Regents Professor and A.J. & Susan Jacques Chair
Oklahoma State University
What motivated you to pursue Agricultural/Applied Economics as a profession?
I selected agricultural economics as a major because I planned to go back to the farm. As a senior in college, I concluded that my original plan to go back to the farm was not going to work. Pursuing a PhD and becoming a university professor was the obvious choice. As a profession, it provides both the challenge and independence that I desired.
Why did you join AAEA, and how has membership in the Association impacted your professional development?
I initially joined AAEA while in graduate school to begin my collection of the AJAE – a reason that is now obsolete.
I have only missed one AAEA meeting during my career. Getting to know the other people in your area of work is of great value. The meetings also have proven to be a good source of research ideas.
What advice would you give to an up and coming Agricultural/Applied Economist?
The first step in being successful at publishing is that you have to do something. Second, you need to submit your work to a professional journal. My observation is that more people fail on the second step than on the first. If the review is positive, then do what the reviewers want and send it back. If the paper is rejected (which is the likely outcome in agricultural economics), then improve the paper a little and send it someplace else. If you have done something useful, you can eventually find a home for your work.
This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.
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