Jebaraj Asirvatham's headshot

Jebaraj Asirvatham

Professor
jebaraj@siu.edu
618-453-3468
Agriculture Building 226-C
Agribusiness Economics, Agricultural Sciences
Jeb has a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research spans farm finance, consumer economics, health economics, and food policy, exploring issues from farm financial performance to the behavioral dynamics of nutrition, school food environments, and childhood health outcomes. At SIUC, Jeb teaches agricultural finance and marketing courses, drawing on extensive research funded by state and national organizations. Beyond the classroom, he has served in prominent administrative roles, including Director of the University Core Curriculum and Graduate Program Director for Agribusiness Economics. He is also deeply engaged in community development, serving as President of the Board of Directors for Food Works of Southern Illinois.

Specialty Interests

Behavioral & Health Economics: How peer dynamics and policy shape dietary choices and public health.

Agricultural & Farm Finance: Evaluation of farm operating costs, microdata, and economic management.

Consumer Economics & Food Policy: Analysis of consumer demand, food security, and market regulations.

Classes

  • ABE 351 Financial Management in Agriculture
  • ABE 362 Marketing and Pricing Agriculture Products
  • ABE 452 Advanced Financial Management in Agriculture

Descriptions are available for each of these classes in the course listing for Agribusiness Economics.

Education

  • Ph.D., Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • M.S. Agricultural Economics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
  • M.Sc. Agricultural Economics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India
  • B.Sc. Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, India

Recent Grants

  • Project Title:  Know Your Numbers, Know Your Options.
    • Institute: National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center
    • Duration & Amount: April 2017 - Sept. 2018; $47,000 for 18 months
    • Role: Project partner with Ruth Hambleton as the Project Director
  • Project Title:  Effect of Food, Home, and Community Environments on Early Childhood Obesity. Collaborating with the researchers in the Department of Family and Preventative Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. 
    • Funding Agency: Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI)
    • Years: 2012-2015.

Awards

  1. Best Student Paper award (one of three winners) for one of his dissertation essay from the International Association for Research in Economic Psychology (IAREP) and Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics (SABE) in 2009. Paper title: Effects of Impulsivity and Self-control on Calorie Intake.
  2. William Applebaum Memorial Scholarship award for the best MS thesis awarded annually by the Food Distribution Research Society (FDRS) in recognition of his work on the Impacts of Vertical Coordination on Consumer and Producer Welfare.

Working Papers with Students (For Peer-Reviewed Journals)

Coulibaly I, Asirvatham J (2024), "Impact of state tuition guarantee policy on enrollment in public universities". International Journal of Comparative Education and Development, 26(4), 376–391. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCED-02-2024-000

Khan, H., & Asirvatham, J. (2024). Short- and Long-Run Effects of Education on Economic Growth: A Panel Error Correction Analysis. European Journal of Economics, 4(2), 47–65. https://doi.org/10.33422/eje.v4i2.847

Coulibaly, I., & Asirvatham, J. (2023). AIDS health campaign impacts varies with sexual healthy practices and literacy aptitude. Journal of AIDS and HIV Research, 15(1). 10-18.

Microfinance program: mechanisms of its impact on business profitability and poverty
Graduate student: Enoch Jolaosso

Consumer profile of protein supplement users: a consumer demand perspective
Graduate student: Freya Block

Impact of exchange rate on US poultry exports
Graduate student: Mayowa M. Olaoye

Evaluating farm financial performance in Illinois
Graduate student: Ryan Bailey

Food insecurity and health behaviors
Graduate student: Saad U. Khan

Long Term Impact of Natural Resources and Human Capital on Economic Growth Rate
Graduate student: Ibrahima Coulibaly

Evaluation of Farm Accounting Software Packages
Undergraduate student: Andrew Parton

Students’ Conference Presentations

  • Rapolu, Harika and Jebaraj Asirvatham . Mother’s autonomy and its effects on child growth in Rwanda. Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting (SAEA), February 2026.
  • Ogbeche, Theresa and Jebaraj Asirvatham . Spatial Econometric Evidence on Agribusiness Expansion and Environmental Trade-Offs in the U.S. Midwest. Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting (SAEA), February 2026. (Presenter: Theresa) [Selected but not presented due to scheduling conflict].
  • Koenigstein, Loren and Jebaraj Asirvatham . Comparison of Central and Southern Illinois Grain Farm Operational Costs: an FBFM Data Study. Missouri Valley Economic Association (MVEA), Octo 2023. (Presenter: Loren)
  • Rapolu, Harika and Jebaraj Asirvatham . Attitudes and Perceptions of Middle School Students Towards School Lunch: Food, Staff and Environmental Attributes. American Association of Agricultural Economics (AAEA) annual conference, Kansas City, MO, July 2020. [Selected but not presented due to Covid-19]. Missouri Valley Economic Association (MVEA), October 2021. (Presenter: Harika)
  • Meyu, Louria, and Jebaraj Asirvatham . Do Exports and GMO Regulations Determine Adoption Rate of GM Crops by Exporting Countries? Midwestern Economics Association (MEA) annual conference, Evanston, Illinois, March 2020 (presenter: Louria). Conference canceled due to Covid-19. <
  • Coulibaly, Ibrahima and Jebaraj Asirvatham . Evidence that State Tuition Guarantee Policy Can Adversely Impact the research University Enrollment More Than the Regional University: Illinois Truth-in-Tuition effect on the Southern Illinois University of Carbondale Versus Southeast. Missouri University . Missouri Valley Economic Association (MVEA), October 2019. (Presenter: Ibrahima)
  • Freya N. Block: “Consumer Profile of Protein Supplement Users” at the Missouri Valley Economics Association (MVEA) meetings, Oct 2017
  • Mayowa M. Olaoye: “Estimating the Factors Affecting U.S. Poultry Exports” at the Missouri Valley Economics Association (MVEA) meetings, Oct 2017
  • Ryan A. Bailey: “Evaluating Farm Financial Performance in Illinois” at the Missouri Valley Economics Association (MVEA) meetings, Oct 2017
  • Saad U. Khan on Food Insecurity and Health Behaviors at the Southern Agricultural Economics Association meetings, Feb 2018

Recent Publications

  • Null, C. Dawn and Jebaraj Asirvatham (2023). College students are pro-environment but lack sustainability knowledge: A study at a mid-size Midwestern US university. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 24(3), 660-677. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJSHE-02-2022-0046/full/html
  • Smith, Sylvia and Jebaraj Asirvatham (2022). Rural Craft Beer Tourism: Consumer Attributes and Regional Economic Impact. Journal of Gastronomy and Tourism. 6(3), 123-134. https://doi.org/10.3727/216929722X16354101932050
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj , Michael R. Thomsen, Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr. and Anthony Goudie (2019). Do fast food restaurants surrounding schools affect childhood obesity? Economics and Human Biology. 33, 149-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2019.01.011
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj , Michael R. Thomsen, Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr. and Anthony Goudie (2019). Do fast food restaurants surrounding schools affect childhood obesity? Economics and Human Biology. 33, 149-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2019.01.011
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj and Sanjib Bhuyan. Incentives and Impacts of Vertical Coordination: A Multi-Stage, Multi-Player Analysis (2017) . Journal of Industry, Competition & Trade, 18(1), 59-95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10842-017-0247-2 
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj , Michael R. Thomsen, Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr., and Heather L. Rouse (2018). Do Peers Affect Childhood Obesity Outcomes? Peer-Effect Analysis in Public Schools . Canadian Journal of Economics, 51(1), 216-235. https://doi.org/10.1111/caje.12321
  • Moon, Wanki, Jae Bong Chang, and Jebaraj Asirvatham (2017) . Identifying Factors Driving US Citizens’ Preferences about Multifunctional Agriculture . Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 49(2), 273-295. https://doi.org/10.1017/aae.2016.43
  • Lindbloom, Michael, Jebaraj Asirvatham , Wanki Moon, and Ira Altman (2021). Is Motivation Necessary to Maintaining Dietary Health? Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 9(1), pp. 1 - 9. doi: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20210901.11
  • Report: Asirvatham, Jebaraj , Scott Gilbert, Stephen Troveh, and Haya Akram Khan. Southern Illinois University System: Economic Impact Report for Fiscal Year 2023. A report prepared for the Office of the President, SIU System, September 2024
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj, Michael R. Thomsen and Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr. (2019). Childhood Obesity and Academic Performance among Elementary Public School Children. Educational Research. [forthcoming]
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj (2018). Do Self-control Problems Increase Calorie Intake? International Journal of Applied Behavioral Economics, 17(1), 14-34.
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj, Michael R. Thomsen, Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr. and Heather L. Rouse. Obese Peers’ Influence on Students’ BMI: Heterogeneity in Race and Sex. Health Behavior and Policy Review (2018),3(5), 3-12.
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj and Paul McNamara. Consumer heterogeneity in sugar consumption with special reference to fat and cholesterol intake. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition (2017), 69(1), 108-116.
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj and Sanjib Bhuyan (2017). Incentives and Impacts of Vertical Coordination: A Multi-Stage, Multi-Player Analysis. Journal of Industry, Competition & Trade. 18(1), 59-95. Available online @ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10842-017-0247-2)
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj, Paul E. McNamara and Kathy Baylis (2017). Nutritional Media Campaign Effects of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990 on Dietary Outcomes. Cogent Social Sciences.
  • Asirvatham, Jebaraj, Michael R. Thomsen, Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr. and Heather L. Rouse. Do Peers Affect Childhood Obesity Outcomes? Peer-Effect Analysis in Public Schools. Canadian Journal of Economics (2018), 51(1), 216-235.
  • Moon, Wanki, Jae Bong Chang and Jebaraj Asirvatham (2017). Identifying Factors Driving US Citizens' Preferences about Multifunctional Agriculture. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics. 49(2), 273-295. Available on @ https://ageconsearch.tind.io/record/230032)
  • Asirvatham, J. Examining Diet Quality and Body Mass Index in Rural Areas using a Quantile Regression Framework. Review of Regional Studies (2009), 39(2), 149-169.
  • Asirvatham, J., Nayga, Jr., R., and M.R. Thomsen. Peer-Effects in Obesity among Public School Children: A Grade-Level Analysis. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy (2014), 36(3), 438-459.