Department Chair's Welcome, Fall 2026

 

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Lubbock, Texas, and welcome to the beginning of another exciting fall semester! The average daily temperature is slowly going down, and the prairie breeze makes strolling on campus pleasant. Our campus is once again filled with energy as a new cohort of students begins their college journey and returning students continue theirs. We are looking forward to another productive year of teaching, research, outreach, and community engagement.

The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics continues to make tremendous progress, and I would like to share a few highlights with you. This fall, we are pleased to welcome a new faculty member, Dr. Ujjwol Paudel, who joins us from Arizona State University. His research focuses on the industrial organization of the livestock and retail food industry. His expertise strengthens our department and expands our ability to address important issues facing agriculture and food systems in Texas.

Among existing faculty members, we are celebrating the success of two faculty members, Dr. Modhurima Amin and Dr. Donna McCallister, who have been promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure. Dr. Amin teaches econometrics and researches food industry issues. Dr. McCallister teaches environment and production economics and researches in the same area. Their accomplishments reflect years of dedication to teaching, research, and service, and we congratulate them on this well-deserved achievement.

Our department currently has about 550 undergraduate students and 86 graduate students; most graduate students are pursuing doctoral degrees. Their enthusiasm and accomplishments are contagious, and most of that credit goes to our faculty members, who guide them and bring out the best in them.

Dr. Olga Murova, associate professor, retired from the department after 20 years of teaching/research/outreach service to the department. We are hiring a new faculty member in livestock economics, and the national search is already underway. The person hired in this position will provide leadership in livestock production, marketing, management, and trade, with an emphasis on beef cattle, dairy, and ranching systems. This position reflects our commitment to addressing issues that matter most to producers, agribusinesses, and rural communities across Texas.

Our faculty and students had an outstanding showing at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) annual meeting in Kansas City on July 26-28, 2026. Our faculty members, postdoc, and graduate students presented research, moderated paper sessions, competed in the case study competition, and provided service to different sections of the association.

We are especially proud that Dr. Ujjwol Paudel received the Outstanding AEPP Journal Article Award, while Dr. Stephen Devadoss received the Outstanding Choices Article Award. These national recognitions highlight the quality and impact of the scholarship being produced by our faculty. Our undergraduate students also performed really well, winning second place in the Excel competition, demonstrating the dedication, hard work, and teamwork that characterize our students.

We want to give our undergraduate students international exposure. Accordingly, our faculty took students to Europe and South America. In Europe, students visited international organizations located in Geneva, Rome, and Brussels. Our students also broadened their perspectives through study-abroad opportunities, including a semester program at TTU Costa Rica.

We are also expanding our undergraduate programs by starting two new concentrations, namely, Livestock Management and Agricultural and Rural Law. These two concentrations should prepare students for the evolving needs of rural areas.

Our faculty continue to publish in many of the world’s leading journals such as the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and the Journal of Development Economics. Whether conducting cutting-edge research, mentoring students, or working directly with producers and policymakers, our faculty remain committed to making a meaningful difference.

Looking ahead, this fall we are looking for an equally good football season as last year. We also invite you to attend our banking conference and insurance conference. Please continue to follow our website and connect with us through our departmental Facebook page and LinkedIn page to learn about these and other activities in the department.

As we begin this academic year, our focus remains clear: providing an outstanding educational experience, conducting impactful research, and serving the agricultural community through meaningful outreach and engagement. We are grateful for your continued friendship and support. Your partnership helps us prepare the next generation of agricultural leaders and strengthen the future of our profession.

If your travels bring you to West Texas, please visit our department. We would be happy to welcome you to the department and share the exciting things happening here at Texas Tech.

 

- Krishna P. Paudel

 

 

Krishna Paudel, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics