James Nolan

James Nolan is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Agriculture and Bioresources. He holds editorial roles at the Journal of the Transportation Research Forum (since 2016) and has served as President of the U.S. Transportation Research Forum (TRF). His research focuses on transportation economics, industrial organization, and agricultural supply chains, with emphasis on freight modes like rail, trucking, air cargo, and maritime shipping. Nolan employs computational modeling, GIS analysis, and agent-based simulations to study market competition, regulatory policies, and infrastructure challenges.

Education:

• B.A. (Economics & Statistics), Concordia University (Montreal)
• M.A. (Economics), York University (Toronto)
• M.Sc. (Mathematical Behavioral Social Sciences), University of California, Irvine
• Ph.D. (Economics), University of California, Irvine

His research interests include spatial economic analysis of freight infrastructure, regulatory decision-making in transportation, and the application of experimental economics to agricultural supply chains. Notable work includes co-editing a 2022 book on international air cargo and analyzing the 1999–2006 air cargo cartel. Nolan has received prestigious awards such as the 2024 Distinguished Transportation Researcher Award (TRF) and the 2017 Professor of the Year Award from the Agricultural Students Association.

Grants & Funding:

• United States Department of Agriculture (2016–2024)
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (2017–2023)
• MITACS (2020)
• Canadian Transportation Agency (2019)

Nolan leads projects at the Social Science Research Laboratory and collaborates on agent-based models for farm succession planning, climate adaptation, and bioenergy crop impacts. He has advised on grain elevator exit strategies, rail competition, and maritime emissions reduction. His lab explores future trends in agricultural transportation and supply chain resilience.