Letter from the Department Head
AAE Colleagues, Students, Alumni, and Friends,
As the spring semester winds down, I hope you’ll take a few moments to explore the achievements and activities highlighted in the Spring edition of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics newsletter. From impactful research and guest speakers to student awards and industry engagement, this semester reflects the breadth of work happening across our teaching, research, and outreach programs.
In this issue, we feature timely research by faculty, including Dr. Susana Ferreira on job satisfaction and risk, Dr. Yukiko Hashida on the role of prescribed burns in wildfire management, and Amanda Smith on how the Farm Bill affects more than just farmers. Our ongoing Beefenomics series by Dr. Will Secor continues to track key trends in cattle markets, offering valuable insight for stakeholders across the beef industry.
We were fortunate to welcome a wide range of guest speakers into our classrooms, including alumni and professionals from the private sector, government, and nonprofits. Their engagement helps bring real-world context into courses and shows students the many directions their careers can take—whether in policy, sustainability, energy, or entrepreneurship.
This spring also brought well-deserved recognition to our faculty. Dr. Berna Karali was named Editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Dr. Esendugue Greg Fonsah was elected President of the Food Distribution Research Society, and Dr. Gopi Munisamy was honored with the Borealis Distinguished Alumni Award. Several faculty, including Dr. Yukiko Hashida and Dr. Chen Zhen among others received national and international recognition for their contributions to scholarship.
In our Hospitality and Food Industry Management (HFIM) program, students gained hands-on experience through internships and connected with professionals through the “Networking with the Rising Stars” event. We also welcomed new members to Eta Sigma Delta, our honor society for hospitality students.
You’ll also read about standout student projects—such as Olivia Bendon’s (EEM undergraduate student) sustainability initiative using AI to reduce food waste—and special department events including Conner Connects and our “Field to Table” networking event in Atlanta. We celebrate Sean Snarey (MAB graduate student) taking home the grand prize of $10,000 in this year’s FABricate pitch competition for his system to automate labor-intensive steps in the poultry processing. And of course, we celebrate milestones such as the retirement of longtime staff member Chris Peters after 40 years at the University of Georgia!
Thank you for being part of our community. Whether you're an alum, student, faculty member, or friend of the department, we appreciate your continued support and hope you enjoy reading about the accomplishments of Spring 2025. Stay connected with us on social media, including our LinkedIn page, where you can follow our journey, celebrate our achievements, and stay up to date with the latest from Conner Hall.
Thank you for being a part of our AAE family. Go Dawgs!
Greg Colson
Professor and Interim Department Head