Craig Gundersen

Craig Gundersen is the Snee Family Endowed Chair at the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty and a Professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University. He previously served as ACES Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois and held positions at Iowa State University and the USDA Economic Research Service. He is a Faculty Affiliate at the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities at the University of Notre Dame and a Round Table Fellow of the Farm Foundation. Gundersen is also a Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economic Association (AAEA).

Education:

• Ph.D. in Economics, University of California, Riverside, 1996
• B.A. in Economics, University of Notre Dame, 1990

Gundersen’s research focuses on food insecurity, food assistance programs, and public policy evaluation. His work examines the causes and consequences of food insecurity, with a strong emphasis on SNAP. He invented Map the Meal Gap, the standard tool for measuring local food insecurity in the U.S. His research dispels myths about food insecurity and obesity and highlights the health and economic costs of food insecurity, especially among seniors. He has authored highly cited review papers on both causes and consequences of food insecurity. His work bridges economics, nutrition, public health, and statistics.

His recent publications reveal a trend toward policy innovation and reform, especially in reimagining SNAP and school meal programs. He analyzes measurement accuracy in eligibility, proposes structural changes like food-based universal basic income, and evaluates long-term trends in food insecurity. His interdisciplinary approach is reflected in publications across economics, medicine, and nutrition journals.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Fellow, Agricultural and Applied Economic Association (AAEA)
• Round Table Fellow, Farm Foundation
• Outstanding Paper, Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy (2011)

Gundersen has secured over $25 million in external funding from more than 30 grants. Major funders include the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Economic Research Service (ERS), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), and Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR). He has advised numerous policy bodies and frequently presents to lawmakers and program administrators. Though specific students are not listed, his mentorship is evident through collaborative research and leadership in the field.

He leads research through the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, where he directs major initiatives like Map the Meal Gap. His team works at the intersection of data science, public policy, and community engagement to inform national and local responses to hunger.