Global Ambassador: Luis Peña Lévano
Luis graduated from Purdue with a PhD in Agricultural Economics. During his time at Purdue, Luis researched the global economic and environmental outcomes of different methods and public policies intended to mitigate climate change. He compared the potential costs of methods, like expanding forested regions to sequester more carbon-dioxide, against alternate methods, like adaptation technologies. Luis’ dissertation research earned him AAEA-Latin American Section Outstanding Research Paper Awards in 2015 and 2016, the Ludwig Kruhe Fellowship, and the Bilsland Doctoral Fellowship at Purdue University.
But Luis expanded his work beyond academic analysis. For example, he won first place in the 2015 Graduate Student Extension Competition for a software program he collaborated on that would help farmers determine the most economically feasible crop mixes to maximize their profits given their constrains in endowments (e.g., land, capital, and labor).
Read more about Luis' experience in graduate school below. Please note: Luis provided these answers while he was still a graduate student at Purdue.
Ambassador Q & A (Questions and Answers)
Why did you choose Purdue?
It has an outstanding program in Agricultural Economics. In my area of specialization - International Agricultural Trade - Purdue has remarkable worldwide recognition, which makes it an attractive university to pursue graduate studies.
Favorite fact about Purdue
Its multicultural aspect allows students to meet friends from around the globe.
Career goal
Become a successful professor
Briefly describe your work?
Economic analysis of Climate Change mitigation.
How do you recharge physically and/or mentally?
Running, having a special "diet" (which is balanced to have a good proportion of protein, fat and carbs, which includes everything from ice cream to vegetables), also listening to new music.
What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else?
Organizing and optimizing timing. I like to do things ahead of time to avoid stress.
What's the best advice you've ever received?
One step at a time, but everything at the same time.
