FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Jeff Luckstead, assistant professor in the department of agricultural economics and agribusiness in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas, has earned his profession’s top award for his dissertation.

Luckstead is the winner of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association’s Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award for “Essays in Policy Analysis: Strategic Trade Theory and the Elimination of Agricultural Subsidies.”

His research focused on estimating market power and analyzing trade policies under imperfect competition for U.S. apple exports in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations market and the U.S. orange juice market. It also analyzed the dynamic impacts of changes in U.S. farm policy on productivity and welfare when firms freely enter and exit the agricultural sector.

“This is a great honor, I was speechless when I received the email and still cannot believe it,” said Luckstead. “This was something we dreamed about early on in the dissertation process, and to have it become a reality is incredible.”

Luckstead, from Walla Walla, Wash., is in his first year teaching at the U of A. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics in 2006 and his master’s degree in applied economics in 2008, both from the University of Idaho. He earned his doctorate in economics from Washington State University in 2013.

“Arkansas has been a great fit for me,” said Luckstead. “I am able to teach the classes that really interest me and focus on developing my research program by extending my dissertation work, developing new ideas and writing grant proposals.”

His research includes theoretical and applied agricultural policy analysis in international trade and industrial organization. He also studies strategic trade theory and the new empirical industrial organizational methods.

Luckstead will receive his award at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association annual meeting this summer in Minneapolis.