, problems of urbanization, democratization, and non-sustainable practices in land and resource use have not been resolved and there is impetus to transform domestic and global trends toward more sustainable economic development, environmental protection, and social equity.

The doctoral program in Planning, Governance & Globalization (PGG) takes a multidisciplinary approach to pursuing these areas of inquiry, utilizing two tracks rooted in different disciplines: Urban & Environmental Design & Planning (PGG-UEDP) supported by faculty in Urban Affairs & Planning (UAP) and Governance & Globalization (PGG-GG) supported by faculty in Government & International Affairs (GIA). Applicants to the program should have master’s degrees in closely allied fields, such as Planning, Political Science, Sociology, International Relations, Geography and Economics among others.

• --> General Item PGG Ph.D.: Urban & Environmental Design & Planning -->
• --> General Item PGG Ph.D.: Governance and Globalization Track -->

PGG TRACKS AND THEIR THEMATIC AREAS

Governance & Globalization track, supported by faculty in Governance and International Affairs (GG):

• Governance, Institutions & Civil Society
• Globalization, Identities, Security, & Economies

Urban & Environmental Design & Planning track, supported by faculty in Urban Affairs and Planning (UEDP):

• Metropolitan Development
• Community & Economic Development Planning
• International Development Planning
• Environmental Planning & Sustainability
• Landscape Planning & Analysis
• Transportation Planning
• Physical Planning & Urban Design

PGG welcomes full- and part-time students to either track at both the Blacksburg and the Washington, D.C. campuses.

Test Drive this Degree

Are you uncertain about enrolling in this program but would be interested in trying a class?

Many of our doctoral students, especially part-time students who are working professionals in the Washington, D.C. area, start the PGG program as a non-degree Commonwealth Campus student.

Commonwealth Campus status is open to an applicant who holds an earned bachelors or higher degree from a regionally accredited U.S. university. Examples of students who seek admission into the Commonwealth Campus program include those who may qualify for regular admission but do not currently wish apply immediately for a graduate degree or need to update their academic credentials after several years of professional experience.

If students perform well in the courses they take, they can build a case for admission into the PGG degree. Students can take up to twelve credit hours (typically four classes) as a non-degree Commonwealth Campus student.

PGG has established a highly selective Ph.D. program drawing students in the 60th percentile or higher of peer institutions based on GRE scores, GPA, and other measures. Applicants should have master’s degrees in closely allied fields, such as Planning, Landscape Architecture, Political Science, Sociology, International Relations, Geography, and Economics, among others.  Applicants without a conferred master’s degree will be directed to apply for one of our master’s degree programs.

Admission to PGG program is based on a combination of four criteria:

• Performance in Master’s program/Academic Transcript
• Letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose/interest in program
• Professional background and experience

The PGG degree has a ‘rolling admissions’ policy. Application deadlines are in the table below.

A limited number of Graduate Teaching Assistantships are available each year. Students wishing to be considered for one of these assistantships should apply by February 1st.

Students can be admitted to the PGG degree program in the Fall, Spring, and Summer. However, it is recommended that students enter in the Fall or Spring semesters as our foundational courses are taught face to face during the Fall and Spring semesters

The graduate admissions committee will carefully screen all applications, and all admissions decisions will be made by consensus of the faculty. At least one faculty member from this program must agree to supervise any applicant whose record meets admissions requirements before they will receive a formal offer of admission. All incoming students will be assigned a “provisional” advisor who will work with the student until the student establishes a formal advisory committee of four members.

Information about the tracks and their thematic areas, process for transfer courses, and more, can be found in the current PGG Handbook.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Students apply online through the  Graduate School  website. If applying online is not an option for you, you may request paper application materials through their site as well.

What to Prepare

• Prospective student need to prepare a statement of interest, detailing their proposed area of research, their professional background and experience (if applicable) and their interest in pursuing a doctorate at Virginia Tech. They should include a professional resume.
• Academic Transcripts – Master’s and undergraduate
• Three letters of recommendation from a mix of former professors and others who have had the opportunity to observe the applicant in an academic and professional capacity.

SUBMIT THE APPLICATION AND FOLLOWING MATERIALS ONLINE:

• Report of the TOEFL test (if applicable); Virginia Tech’s code is #005859. The Graduate School requires official test scores sent directly from ETS.
• Because we require that students have an awarded master’s degree before beginning their studies in PGG, we do  NOT  require GRE scores.
• Transcripts: see more important information about providing transcripts on the Graduate School’s application site.While completing your online application and prior to submitting it, you will be required to upload one copy of your scanned official transcript from each institution from which you have earned or will earn an undergraduate or graduate degree. Do not send transcripts for community college attendance or from any institution where you enrolled in classes but did not earn a degree.Please do not mail your official transcripts to us until you have received an offer of admission from Virginia Tech. Please note that non-legible scans will not be accepted. Make sure your scanned documents are legible before uploading, as non-legible documents will result in processing delays.You may scan a copy of your official paper or electronic transcript provided to you from your institution’s Registrar. Do NOT upload your institution’s web-based academic record or a document stating it is not an official transcript. Make sure that all critical and identifying marks have been scanned and are legible.
• Three letters of recommendation (these may also be submitted online).
• Resume and Personal Statement (see below for items to include in the statement).

Whether you’re applying to the Blacksburg or the Arlington campus, please direct any questions you have to:

Kelly Crist Manager of SPIA Faculty and Student Affairs Planning, Governance, and Globalization Ph.D. Program School of Public and International Affairs (0113) 140 Otey Street SW / Room 110 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 telephone: 540-231-2291 email: [email protected]

You may also direct questions to the Graduate School:

Graduate School Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown (0325) Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061

Graduate School  – Graduate School admissions, application, and other information.

Applicants may use the space provided in the online application for their resume and personal statement. The online application form will ask you to state your reasons for pursuing a graduate degree; this section may be used as the personal statement.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Items to include in your statement:

• Indicate which track (UEDP or GG) and the theme within the track you are interested in pursuing. Information about the tracks and themes can be found in the PGG Handbook.
• Include a brief research proposal.
• Identify faculty you would like to serve as your major professor and why.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

Students applying to the PGG program should meet the following academic standards:

• A “B” overall grade point average (3.1 on a 4 point scale)
• TOEFL: minimums internet-based: 100; computer-based: 250; paper-based: 600. OR IELTS: minimum 6.5 (Neither TOEFL nor IELTS is required of US permanent residents or US naturalized citizens; can be waived by the Graduate School if student attended a university where English is the language of instruction.)

The PGG Admissions Committee begins reviewing applications in early February, so students who wish to be considered for graduate assistantships should have a complete application submitted by February 1 for the upcoming fall term. Graduate Assistantship decisions are made by the end of March.

The following application and decision deadlines have been established for the upcoming entry terms:

*Students seeking departmental funding should submit all required admissions materials by February 1st for full consideration. Funding decisions are generally made by the end of March. We will continue to welcome applications after this date on a rolling basis and these applicants will be considered for any funding that may still be available after the first round of decisions.

* Please also see the Graduate School’s site for  other available funding .

International Students

Please allow plenty of time for the review of your application based on deadlines above. Any decisions made after these time frames need to be approved in advance and on a case-by-case basis, by the Graduate School’s International Graduate Student Services staff. The contact email for those applying to the Blacksburg campus is  [email protected] . The contact email for those applying to the Arlington campus is  [email protected] .

Evidence of English Proficiency:  International applicants are exempt from demonstrating English proficiency if they have graduated from an accredited university where English is the language of instruction or if they are U.S. permanent residents (“green card” holders).

International applicants may demonstrate English proficiency by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) using the minimums listed under Academic Standards above.

International students in F-1 or J-1 status who obtained admission into a degree program are eligible for consideration by the academic departments for assistantships and in-state tuition scholarships.

APPLY TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

PGG Handbook

Download the PGG Handbook

All information can be found in the current student handbook. All forms must be submitted to Colleen Malley for processing.

Forms internal to PGG are below.  Other forms may be found on the  Graduate School ‘s website.

Suggested Milestone Timeline

Here is a suggested timeline of the major milestones that can also be found on page 9 of the handbook. Milestones are touched on briefly on pages 7-8 and in-depth descriptions begin on page 26 of the handbook.

Forms & Links

Sample Plan of Study

Submit your plan of study with signature page (see next item immediately following) to Colleen Malley once complete. Information about the plan can be found in the handbook beginning on page 16 and the sample plan is on pages 19 and 20. Students create their plans based on the sample. Courses listed on the plan should match those on your transcript*: * be sure you list the correct term on the plan as well as the correct department and course number (be careful of cross-listed courses). Note: if you don’t have items for a particular section you don’t need to include that section on your plan.

Plan of Study Signature Page

Signature page must be submitted with your plan. You can create your signature page when creating your Plan of Study or print this form.

PGG Exam Outcome Report Form

Use this form to record the results of each of your milestone exams (Qualifying Exam, Written Preliminary Exam, Oral Preliminary Exam, Proposal Defense, Final Exam).

History of the PGG PhD

The PGG doctoral program is a spin-off from the Environmental Design and Planning (EDP) Ph.D. Program in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. Initiated in 1975, the EDP program has grown not only in enrollment but also in specializations or streams as the College has become more diverse through restructuring. Effective spring 2007, EDP spun off two separate Ph.D. degrees, Planning, Governance & Globalization (PGG) in the School of Public & International Affairs and Architecture Design Research (ADR) in the School of Architecture + Design.

Kelly Crist Manager, Faculty and Student Affairs [email protected]

Ariel Ahram GG-track Director [email protected]

Todd Schenk UEDP-track Director [email protected]

Blacksburg 140 Otey St. Blacksburg, VA 24061 Mail Code 0113

Washington D.C. 900 N. Glebe Rd., 6th Floor, VTRC Arlington, VA 22203

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Department of Economics

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PhD Program Overview

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The PhD Program

A Letter from the Director of Graduate Studies test

Thank you for your interest in our PhD program.  (Please note: UVa does not offer a terminal M.A. degree in economics. The AEA provides a  list of U.S. programs in economics for those seeking a master's degree.)

The Economics Department is one of over 30 programs within the  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences . The Ph.D. program in Economics provides training for careers in both teaching and research by emphasizing theory, quantitative methods, and early involvement in research.

The success of the program is reflected in our graduates'  job placements , which include highly ranked universities, such as Chicago, Columbia, UCLA, Cornell, Penn State, as well as excellent undergraduate institutions, such as Carleton and Brandeis. In a recent survey, UVA ranked fourteenth among graduate programs in academic placement. Many students also find summer or permanent employment in the nearby Washington area, e.g., at the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Congressional Budget Office.

About twenty students enter our program each year. At any given time there are approximately 80-90 students in residence. Classes are small and students are able to work closely with faculty. Graduate students are provided with two computer labs, both equipped with up-to-date PCs and a wide selection of software.

In addition to taking the core courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics, doctoral students choose two fields of specialization from: Industrial Organization, International Economics, Macroeconomics, Public Economics, Econometrics, Theory, Development, and Labor. Virtually all graded courses can be completed by the end of the second year, so that students can begin dissertation research at an early stage (in the summer after the second year).

During the third and fourth years, students are active in one or more of the regularly scheduled workshops: Theory, Applied Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Public Economics, Econometrics, Development, and International Economics.

Applications and all credentials must be submitted through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences'  online application . The non-refundable application fee must be paid online via credit card. If you are eligible for an application fee waiver, please contact the Graduate School when you are ready to apply. The School's Dean of Admissions may waive the fee to members of certain  organizations . However, you should contact me directly if you think that your application may arrive later than the January 15th deadline.

All students who are admitted are offered the same aid package. Financial need will not affect your chances for admission.

Financial assistance to students admitted for Fall 2020 includes $30,000 per year ($24,000 during the academic year, and $6,000 during the summer), along with full tuition remission, and health insurance coverage. The offer is guaranteed for 5 years, conditional on maintaining good standing in the program. Full details are available in the  Financial Aid  section of our admission instructions.

In addition, the Graduate School administers a competitive fellowship program to support a sixth year of study for doctoral students who are poised to complete distinguished dissertations and enter the job market. In 2016-17, twenty-five such fellowships will be offered, and the Graduate School plans to increase this number significantly in the coming years.

Your application and all supporting documents should reach the Graduate Admissions Office by January 15. (We admit students only for the fall semester.) Please note that you will need to present scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), but the advanced test in economics is not required. Complete details on our admission requirements are provided in the  Admission  section of this web site. If your question is not answered in the following pages, please e-mail Kristina Johnson , the Graduate Program Coordinator.

James Harrigan , Director of Graduate Studies

Economics is the study of how scarce resources are allocated among competing uses to satisfy human wants. Economic analysis is directed at a wide range of problems, including inflation and recession, environmental problems, taxation decisions, regulatory and antitrust problems, forecasting, and managerial decision making.

Students master the three fundamental activities used in economics: collection, analysis, and interpretation of economic data. Using logical thinking and economic theory to understand data patterns, students predict future trends and present their conclusions. Economics majors are required to become familiar with sources of information about business and the economy, to analyze data using theoretical models, spreadsheet programs, and statistical techniques, and to present their conclusions both orally and in writing.

A degree in economics prepares students for careers in public policy, consulting, and a wide variety of business organizations. Specific employment opportunities include careers where the ability to analyze and interpret data is valued. In recent years, a large number of Virginia Tech graduates have found employment in the financial services sector. By developing logical thinking and problem-solving skills, the study of economics also helps prepare students for business school, law school, and other graduate studies. The additional courses in business, help students in the Economics Business program secure employment with companies and government agencies who value their combined skills in economic theory as they are applied in the business and governmental settings.

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PhD in Economics

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PhD in Economics at the prestigious Virginia Tech is a prestigious degree that offers in-depth learning in Economics. Being a renowned university, Virginia Tech receives enough funds to ensure the best education facilities for its students across all programs. This doctorate program offered full-time primarily focuses on the practical implementation of fresh ideas through rigorous study and research. The students are encouraged to add new aspects and findings to the existing area of knowledge. PhD in Economics at VT is ranked globally by estimated organisations. Such recognition speaks volumes about the course’s importance and effectiveness in the present scenario. The top-notch faculty, modern facilities, and the aura of creativity and innovation in the VT campus is a life-changing experience for the students looking forward to kickstarting or upgrading their careers. Overall, a PhD in Economics at Virginia Tech is an excellent opportunity to grow into a learned professional and bring new developments in the world.

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Executive Ph.D. | Virginia Tech | Part-Time Ph.D. in the DC Area

Executive ph.d..

Earn your Ph.D. in Business on a part-time basis and gain the advanced knowledge and skills needed to conduct high-quality research on critical issues facing the business community

DESIGNED FOR WORKING PROFESSIONALS

Earn your ph.d. while you work, focus in your chosen discipline, experience the quality of a full-time ph.d., student & alumni stories.

Stuart Urban’s path leading from a career in industry to one in academia started in 2012 when he began teaching a part-time course, Quantitative Financial Analysis, at Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School. At the time, Urban was a software engineer, research and development principal investigator, and data scientist at Lockheed Martin.

The Executive Ph.D. that Akwasi Ampofo earned as the first graduate of the Pamplin College of Business program in Spring 2021 is already propelling his career forward.

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Dan Rodriguez is currently a Professor of Practice in the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. Dan teaches Equity Securities Analysis and Investments: Debt, Equity and Derivatives. He has taught both as a full-time faculty member and as an adjunct for over twenty years in business schools, including eleven years at NYU. Dan has also worked full-time in the financial services industry for over twenty-one years.

Prior to joining the faculty at Virginia Tech, Dan was the Chief Risk Officer and a research economist at two hedge funds, P. Schoenfeld Asset Management and Light Sky Macro. His responsibilities included the active management and trading of the firm’s hedge portfolio consisting of equity and fixed income derivatives. He also worked as a Senior Risk Officer at multi-strategy hedge fund, Point 72 Asset Management, with responsibility for equity long short risk management and portfolio construction. Dan also served as the Chief Risk Officer for the Global Proprietary Trading group at Credit-Suisse with responsibility for managing all cross-asset class positions in the management trading portfolio. He earned his undergraduate degree at the United States Military Academy and his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ph.D., Economics, MIT, Cambridge, MA.

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Distinguished Graduate and Recipient of the Economics Award at West Point.

Completed the US Army Ranger Course.

George Davis named interim head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics

Davis, a 17-year veteran of the department, succeeds Matthew Holt, who will be joining Clemson University as the dean of its College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences.

• Marya Barlow

26 Jul 2024

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George Davis , professor in the  Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics  at Virginia Tech, has been named interim department head, effective Aug. 1. He succeeds  Matthew Holt , who recently accepted a job as the dean of Clemson University’s College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences.

“We wish Matt all the best in his new endeavor and thank him for his outstanding leadership of the department over the past seven years,” said  Alan Grant , dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “We are delighted that George has stepped in to provide steady, seamless leadership until a new head is appointed.”

Davis, who joined the  College of Agriculture and Life Sciences  in 2007, has served the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics as associate department head since early last year. He also holds an affiliated appointment in the  Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise .

Davis teaches courses in food and health economics and food systems at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

His research and teaching focus on food and health economics. He works on many issues related to food and nutrition, including using more informative measures of “food poverty” to evaluate how well individuals are reaching nutrition targets and the differences across socioeconomic and demographic groups. His primary emphasis is on understanding how time allocation choices impact people’s diet quality and nutrient intake and ultimately affect the success of government-led nutrition programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. 

“I feel quite blessed to be in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and to work with such talented faculty and staff,” Davis said. “Matt Holt did a fabulous job as department head and began much-needed initiatives during his tenure. My singular goal is to simply continue the momentum Matt has started and to strive to help the department reach its full potential.”

The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics is  ranked in the top 10 percent  worldwide of institutions in the field of agricultural economics. The department offers two bachelor’s degrees, in-person and online master’s degrees, a Ph.D. in economics, and several certificate programs. Students can focus on areas including agribusiness management; community economic development; veterinary business management; environmental economics, management, and policy; international trade and development; and food and health systems economics.

Holt joined Virginia Tech as a professor and department head in 2017. Among his many accomplishments are helping launch the department’s  online Master of Science in agricultural and applied economics and its  Data Science for the Public Good  program and serving as co-leader for  Virginia Tech Advantage , a key campus initiative on access and affordability. He begins his new position at Clemson on Sept. 1.

Davis grew up on a dairy and row crop farm in South Carolina. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics at Clemson University and his Ph.D. in economics and statistics at North Carolina State University.

Tom Soladay

540-232-2501

• Agricultural and Applied Economics
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
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Mario Ortez

Dr. Mario A. Ortez, Collegiate Assistant Professor of Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship , brings a wealth of experience to his role. Grounded in the food and agricultural sector, he has worked in academia, the private sector, and as an entrepreneur. With a background in agricultural investment and the meat industry, Dr. Ortez has a deep understanding of the field.

Having owned a farm for a decade, he understands the challenges and rewards of running a business firsthand. Now, as the James A. and Renae C. Pearson Collegiate Faculty Fellow at the Kohl Centre , he is dedicated to sharing his knowledge with students. Dr. Ortez's goal is to inspire and guide future agribusiness practitioners, supporting them in their learning journey at Virginia Tech and to prepare them as leaders once they graduate.  

• Agribusiness, Finance, Price Analysis, Consumer Preferences, Farm Management
• Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Economics Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., Fall 2022
• Master of Science in Agricultural Economics Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, U.S., Spring 2015
• Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Administration Panamerican Agricultural School Zamorano, Valle del Yeguare, Honduras, December 2011

Extension and Outreach

Dr. Ortez’s research has been broadcasted in a variety of outlets beyond academic journals. This has included popular industry magazines in the U.S. and overseas including Hoards Dairyman , Food Technology & Manufacturing and Med India . This is a reflection of Dr. Ortez’s efforts that his research endeavors be connected with direct industry needs and implications.

Dr. Ortez has served as Guest Editor and Lead Editor of the Purdue Agricultural Economics Review (PAER), which is Purdue’s Agricultural Economics Department’s flagship communication channel with the Food and Agricultural Industry in the state and beyond. Dr. Ortez has also authored different articles for this publication. Check out his “ Food Production and Population Growth: A Cautionary Tale ” as a sample.

Dr. Ortez has been invited to speak with podcast hosts about his experiences in food and agriculture and as a business owner. Check out here his conversation with Peter Konjoian & Michelle Klieger of “The Grower & The Economist” and here his thoughts on Coffee Production & Agricultural Marketing with the “Farming the Future.”

Dr. Ortez has conducted research in various fields of the Agricultural Economics space including meat prices, the dairy sector, and consumer choice. He has used cutting edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered technology to better understand consumer sentiment online towards different Agricultural industries and has sought to understand if how people talk online about dairy products influences the futures prices of these products.

Dr. Ortez has collaborated in research with interdisciplinary researchers across premier institutions in the U.S including Purdue University, Oklahoma State University, and Cornell University. His research has been disseminated broadly in traditional academic journals but also in industry newspapers, articles and publications.

Dr. Ortez teaches AAEC 5014: Applied Economic Analytics class for  the Masters program concentration in Agribusiness.

Dr. Ortez served as teaching assistant with Purdue University’s Agricultural Economics and Indiana University’s Kelly School of Business online MS-MBA dual degree. He collaborated on different semesters with the AGEC 686 - Agribusiness Strategy and AGEC 685 - Quantitative Managerial Decision Making courses. In addition to this Dr. Ortez served as teaching assistant to Purdue’s AGEC 310 - Farm Management.

Dr. Ortez has been invited to lecture in different institutions including Purdue University, Western Illinois University, and West Virginia University. Where he has taught students about agribusiness, finance, farm management and all the exciting opportunities for young professionals in these fields.

• August 2022 – July 2024 Investment Associate: Teays River Investments - Zionsville, Indiana.
• June 2019 – July 2022 Graduate Research Assistant : Purdue University - West Lafayette, Indiana.
• Dec 2017 – June 2019 Beef Pricing Manager : JBS USA - Greeley, Colorado.
• April 2016 – Dec 2017 Beef Pricing Analyst : JBS USA - Greeley, Colorado.
• June 2015 – Dec 2023 Co-investor in Specialty Coffee Production, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua.
• June 2015 – April 2016 Trainee : JBS USA - Greeley, Colorado.
• Aug 2013 – May 2015 G raduate Research Assistant Kansas State University - Manhattan, Kansas.
• Jul 2012 – Jul 2013 Visiting Scholar: The Ohio State University – Wooster, Ohio.

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Ortez, M, Taylor Thompson, Valerie Kilders, and Nicole Olynk Widmar (2024). Quantifying Demand and Willingness to Pay for Local Food Production. Q Open, Volume 4, Issue 1. ( LINK )

Ortez, M, Tor N. Tolhurst, Nathan M. Thompson, Nicole Olynk Widmar (2023). Not all Beef-Cut Price Shocks are Alike: Disentangling Supply and Demand Shocks in the US Beef Market. Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association . 1–16 ( LINK )

Ortez, M, Nicole Olynk Widmar, Mindy Lyn Mallory, Christopher Allen Wolf, Courtney Bir (2022). Online media in dairy markets: a US dairy futures market study. Agricultural Finance Review . Vol. 83 No. 1, pp. 168-185. ( LINK )

Ortez, M, Nicole Olynk Widmar, Nathan M. Thompson, Yuan H. Brad Kim (2022). Valuation of dry and wet aged beef by U.S. consumers. QOpen . Volume 2, Issue 1. ( LINK )

Ortez, M, Nicole Olynk Widmar, Nathan M. Thompson, Yuan H. Brad Kim (2022). What do U.S. consumers care about regarding beef and its supply chain? Meat Science . Volume 187. ( LINK )

Ortez, M, Nathan M. Thompson, Nicole Olynk Widmar (2021). Filet Mignon: It's What's for Dinner? COVID-19 Impacts on the Relative Wholesale Prices of beef cuts. Choices . 4 th Quarter 2021. ( LINK )

Ortez, M , Courtney Bir, Nicole Olynk Widmar, Jonathan Townsend (2021). Dairy Product Purchasing in Households with and Without Children. JDS Communications . 2(1), 7-12. ( LINK )

Click here to view Mario Ortez's CV