Member Profile: Zhifeng Gao

Zhifeng Gao
Assistant Professor
University of Florida

AAEA Activities: Reviewer for AAEA Selected Presentations, 2010-2012

Call for Proposals: Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program

USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is accepting proposals for matching grant funds under the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP). State departments of agriculture, state agricultural experiment stations and other appropriate state agencies are invited to apply for approximately $1.2 million in grants for FSMIP projects in fiscal year 2012. The deadline to submit a proposal is March 23.

Call for Applications: Heading North Award

Young agricultural and resource economists in Australia and New Zealand interested in presenting at the 2012 AAEA Annual Meeting in Seattle can now apply for the Heading North Award. The winner of the award, sponsored by AARES and the AAEA Trust, will receive up to $2,750 in travel support to attend the meeting in Seattle and present during a Selected Paper session.The deadline to apply is March 2, 2012.

Member Profile: Ken Foster

Ken Foster
Professor and Head of Department
Purdue University

AAEA Activities:

• Chair, National Association of Agricultural Economics Administrators, 2011-2012
• Chair-elect, National Association of Agricultural Economics Administrators, 2010-2011
• Chair, Quality of Research Discovery Award Selection Committee, 2006-2008
• Quality of Research Discovery Award Selection Committee, 2005
• Selected Paper Reviewer

USDA-NIFA to Hold Stakeholder Listening Session for Agriculture and Food Research

In an effort to improve the quality of its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program, USDA-NIFA is again holding a public meeting and soliciting public comments for consideration in the development of future AFRI program solicitations. The AFRI Stakeholder Listening Session will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 8:00 am–5:00 pm at USDA–NIFA, Waterfront Centre, 800 9th Street, SW, Room 1410, Washington, DC 20024. To learn more about and/or register for the session, please visit the NIFA website.

Travel Grants Available for AAEA Annual Meeting

Interested in attending the 2012 AAEA Annual Meeting in Seattle this summer? Looking for some help covering the cost of traveling to Seattle? AAEA is offering Travel Grants to select graduate students and young professionals at U.S. institutions. The AAEA Trust will reimbursing accepted applicants up to $400 in housing and transportation costs for travel to Seattle for the Annual Meeting.

Member Profile: Andrew Muhammad

Andrew Muhammad
Senior Research Economist
USDA-Economic Research Service

AAEA Activities:

• Quality of Communication Award Committee Chair, 2011
• Quality of Communication Award Committee, 2009-2011
• COSBAE Past Chair, 2010-2011
• COSBAE Chair, 2009-2010
• Selected Presentations Committee, International Trade Topic Leader, 2010
• Selected Presentations Reviewer, 2003, 2007-2011
• Undergraduate Paper Competition Judge, 2008