ACE is International

Economics is a global discipline, and the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics' faculty, staff and students are actively engaged in leading activities globally to advance our students and research programs.  Below find some examples of our international programming for undergraduate, graduate and faculty research.

Undergraduate:

• International Business Immersion Program:  This course based program is designed for undergraduates in their sophomore and junior year.  Students are selected to participate in a semester long course as a part of Dr. Andrea Martens class to learn about the food supply chain in an area of the world, then spend two weeks on an immersion program in mid-May to that part of the world meeting those influencing food value systems.  The program is a great way for students to find an international career, interact with leaders in the food industry globally, and learn firsthand what issues are affecting our food.  The class, now in its 11th year, has travelled to China, Brazil, and Europe.  Applications to be a part of the 2012 program are available mid-October, 2011.  For more information visit:  http://ibip.illinois.edu/.

• ACE Sierra Leone Undergraduate Course:  Undergraduate and graduate students in Dr. Paul McNamara's class participated in a short course in January, 2010 on international nutrition and food security held at Njala University, Sierra Leone, Africa, and assisted in assessing thenutritional needs of several rural communities in the West African country.  Njala University was established in 1964 with assistance from the U of I. Njala University is Sierra Leone's premier school for agricultural engineering, technology, applied sciences, and research. The university is reestablishing many of its programs following a devastating civil war that ravaged the country from 1991 to 2002. "An important focus of our trip was to work in partnership with Njala University and World Vision of Sierra Leone to examine nutritional and food security concerns facing Sierra Leone and its people," said McNamara.  In addition to participating in the short course, the U of I students traveled to northern Sierra Leone to conduct nutritional assessments. Their findings are being used to assist the local communities and provide support to Village Hope, a grassroots organization formed to help poor, rural communities achieve their goals for education, health, and economic security.  A second group of students will visit Sierra Leone in January 2012 with Dr. McNamara to participate in a similar course and again conduct assessments in a small village in Sierra Leone.

• Small Business Planning Course to Guatemala: Dr. Nick Paulson took 18 students out of his small business planning course on a 10 day immersion to Guatemala to assist in developing a business plan and related recommendations for "SoyCow" operations in Guatemala.A SoyCow is a tabletop processing system that can grind and cook whole soybeans into soymilk, also yielding a usefulbyproduct called "okara" or soy pulp.  Humanitarian aid organizations have donated SoyCow machines and soybeans to Guatemala and other developing countries worldwide, including children's orphanages, hospitals, and community schools.  The SoyCows provide income by selling excess soy products to local markets. Dr. Paulson said, "the primary goal of our travels was to observe Guatemala's customs, analyze business practices, and develop a sustainable plan to ensure a successful future for its SoyCow operations."  Mike Howlett, one of the students on the trip noted, "this trip produced memories and insights I will never forget. Experiencing the Guatemalan culture from a behind-the-scenes point of view has had a great impact on my view of the world. Many of the things I take for granted in the U.S. I now have a better appreciation for. I have a deeper understanding of third world countries, and will strive to give back to the struggling and impoverished peoples of the world. 

Graduate:

• International Research Internships

Faculty:

Faculty in ACE participate internationally at all levels:

Leadership on Campus and Internationally:  

Burt Swanson, Emeritus ACE Professor, is leading a $9 million project funded by USAID.  The Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services (MEAS) project was granted in 2010, and is working on evaluating and creating mechanisms to modernize extension systems in the poorest countries in the world.  For more information see the MEAS website.

ACE faculty are leading campus international centers:

Bryan Endres Directs the European Union Center.

Mary Arends Kuenning leads the Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies.

Craig Gundersen leads the National Soybean Research Laboratory.

ACES Academy of Global Engagement:  ACE faculty have been integral parts of the college Academy of Global Engagement, a year-long introductory program designed to assist in launching faculty international careers.  Members of the Academy include:

-Mary Arends-Kuenning, 2010

-Mindy Mallory, 2010

-Craig Gundersen, 2009

-Kathy Baylis, 2009

-Bryan Endres, 2007

-Urvi Neelakantan, 2006

Ongoing Research Programs Internationally by Faculty:

Brazil:  Mary Arends-Kuenning, working on several projects including:  researching Conditional Cash Transfer Programs in Brazil with Ana Kassouf USP-Piracicaba, researching Consumption of Consumer Durables in Brazil with Ana Fava, USP,  researching Impact of Biofuel Policy on the Poor in Brazil, and researching Household Composition and Children's Outcomes in Latin America 

A. Bryan Endres:   working on two projects:  International trade in genetically engineered Outcomes in Latin America (Suzanne Duryea, InterAmerican Development Bank),  Intellectual Property Protection for Plants. The ultimate long-range goal of this multi-phase research initiative it to determine what might be the optimal approach to encouraging plant innovation in different economic and ultimate long-range goal of this multi-phase research initiative it to determine what might be the optimal approach to encouraging plant innovation in different economic and institutional contexts. 

Bolivia: Mary Arends-Kuenning is studying information technology and public services in Bolivia (Monica Yanez-Pagans, grad student).

Greece:  David Bullock is working with Dimitrios Dadakas, University of Macedonia, Greece and Stelios Katranidis, University of Macedonia, Greece onMulti-market Welfare Estimation and Technology, as well as on a New Measure of the Effects of Technology Change on Producer Welfare. Theoretical research on how to measure the effects of technology change on producer welfare.

Norway:  David Bullock is collaborating with Klaus Mittenzwei (Norwegian Agricultural Economics Research Institute), Klaus Salhofer (Technical University of Munich) on "A Political Economy Model of Norwegian Agriculture." Examining theoretically and empirically the Norwegian agricultural policy making process. Also, working on the project, A Theory of Policy Timing under Uncertainty. The project includes the above collaborators along with Jukka Kola (Helsinki University). Undertaking theoretical research on how the enactment of policy is conducted over time. Focusing on the value of waiting in the enactment of policy.

India:  Paul McNamara is working on a project entitled: Food security, nutrition and health project with Emmanuel Hospital Association on some research in the area of food security, nutrition, and health.

Kathy Baylis is working on a project entitled Social Networks and Women's Bargaining Power in India and its Affect on Child Nutritional Outcomes. She is also linking ACE 251 students with women's groups in India.

China:  Kathy Baylis is working on project with Jintao Xu (Peking University) and Yazhen Gong (Renming University) on natural resource management and social capital in Yunnan Province. Also teaching and linking ACE251 with students from Renming University.

Bryan Endres is working on Intellectual Property Protection for Plants in Brazil, China, Argentina and India. The ultimate long-range goal of this multi-phase research initiative is to determine what might be the optimal approach to encouraging plant innovation in different economic and institutional contexts.  The first step is a comparative study of PVP, utility patent and sui generis plant intellectual property regimes, resulting in the development of a pilot data base detailing, by country, available intellectual property protections.  Further analysis will explore legal institutions within the context of each country's socio-economic and technological profile.

Ethiopia:  Alex Winter-Nelson is working on research in rural poverty and agriculture markets with IFPRI.

Uganda:  Paul McNamara is working on project, retrospective analysis of food assistance on health outcomes for people with HIV/AIDS.

Ghana:  Alex Winter-Nelson is working on a project focusing on the comparitive advantage in Ghanian Agriculture, with IFPRI.