Last Updated on September 17, 2024 by Stella Canfield

2024 National Postdoc Appreciation Week is Sept. 16 – 20, and the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) is proud to celebrate its postdoctoral researchers. This spotlight series will showcase some of our postdoctoral researchers, including their contributions and the role they play in advancing research at MREC.

Postdoctoral Researcher Younghyeon Jeon

Meet Younghyeon Jeon, a postdoctoral researcher at MREC under food and resource economics Professor Hayk Khachatryan. After receiving her doctorate in agricultural and applied economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Jeon joined MREC in September 2023 with a research focus on demand and price analysis, consumer behavior and applied econometrics. Now at MREC, she is currently estimating consumer preferences for Florida-grown agricultural products using survey and eye-tracking methods.

Hometown: Chuncheon, South Korea

Faculty Adviser: Professor Hayk Khachatryan

Q. What research projects are you currently working on at MREC? Could you give us an overview of your work? 

A. Our research team is investigating consumers’ preferences for fresh blueberries with the Fresh From Florida logo, specifically examining their willingness to pay for the logo. We are planning to conduct an eye-tracking experiment soon, and I am excited about this!

Q. How has your experience at MREC helped you grow as a researcher? Are there specific mentors or collaborators who have influenced your work?

A. My experience at MREC has allowed me to explore new research areas that I hadn’t done during my doctoral program and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams (such as blueberry specialists), which has expanded my perspective and knowledge. I am grateful to Dr. Hayk Khachatryan for providing me with this opportunity and for his guidance.

Q. Looking ahead, what are your future career goals? How has your time at MREC prepared you for the next steps in your career?

A. I would like to get a tenure-track faculty position where I can continue to grow as an independent researcher. I hope my time at MREC can be a good stepping-stone in this journey.

Q. What do you love the most about MREC?

A. What I love most about MREC is the collaborative and supportive environment and the beautiful surroundings of the center.

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