MSU Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics  News > Advancing Economics

Advancing Economics, Transforming Lives

News from the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at MSU

July 2009

 

Outstanding Research Award - Scott M Swinton

Portrait of John Staatz

Scott’s research focuses on agricultural systems, environmental management, and policy analysis for enhanced ecosystem services. He concentrates on problems involving crop pest and nutrient management, precision agriculture, resource conservation, and management of risks to human health and income. Scott’s research program is distinguished for its scope, productivity, and impact. As a colleague commented, “Scott has an international reputation as one of the most capable production and environmental economists. He works effectively on issues requiring integrated conceptualization and modeling approaches.” 

Scott has published over 60 journal articles in various journals, including: 

  • American Journal of Agricultural Economics
  • Agricultural Economics
  • Journal of Agricultural Economics
  • Ecological Economics
  • Food Policy
  • World Development
His articles, particularly the article “Evaluating the profitability of site-specific farming” and the article “A bioeconomic model for weed management in corn and soybean” are widely cited.  Scott’s impact in academia can also be seen from his editorial services. Scott has served as Associate Editor of American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Precision Agriculture, and Journal of Production Agriculture as well as case study editor for Review of Agricultural Economics.  He has guest edited for Ecological Economics, and World Development.  

cott’s research is funded via grants from the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Energy, and the US Department of Agriculture. He is the only social scientist working on bioeconomic modeling of agricultural production landscapes in the high profile Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, a major Department of Energy research initiative dedicated to the development of advanced bioenergy.  Scott also demonstrates great success in developing his students’ research skills; many of them receive the department’s Outstanding Thesis and Dissertation Awards.