A Little About MyselfI am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University. My area of concentration is agricultural and food economics.
With a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Melbourne and a master's degree in economics from Korea University, I have cultivated a strong academic foundation in economics. Before embarking on my Ph.D. journey, I had the opportunity to work for esteemed institutions such as the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) and the Korea Food Industry Association (KFIA) in South Korea. These experiences provided invaluable insights into the practical aspects of applying economics to the agricultural and food industries. My research interests lie broadly within the fields of agricultural and food economics. Currently, my research efforts aim to explore the economic impacts of market changes in the agri-food system. For example, one essay explores consumer behavior in emerging food markets, particularly focusing on consumer preferences for novel food products like plant-based seafood alternatives. Another essay investigates minimum wage policy impacts on labor market outcomes in the food manufacturing industry, analyzing firm behavior and implications for job and food security. The third essay centers on domestic farm labor challenges and the H-2A visa program's effectiveness in addressing farm labor shortages. These essays collectively deepen insights into key aspects of the agri-food system. Thank you for visiting my website, I invite you to explore my research findings, publications, and ongoing projects. |
Dissertation
My dissertation focuses on examining the economic impacts of market changes in the agri-food system, aiming to investigate how various shifts within the market affect key economic factors and dynamics. The dissertation aims to contribute to the understanding of the food and agricultural industry from both the perspectives of consumer behavior and labor market dynamics.
The first essay of my dissertation delves into consumer behavior in an emerging food market, specifically focusing on how consumers evaluate and respond to novel food products like plant-based seafood alternatives (PBSA). As innovative products enter the market, it becomes crucial to understand how consumers perceive and adopt these new offerings. This research aims to provide valuable insights into the market potential of these novel products, which aim to address environmental, ethical, and health issues. By examining consumer preferences and demand for plant-based seafood alternatives relative to conventional seafood products and other potential substitutes, this study provides valuable insights that can inform effective marketing strategies, guide product developments, and assist policymakers in understanding and addressing consumer preferences in the market. Shifting the focus to labor market issues in the agri-food system, the second essay, my job market paper, investigates the impact of minimum wage policies on labor market outcomes in the food manufacturing industry. This research explores how changes in minimum wage policies affect wages and employment of economically disadvantaged production workers. The study goes beyond examining the direct effects of minimum wages and delves into understanding the behavior of food manufacturing firms in response to the anti-poverty policy. By investigating firms' adjustments, this research seeks to gain insights into the implications for job security and food security in the US. This chapter aims to fill a research gap by providing valuable insights on the relationship between minimum wage policies and the food manufacturing industry, which has received limited attention in the existing minimum wage literature. The third essay centers around domestic farm labor issues and the H-2A visa program. The motivation for the third chapter originates from the implementation of the H-2A program as a response to the decreasing availability of farm labor. This research investigates whether the recent expansion of the H-2A visa program can be attributed to a structural break in the US-based Mexican farm labor supply that occurred little after the Greate Recession. Furthermore, this study examines the effectiveness of the H-2A program in achieving its intended objective of compensating for any decline in domestic farm employment. This research sheds light on understanding of the challenges and potential solutions in the agricultural labor market. The findings of this study can inform policymakers and agricultural stakeholders in developing strategies to address farm labor issues effectively. |
Journal Publications
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Get In Touch
Please feel free to reach out to me with any inquiries or opportunities for collaboration.
Email: [email protected] |