HortCalculator
Dr. Ariana Torres
Dr. Torres’ research focuses on the decision-making processes of farmers, buyers, andconsumers of specialty crops. Her expertise includes the economic modeling of adoption of new technologies, the development of decision-making tools for specialty crop growers, and the economic impact analysis of growers decision-making processes. She is currently working on promoting the crop diversification in the Midwest, assessing the economic feasibility of biological control in high tunnel production, investigating the market barriers and opportunities for sustainably-produced turfgrass, and supporting small and minority farmers from Peru and Iraq reach markets with value-added product. She has published 38 research publications, 24 Extension articles, dozens of trade press article, a book chapter, and has received over $22 million to fund interdisciplinary projects (over $3.2 million Dr. Torres account). Her research provides relevant research-based information to her extension program, Horticulture Business (www.hort.purdue.edu/hortbusiness) to provide trainings and publications to farmers, business owners, Extension personnel, and policymakers.
Dr. Juliano Marques
Dr. Juliano Marques is a postdoctoral researcher working in Torres Lab (HLA/AGEC) at Purdue University. Dr. Marques obtained his MS and Ph.D. degrees in Marketing, Strategy, and Innovation from the Federal University of Lavras in Brazil. He joined Torres Lab in 2020 as a visiting scholar to collaborate on projects related to the intersection of consumer behavior and food safety for specialty crops. Dr. Marques is currently co-leading the project “Developing Risk Management Tools for Specialty Crop Farmers,” funded by the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. He is responsible for designing data collection instruments, conducting data collection, designing spreadsheets and financial analyses, delivering products, overseeing the outputs of website developers, and measuring impact and metrics.
Jean Zavala
Jean Zavala is a master’s student in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University, with a focus on horticulture economics. Jean’s research centers on sustainable pest management strategies and financial decision-making for specialty crop farmers, particularly those using high tunnels. His work includes developing decision-support tools that compare the profitability of biological control agents and conventional pesticides for pest management in leafy green crops. Jean’s goal is to provide farmers with research-based tools to improve profitability and reduce risks, fostering resilient local food systems.
Mario Muñoz
Mario Muñoz is a master’s student in the Horticulture Economics Lab within the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University. His research focuses on consumer preferences and decision-making processes for specialty crops. Currently, he is investigating homeowners’ preferences and willingness to pay for turfgrass sod, as well as identifying perceptions and attitudes towards adopting low-input turfgrass sod varieties.
Mario’s goal is to provide research-based information and insights to agricultural sector stakeholders, enabling them to effectively market products and significantly enhance their success in the market. Additionally, he aims to support policymakers by providing the necessary information to make informed decisions
Alessandra Baravaglia
Alessandra Baravaglia is a dedicated professional with a Master’s Degree in Production Systems, Territory, and Sustainability (2023), bringing expertise in project management, consulting, and research in agriculture, economics, and sustainability. Currently, she works with Purdue University on a “Food as Medicine” program in Indianapolis, supporting urban agriculture investments. She previously collaborated with Purdue researchers on school garden initiatives for food production and education.
In 2022, Alessandra Baravaglia completed an Erasmus program at JAMK University of Applied Sciences in Jyväskylä, Finland, further broadening her international perspective on applied sciences and sustainability. She also gained research experience at IBE-CNR in 2019, studying ecosystem services in urban green spaces, and served on the University of Florence’s Board of Directors (2016-2018), where she developed strong leadership skills.
Alvaro Hernandez
Alvaro Hernandez is an upcoming BS in Business Management from the National University of Colombia. He joined Torres Lab in 2024 as a student intern, where he is actively contributing to the Diverse Corn Belt project. His work focuses on leveraging machine learning models such as PCA, factor analysis, and clustering to uncover patterns in food label preferences among buyers like wholesalers and restaurants, enabling a deeper understanding of their behavior, motivations, and how these influence their sourcing decisions from farmers.
His research interests include Consumer Behaviour & Food Demand, Agricultural Economics & Management, and AI & Machine Learning for Data Analytics. Alvaro is particularly driven by the transformative potential of using strategic information within organizations to foster growth and development in horticulture and agribusiness, empowering farmers and enhancing the sustainability of agricultural practices.