CARD Director John Crespi announced Drs. Yue Zhao and Jian Chen as recipients of the 2025 CARD Award for Best Ph.D. Dissertation in Agricultural, Environmental, and Energy Economics and Policy. Zhao and Chen will both receive a $500 prize, and will have their names added to the Dissertation Award winners plaque in the CARD suite in Heady Hall. The purpose of the award is to recognize an outstanding Ph.D. dissertation written by a graduate student in the department of economics with a topic related to one of CARD's focus areas.
Dr. Zhao was recognized for her dissertation Essays on precautionary seed demand, agricultural commodity price volatility, and the adoption and diffusion of genetically modified crops, which explores three dimensions of US agricultural production: farmers' decision-making under risk, market volatility, and the diffusion of genetically modified (GM) crops.
Dr. Chen was recognized for his dissertation Essays on renewable energy deployment and local preferences, which explores key issues around renewable energy deployment and local preferences for utility-scale solar energy.
Congratulations to both!