Xi He

Xi He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), affiliated with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Connecticut (2019), and prior degrees from Beihang University (M.A., 2014; B.A., 2011). Before joining Virginia Tech, she served as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) from 2020 to 2022.

Research Interests: Dr. He specializes in agricultural trade policy analysis, food security, and health economics. Her work explores how policies shape global trade systems, particularly focusing on non-tariff barriers, climate change impacts on food systems, and China’s agricultural import dynamics. She also investigates the effects of public health policies like Medicaid expansion on low-income households’ dietary choices.

Key Awards:

• 2021 AAEA Food Safety and Nutrition Best Economics Paper
• 2021 AAEA Health Economics Section Best Paper Award

Teaching: Current courses include AAEC 3024 – Global & Monetary Issues in Applied Economics (Spring 2023). Previously, she has served as a Teaching Assistant and guest lecturer in courses on agricultural trade, business strategies, and international commodity markets.

Research Highlights: Her studies combine quantitative methods like general-equilibrium modeling with policy analysis. Recent projects include projecting China’s agricultural imports under climate scenarios and assessing the economic impacts of export restrictions and regional trade agreements.