Jill McCluskey, Regents Professor and Director of the School of Economic Sciences, is an inaugural member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine‘s newly established Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture Program Advisory Committee.
Beginning her two-year term July 1, McCluskey will help guide national science priorities and policies in human and animal nutrition, safe food, and agricultural production.
“My goal is to provide information and analysis that is beneficial to society in terms of health, nutrition, and economic performance,” she said.
An award-winning researcher in the economics of food demand, product quality, and consumer preferences, McCluskey has been deeply involved in national discussions on food and agriculture. She chaired the academies’ Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources (BANR) over the past three years and was nominated by the board’s senior program director for membership in the new committee.
“It’s important to include an economics perspective in scientific discussion,” McCluskey said. “New technology that comes from scientific innovations will often have implications for agricultural markets and people. GLP-1 drugs, for instance, are affecting food markets in terms of what consumers want, and many food companies will need to pivot in their product offerings. This has consequences for the entire food supply chain.”
National involvement in the organizations like the National Academies enhances her abilities as a researcher.
“Through discussions with scientists across many fields of study, I learn about problems and scientific breakthroughs earlier than I otherwise would,” she said.
The first woman to lead WSU’s School of Economic Sciences, which she has directed since 2019, McCluskey’s research is widely published on topics such as product quality and reputation, food labeling and standards, food access, and consumer preferences for new technology.
She is the president elect of the International Association of Agricultural Economists and the former editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics.
“Regent Professor McCluskey’s engagement with her peers, professional associations, and the National Academies is a credit to herself and our college,” said Raj Khosla, Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of CAHNRS. “Having seen firsthand the important role the National Academies play in informing science and policy, I know the value of bringing diverse expertise to these discussions. Her high level of leadership and involvement is an outstanding example of how land-grant faculty make an impact far beyond their home institution.”
Learn more about the School of Economic Sciences’ work on education, research, and outreach at ses.wsu.edu.