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K-State Today

August 20, 2014

K-State staff, students take home national agriculture economics awards

Submitted by Katie Allen

Two Kansas State University faculty members and four graduate students in the agricultural economics department received awards at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association annual meeting, July 26-29, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A not-for-profit association, it serves the professional interests of members working in agricultural and broadly related fields of applied economics.

Brian Briggeman, associate professor and Arthur Capper Cooperative Center director, was awarded the association's Distinguished Teaching Award for Less than 10 Years' Experience. This award recognizes and encourages meritorious performance in undergraduate and graduate teaching in agricultural or applied economics, as defined by the association's vision statement. By receiving this award, Briggeman is honored for his dedication to students and his passion for teaching.

Mykel R. Taylor, assistant professor, was awarded an association's trust scholarship award, the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society Young Professional Exchange Program Heading South Award. Taylor's award allowed her to travel to Australia and continue active research in comparing forward contracting in wheat, and the cost associated, to Australia's agricultural industry practices. Researchers from Australia also come to the United States as a part of this exchange and award program.

Graduate students Michelle Estes, Emily Mollohan and Steven Ramsey received first place in the Graduate Student Case Study Competition with advisor Aleksan Shanoyan, assistant professor. The case study competition is a long and prestigious tradition for the association and allows graduate students to test their communication skills and their ability to apply their knowledge of agricultural economics and agribusiness subjects to practical situations. Every year, groups of students have a chance to show off their skills and win prize money, as well as the honor of being a competition winner.

Graduate student Melissa McKendree placed first in the Graduate Student Extension Competition with mentor Glynn Tonsor, associate professor. Each year, the Extension Section in collaboration with the Graduate Student Section puts on the Graduate Student Extension Competition. This competition provides graduate student competitors the opportunity to develop extension and outreach programs from their research.