The Department of Economics at Appalachian State University has released a newsletter for its majors and minors.
"As we close out the Fall 2025 semester, we have a lot to celebrate in the Department of Economics," noted Dr. David McEvoy, chair of the department. "This includes undergraduate student research winners, honors society inductees, graduate thesis competition winners, faculty-led student research grant winners and faculty achievements."
The newsletter includes highlights about economics students and faculty, including the following.
Faculty Spotlights
- Dr. Shishir Shakya hosted the “Freedom, Flourishing, and the Future” Colloquium, offering students a unique opportunity to engage with foundational economic and philosophical texts that explore the complex relationship between freedom, economic systems, human flourishing, and societal well-being.
- Dr. Dennis Guignet served as faculty advisor to Karlee Cook, an MBA student whose paper on “Chemical Accidents and Newborn Health: A Difference-in- Differences Analysis," won second place in App State's Three-Minute Thesis competition.
- Dr. Ash Morgan was awarded a 2025 Triple E Award from the WCOB.
- Dr. Ash Morgan, Dr. David Dickinson and Dr. Brock Stoddard were awarded WCOB Dean’s Club Research Grants for the 2025-26 academic year.
Student Spotlights
- Nine students submitted full research papers for the Fall 2025 Brashear Research Prize in Economics, with Joseph Pekaar earning first place for his project, “Developmental Divergence: Teen Births, Poverty, and Regional Inequality: Evidence from Appalachian Kentucky."
- Oscar Yarbrough was an invited student speaker at the Fall 2025 WCOB Scholarship Reception; in his speech he describes economics as the field that connects all the business disciplines.
- Brett Ackerlund (and Dr. Brock Stoddard) were awarded a Barnes Student Research grant from the WCOB for $1000 for a project titled “Game Theory Cognitive Load Research.”
View the newsletter.
About the Department of Economics at Appalachian State University
The Department of Economics in Appalachian State University's Walker College of Business is an intellectually vibrant place for students and faculty. As a research-intensive department committed to student learning, the department offers a wide range of courses that provide critical thinking and problem-solving skills, complemented by student-faculty research collaboration. Our faculty members are engaged in research that contributes locally and globally to energy, environment, development, trade, health, sports, and tourism. The Department of Economics is ranked among the leading U.S. economics departments for research productivity and is particularly strong in environmental and experimental economics. Learn more at economics.appstate.edu.
ECONOMICS A Newsletter for Majors and Minors in Economics at ASU
