Texas Tech Agricultural & Applied Economics

Exciting news on our recent graduates and alumni from AAEC.

Elisha Denikyirah (PhD, co-chaired with Adam Martin and AAEC grad Ray March) has taken a position as Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Knee Regulatory Research Center at West Virginia University.

Jordan Hillman (PhD, co-chaired with Adam Martin and Andrew Young) has taken a position as Instructor of Economics at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Vicente Moreno-Casas (PhD, chaired by Adam Martin) has taken a position as Catedratico and Coordinator of Economics at La Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Madrid, Spain.

Jedediah Pida-Reese (PhD, chaired by Adam Martin) has taken a position as Visiting Assistant Professor in Economics, Creighton University.

For alumni:

Audrey Redford was tenured and promoted to Associate Professor of Economics at Hampden-Sydney College.

Glenn Furton was tenured and promoted to Associate Professor of Economics at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Congratulations to our recent graduates on their placements and our alumni for reaching important career milestones!

Congrats to AAEC student Faith Geistweidt on her internship with National Sorghum Producers!

Please join us in welcoming Faith Geistweidt to Team Sorghum!

Faith is serving as our Policy & International Marketing Intern this summer, supporting both NSP and USCP initiatives. A proud Fredericksburg native and senior agricultural and applied economics major at Texas Tech, Faith brings a deep-rooted passion for agricultural advocacy, global trade, and leadership.

She currently serves as Student Body President at Texas Tech and is actively involved in leadership programs like the Matador Institute of Leadership Engagement (MILE). She also champions literacy through Pi Beta Phi’s Champions Are Readers program.

We’re thrilled to have her on board and can’t wait to see the impact she’ll make!

Claire Shelton recently completed her MS thesis defense. Her thesis was entitled: "Analyzing Consumer Purchase Decisions of Animal Protein Sources and Their Nutritional Impact" and was directed by Dr. Darren Hudson. Her other committee members were Drs. Benaissa Chidmi and Modhurima Amin. Claire is interning as a trade analyst for the National Soybean Board in St. Louis, MO this summer and will begin her PhD in our department in the fall. Congrats Claire!

Did you know that Texas Tech University sits in the heart of the Texas High Plains AVA (American Viticulture Area) - an area responsible for producing 80% of the state’s wine grapes? That’s a serious boost to Texas’s wine economy!

Congratulations to Allie Herring, a senior agricultural & applied economics and agricultural education & communications double major from Franklin, Texas on receiving the Outstanding Davis College Student Award, the Highest Academic Achievement Award in Agricultural & Applied Economics, and the Outstanding Student in Agricultural & Applied Economics at the 2025 Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Ag Honor Banquet!

We would also like to congratulate Rylee Dodson for receiving the Highest Academic Achievement Award in Agricultural & Applied Economics as well!

Congratulations to Elisha Denkyirah on receiving the Outstanding Graduate Researcher in Social Sciences Award from the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the 2025 Ag Honors Banquet!

Did you know wine production in West Texas plays a big role in our local economy? Over the next few weeks, we’ll dive into how this growing industry is making an impact - stay tuned!

New series coming soon!

Congratulations to Agricultural & Applied Economics graduate and alumnus Ronald Phillips, J.D., for receiving the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Distinguished Alumni Award!

We would like to congratulate Dr. Conrad Lyford and Dr. Syed Badruddoza on being recognized with the 2025 President's Award for Excellence in Engaged Research at Texas Tech University for their project "Promoting Healthy Eating in Families with Young Children."

Texas Tech Day of Giving

This week's featured professor is Dr. Stephen Devadoss. Dr. Devadoss received his PhD from Iowa State University. He is currently Emabeth Thompson Endowed Professor at Texas Tech University. He is a recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award from Southern Agricultural Economics Association and Fellow of Western Agricultural Economics Association. He has published more than 140 refereed journal articles and has received 16 research awards (including outstanding journal articles), 20 teaching awards (including AAEA Graduate/Undergraduate Teaching Awards), and 33 graduate mentoring awards. He has also helped his graduate students to publish more than 85 journal articles and to receive 61 awards (including 12 AAEA Dissertation and AAEA & WAEA M.S. Thesis awards).

Dr. Devadoss published the following five papers this year: "Gravity trade model with firm heterogeneity and horizontal foreign direct investment", "Impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the global wheat market", "Optimal Timing of Removal and Planting of Perennial Crops in Anticipation of a New Cultivar", "U.S.–Mexico GM Corn Trade Dispute", and "Determinants of Policy Responses in the US–China Tit-for-Tat Trade War".