Agricultural Economics students win first prize in poster competition
Several Rio Grande Basin Initiative students were awarded at the annual Texas A&M AgriLife Conference undergraduate and graduate student poster competition for their outstanding research poster presentations during the January 7-10, 2008 conference.
Award winning agricultural economics students include (left to right) Chris Boyer, Shauna Yow, Emily Seawright, Callie Rogers and Andrew Leidner.
Emily Seawright received first place in the Undergraduate Student Poster Competition as lead author for research on the economics of using biological control on an invasive, aquatic weed that consumes large quantities of scarce water in the Rio Grande Basin. Co-authors of this poster include Dr. Ed Rister, Dr. Ron Lacewell, Allen Sturdivant and Dr. John Goolsby. Seawright is from Stephenville, Texas, and is the daughter of Jimmy and Gaye Lynn Seawright of Valley Mills, Texas. She graduated from the Department of Agricultural Economics in December 2007 and began a Master of Science in agricultural economics at Texas A&M University in January 2008. In addition to support from the RGBI, Seawright will continue researching the economics of Arundo donax with an assistantship funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service at Weslaco.
Andrew Leidner received first place in the Graduate Student Poster Competition as lead author for his poster titled “Economic Implications of Conventional Water Treatment Versus Desalination: A Dual Case Study.” Callie Rogers was a major contributing co-author of this poster, along with Allen Sturdivant, Dr. Ed Rister, Dr. Ron Lacewell, Javier Santiago, Bill Norris, Jesus Leal, Jose Garza and Judy Adams. Leidner is from Tifton, Georgia, and is the son of John and Mary Leidner of Tifton, Georgia. Rogers is from Weatherford, Texas, and is the daughter of David and Shelly Rogers. Both students are working on their Master of Science degree at Texas A&M University in the Department of Agricultural Economics and will continue their research on water treatment economics with the support of RGBI.
In addition, Shauna Yow’s poster on “Water Market Distortions Created by Legislation” drew the attention of Texas Rep. Dan Gattis during the conference and has increased the visibility of student research within the Texas Legislature. The work by all students at Texas A&M University is relevant and significant, but to be acknowledged by a state representative is a special honor. Yow’s research willbe submitted to the Texas Legislative Committee on Natural Resources during 2008. Yow is from Seguin, Texas, and is the daughter of Sherry and Jess Jenkins of Seguin, Texas, and Clynt and Janie Yow of Poteet, Texas. She is currently a junior in the Department of Agricultural Economics and expects to graduate in May 2009. She is part of Texas A&M’s Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, and her research is also supported by RGBI and the Bush School Travel Grant program. Yow’s faculty advisors are Drs. Ed Rister, Ron Lacewell and Fred Boadu.
Chris Boyer is another graduate student who has contributed to the agricultural economics efforts. He is currently conducting two analyses on two water plant facilities – a freshwater treatment plant and a desalination plant. Boyer is also looking at other analyses on the economics of water facilities going from small to large scale.
These students have made numerous poster presentations at various conferences and meetings throughout the state and beyond. To see their posters, please visit http://riogrande.tamu.edu/resources.php.
