Letter from the Chair
Hello all and welcome back to a new semester!
We have numerous faculty, staff, and student accomplishments to celebrate across the three key areas of our mission as a leading land grant university: teaching, research, and extension.
First, I am never surprised but always impressed by the consistent accomplishments of our students. FRE undergraduates and graduate students are truly amongst the best in the University and the nation.
FRE undergraduates are receiving recognition regularly for their hard work. In April, Gator NAMA traveled to compete in the annual NAMA student agribusiness marketing competition, where they made it to the semifinals – ranking among the top 12 teams in this international competition. Drew Blanton, a junior in Food and Resource Economics was recognized by the college as a finalist for the prestigious E.T. York, Jr. Medal of Excellence, a competitive honor granted to those of junior standing who not only have a distinguished academic record but also demonstrate leadership success.
Our graduate students are also being recognized for excellence. The Graduate Student Association AE-GSO was recognized by the UF Office of Student Involvement at the end of the year for their impactful professional development programming throughout the year designed to prepare program graduates for a successful launch onto the job market. In addition, Adams Ceballos-Concha was awarded the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the International Association of Aquaculture Economics and Management (IAAEM). At our Annual Florida Agricultural Policy Conference, we hosted our first-ever Graduate Student poster competition, where Ph.D. students Roberto Koeneke (1st) and Faith Aiya (2nd ) took home prizes for their ability to effectively connect research to real-world policy implications.
In addition to student awards, our faculty continue to excel as well. Dr. John Lai, advisor to the NAMA Team, and Dr. Bachir Kassas both received the Educator Award from the North American College of Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA). This award recognizes the time and dedication they put into classroom teaching, undergraduate and graduate student advising, and overall leadership in our teaching programs. Outside of the classroom, Dr. Di Fang will be heading to Washington, D.C. for the year as one of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows. She will spend the year immersed in learning more about how research can inform policy regarding nutrition.
In other exciting news, just over a year ago, we released the first episode of our department podcast, FRE Lunch. This podcast, led by our Marketing and Communications specialist Alena Poulin and one of our Lecturers, Dr. Caleb Stair, was recently recognized by the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) with a Gold Award in their recent Critiques and Awards. This new venture has served as an exciting avenue for disseminating our work more broadly to a general audience. Please make sure to check it out, and let us know if there is a topic you would like us to cover!
Looking forward, FRE continues to grow, and I am excited to seeing how each of these new hires complements our culture of continuing success and academic excellence. In this and our next newsletter, we will introduce you to our new undergraduate academic advisor, Michelle Baldwin, as well as Dr. Fan Fan, assistant professor of agribusiness, and Dr. Young Kim, assistant professor of natural resource economics. Michelle joined us in July and Dr. Fan & Dr. Kim will join us this Fall.
Meanwhile, many faculty and staff have been here with us much longer, with the following receiving special recognition this year for their years of service to the university: Dr. Andrew Schmitz (30 Years), Dr. Mike Olexa (30 years), Jess Herman (35 Years), and Bill Messina (30 years).
Finally in terms of faculty and staff updates, I am thrilled to announce the well-deserved recognition of Dr. Tara Wade and Dr. Bachir Kassas, who both received tenure this August and now hold the title of associate professor.
For those of you who have run into me, or maybe others, you probably already know we are gearing up for a very special year. FRE’s 100th year is 2026 and we are planning many events for our Centennial Celebration. We really hope to see each of you join us for at least one of our special events. Please save the date for Friday, March 27, 2026 when we will be hosting a Gala celebrating 100 years of FRE at the Champions Club inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium –the home of the Florida Gators, named after a former FRE Student! To make sure you receive the invitation to this event and other events throughout the year, make sure you sign up to join our Alumni Network.
If you want to support and be a part of these events, there are many ways to do so. The FRE 100 campaign is now live, thanks to generous support from Leadership Council Chair and department alumni Jose Rossignoli. Please help us celebrate our past and prepare for our next 100 years by joining our Alumni Network so we can have more alumni highlights and perspectives from your time as an FRE student and after. To learn more and get involved, reach out to Alena Poulin at alenarene@ufl.edu.
Warm Regards,
Dr. Lisa House
Research Highlights
- Feeding cows seaweed reduces methane emissions, but does it make economic sense?
- Consumers value domestic vanilla—when informed, research shows.
- In the battle against citrus greening, consumers will tell growers their perceptions of genetic editing
Faculty Promotions
Congratulations to both Dr. Tara Wade and Dr. Bachir Kassas, who have been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in Food and Resource Economics.
Wade joined the faculty of the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Extension Center in 2017 as an assistant professor of Food and Resource Economics. She specializes largely in natural resources economics, with work focusing on understanding the economics behind the adoption of agricultural best management practices.
Kassas, who joined the University of Florida in August 2018, conducts experimental economics research using cutting-edge neuroeconomic tools to provide insights into consumer preferences and health-related behavior.
You can learn more about both of these talented faculty members and this well-deserved recognition of how their expertise is driving the field of agricultural and applied economics forward below.
Meet our New Undergraduate Advisor
As the undergraduate academic advisor, Michelle plays a crucial role in ensuring student success and tailoring the academic journey to each individual who comes through our major program or one of our five minors.
With a Master of Education degree from the University of Florida and a strong background in admissions administration, recruitment, and admissions advising for Pre-Vet professionals, she is excited to tackle this new role where she will have the opportunity to consistently fully support the individual student’s journey from the time they enter the program until graduation, and beyond.
Student Highlights
- Gator NAMA Team Reaches Semifinals in North American Student Marketing Competition with Innovative Moringa-Based Product.
- Agricultural Economics Graduate Student Organization recognized by University for Providing Professional Development for Members.
- Junior in Food and Resource Economics Drew Blanton recognized as finalist for E.T. York, Jr. Medal of Excellence
- FRE Ph.D. Graduate Dr. Adams Ceballos-Concha Recognized by International Association of Aquaculture Economics and Management
Our Combined Degree Program Helps Students Accelerate Their Careers
For highly motivated undergraduate students like Victoria Manrique, a Food and Resource Economics combined degree at UF offers a unique opportunity to accelerate the completion of their M.S. degree by starting graduate-level coursework in the final year of their undergraduate program. Through completing the two programs, she said she appreciated the opportunity to receive a more specialized education that was built upon the foundation of her undergraduate courses to further her career. For her capstone, Manrique completed an internship with the Quick Service Restaurant industry company Restaurant Brands International, where she received a return offer to work full time after graduation.
Dr. John Lai and Dr. Bachir Kassas Recognized with NACTA Educator Award
This June, Drs. John Lai and Bachir Kassas were both recognized by the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) with the Educator Award. They were amongst the 17 faculty and graduate students from the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) were recognized for their excellence in teaching.
Department Hosts Annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference - Complete with Inaugural Graduate Student Policy Poster Competition
With over 100 attendees, our annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference was a great chance to connect industry members, researchers and policy makers for discussion of the most pressing issues facing Florida Agriculture today. We are thankful to the UF/IFAS Plant Science Research & Education Unit for hosting us, and even providing a Post-Conference Tour of their experiment fields!
FRE Lunch Wins Gold Award from Association for Communication Excellence
Created to bridge the gap between academic research and the public, F.R.E. Lunch explores the economics of food, agriculture, and natural resources through engaging conversations with faculty, students, and industry professionals. The podcast aims to spark curiosity and foster understanding of real-world economic issues.
We've also recently launch a collaborative season with the UF Water Institute, and you can listen to all available episodes at the link below!
Credits:
Created with an image by Rasheeda - "alligator in the swamp"