Dr. Lijun “Angelia” Chen, assistant professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department, was recognized this spring with the Southern Agricultural Economics Association’s Emerging Scholar Award in recognition of her exceptional teaching program.
This award is one of the association’s highest distinctions for early‑career professionals and is presented annually to outstanding scholars who demonstrate high performance and impact in agricultural economics, with awards given in the areas of research, extension, and teaching.
“I feel very honored to receive this award, and I truly appreciate the recognition,” Chen said. “Teaching is a central part of my work, so it is especially meaningful to be recognized in this area.”
Teaching Agricultural Marketing & Consumer Behavior
As a specialist in agricultural marketing and consumer behavior, Chen draws on her research and experience working with food and agribusiness stakeholders to help students connect classroom lessons to real-world challenges. She incorporates case studies, applied projects, and interactive assignments to strengthen students’ analytical and decision‑making skills and make the coursework more engaging.
“I hope students develop strong critical-thinking skills and learn how to analyze issues from multiple perspectives,” Chen said. “More importantly, I hope they become thoughtful decision-makers who can apply what they learn to real-world problems.”
Chen emphasizes adapting her teaching based on students’ backgrounds and feedback to make course content relevant and accessible as critical to providing a meaningful academic experience.
Courses That Shape Future Food and Agribusiness Industry Leaders
For Chen, who regularly teaches three different courses in the department, each one offers a unique opportunity to help students at different points in their academic journey better understand and participate in their food system, both as consumers and future industry members.
The Economics of Eating
The Economics of Eating is a Quest 2 Social Sciences course, allowing Chen the opportunity to reach a wide variety of students, including many outside the field of agricultural economics, and helps them to better understand the relationships between consumers and their food systems.
“I enjoy helping students outside of agricultural economics think more deeply about food through an economic lens,” Chen said. “Food is something every student can relate to, so it is exciting to show them how economic principles shape the food system and their everyday choices.”
Agribusiness and Food Marketing Management
Chen also teaches the capstone course for undergraduate students in the FRE undergraduate program’s Food & Agribusiness Marketing & Management specialization. As they approach graduation, she guides them in applying core marketing and management principles to real agribusiness challenges, helping prepare the next generation of industry leaders.
“This course is especially meaningful to me because many of these students will soon enter the business world,” Chen said. “I try to stay current on industry trends and prepare them with the analytical and practical skills they will need in the workplace.”
Food Wholesale and Retail Marketing
Finally, in addition to working with our undergraduate students, Chen also teaches Food Wholesale & Retail Marketing for our online Master of Agribusiness Program, where students learn to understand supply chain management strategies and applications and marketing practices.
“What I enjoy most about this course is discussing the agrifood supply chain with students, many of whom already have professional or field experience,” Chen said. “It is rewarding to challenge them to think more systematically about how different parts of the agrifood industry connect and influence one another.”
For more information about Dr. Chen, please visit her faculty directory page.
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