Jason Bergtold earns Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Teaching Award

March 28, 2013 – The Department of Agricultural Economics is proud to announce that Jason Bergtold, associate professor, earned the Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Teaching Award.  Bergtold met the requirements of being an active teaching faculty member of Gamma Sigma Delta for at least two years and providing outstanding service in resident teaching. Gamma Sigma Delta is the Honor Society of Agriculture.

Bergtold teaches AGEC 120, Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; AGEC 501, Data Analysis and Optimization; AGEC 712, Optimization Techniques for Agricultural Economics; and methods on campus and through the Masters of Agribusiness program at the graduate level.

His research includes the economics of adopting intensive conservation production practices and systems at the farm level; the impact of bioenergy alternatives and feedstock production on the farm; the interaction between agricultural practices, conservation policy and the environment at the farm level; and the development of applied discrete choice econometric modeling techniques. In addition, he has completed research examining the estimation of large demand systems and the international trade of peanuts.

Bergtold earned his bachelor’s degree at Colorado State University, and his master’s and doctoral degrees at Virginia Tech in 1999, 2001 and 2004, respectively.  He has been with K-State’s Department of Agricultural Economics since 2007.

He will be honored at K-State’s Gamma Sigma Delta spring reception, Friday, April 26.

Three agricultural economics students earn membership to Phi Beta Kappa honor society

The Kansas State University chapter of Phi Beta Kappa has elected three students from the Department of Agricultural Economics to join their academic honor society.  These three students are Carrie Keck, agricultural economics; and Emily Relph and Alisa Wendelburg, both agribusiness majors.

Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest academic honor society in America.  Since its founding in 1776 at the College of William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa has had a distinguished history of supporting intellectual excellence and breadth in learning.  With their extraordinary achievement, only 53 students were elected this Spring from among about 3500 juniors and seniors.

Remembering Distinguished Agricultural Economics alumnus James Nielson

James Nielson, 91, retired agricultural economist and administrator, died on March 18, 2013 in Lacey, Wash.

Nielson earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics at Kansas State University, and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in economics at Harvard University during 1947, 1951, and 1953, respectively.  He served on the faculty in agricultural economics at Michigan State University; was the Chair of the Department of Agricultural Economics and the Director of the Agricultural Research Center at Washington State University.  He was also an administrator in the U.S Department of Agriculture and the Agency for International Development in the State Department.

Nielson served as president of both the American and Western Agricultural Economics Associations, and was a founding director and Fellow of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association. He also received a Carnegie Fellowship for study at Harvard and a USDA Superior Service Award.

Nielson earned the department’s Distinguished Agricultural Economics Alumnus Recognition in 1982.

Agribusiness senior Devin Dick earns spot on All-American track team

Devin Dick tied for 14th in the heptathlon at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships with his score of 5,386 points. After an awkward landing into the mat during the pole vault portion of the heptathlon and straining his neck, Dick came back to finish the competition in the 1,000 meters and ensure he would finish the meet and lock up at second team All-America certificate.

Five Kansas State Wildcats competed at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend in Arkansas and all five came away All-Americans as the USTFCCCA announced its official All-America Teams on Monday.

A total of 288 men and 266 women received All-America honors from the USTFCCCA. The Big 12 was again one of the top conferences with a total of 35 women named to the first team, trailing only the 54 from the SEC.

K-State already transitions into outdoor season this week as the Wildcats head to Tempe, Ariz., for two meets over spring break. The Wildcats will open with the Baldy Castillo Invitational hosted by Arizona State this weekend. The team will remain in Tempe for practices next week and then compete at the ASU Invitational.

Click here to read more.

Brewer earns Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Thesis

Brady Brewer earned the Gamma Sigma Delta Award for Outstanding Thesis in the College of Agriculture. His major professors were Allen Featherstone and Christine Wilson.

The Department of Agricultural Economics is proud of his accomplishments in earning this honor.

Koch Industries opens doors to Student Fellows

March 14, 2013 – The Student Fellows of the Center for Risk Management Education and Research (CRMER) visited Koch Industries, Inc. in Wichita, Kan. on March 8, 2013. They met with Dan Solomon, chief risk officer; Jeff Parke, senior director of risk management; Steve Packebush, president Koch Nitrogen and K-State alumnus; Marty Albright, vice president strategic planning and business development and K-State alumnus; and Don Weaver, chief risk officer Koch Fertilizer. The students also enjoyed a luncheon discussion with several other risk managers from Koch.

The Student Fellows learned about the multi-dimensional complexity of managing risk at Koch Industries. Experiencing Koch’s market-based management and the continuous emphasis on “optionality” by Koch highlighted the day-long event. They also became aware of how important it is to determine the risk potential of alternative investments and not to dwell on occasional losses that will inevitably occur in risky ventures. The key risk management issue was not having large adverse surprises. Special emphasis on Koch Nitrogen company growth, challenges, opportunities and risk management were also discussed.

Click here to learn more about the Center for Risk Management Education and Research.

CRMER Student Fellows meet with Greg Case of Aon

March 14, 2013 – The Student Fellows of the Center for Risk Management Education and Research (CRMER) met with Greg Case, president and chief executive officer of Aon and alumnus of K-State.

In addition to this meeting with the Student Fellows, Case presented to a public forum of the K-State University community.

During the student’s meeting, Case shared his thoughts regarding keys to a successful career and discussed the broad array of risk management tools and support being developed and offered to more than 120 countries around the world by Aon.

Case complimented the integrated risk management program being offered by the CRMER, citing it as a unique program addressing a very apparent need in the risk management field.

Click here to learn more about the Center for Risk Management Education and Research.