Katie Adams

Katie Adams, Ph.D., serves as an Associate Project Scientist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis. Her research bridges economics and nutrition to address critical health challenges in developing regions.

Her educational foundation includes:

• B.S. in Computer Science/Business from the University of Puget Sound
• M.S. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Arizona
• Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Davis

As an applied microeconomist, Dr. Adams investigates human behavior related to health and nutrition with specific focus on maternal and early childhood undernutrition in resource-limited settings. Her work aims to translate behavioral insights into actionable policy guidance, operating at the vital intersection of development economics, nutrition science, and public health. This research directly informs interventions for improving nutritional outcomes through evidence-based economic analysis.

Her publication record reveals consistent interdisciplinary scholarship addressing real-world problems, including therapeutic food optimization for undernourished children in Ethiopia and economic analysis of sexual risk behavior in Mexico. These studies demonstrate methodological versatility across operations research, behavioral economics, and public health policy within developing country contexts.

Dr. Adams maintains active international research collaborations as evidenced by fieldwork in Ethiopia and Mexico. Her position as Associate Project Scientist indicates a research-intensive role focused on grant-funded projects, data analysis, and policy-relevant outputs rather than classroom teaching. Prospective collaborators should note her expertise in designing field studies that merge economic modeling with nutritional science to tackle complex development challenges.