Undergraduate Spotlight

Hideo Ishii-Adajar

My academic experience at SMU was largely defined by the formative education I received from the Economics Department. The undergraduate courses taught me both fundamental and advanced economic principles as well as practical skills in economic analysis and critical thinking that continue to influence my understanding of human behavior in the context of development.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Osang, I completed a distinction thesis in economics that observed the socio-economic conditions of two villages in neighboring provinces of Northeast Thailand. In the paper, I find that household income is higher in the village with a sugarcane-based economy. These villagers also disclose better perceived environmental quality while perceived health status has mixed results. However, perceived quality of life is higher in the village without a nearby sugarcane factory, and this is likely due to factors beyond the socio-economic indicators evaluated in the study.

The paper, entitled “Evaluating the Potential Socioeconomic Impact of a Proposed Sugarcane Factory on the Village of Mueang Phia, Thailand,” was further refined and then submitted to The American Economist (a peer-reviewed journal) after graduation. It was published in the journal this past June.

This fall, I am pursuing a master’s degree in Food Security and Development at the University of Reading where I will learn about food systems by studying relevant topics in agriculture, economic development, social policy, nutrition, health, and environment. My hope is that the program will be a springboard for a career in development policy research.

I am extremely grateful to the Economics Department at SMU and Dr. Osang for helping me build the foundational skills of an economist and for supporting my ambitious research project. The education has directly impacted the trajectory of my career, and I look forward to applying the knowledge to my future research endeavors in the increasingly relevant field of food security.