associate professor of agricultural and consumer economics in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Education: Ph.D. (economics), M.S. (international economics), University of Pau, France
Courses Teaching: Proposed courses include ACE 577 (Spatial Econometrics) and ACE 458/558 (Economic and Environmental Input-Output)
Research Interests: His research interests focus on regional science in general and economic growth, regional development policies, innovation and the impact of climate change in particular. In addition to the traditional estimation of the dynamics at work, he studies each of these fields by modeling and measuring the spatial interactions that take place between regions.
“Sandy is a renowned expert in evaluating aspects affecting the dynamics of regional and local economic development,” said Paul Ellinger, a professor and the head of the department of agricultural and consumer economics. “Many of the critical issues in food production and climate change have spatial dimensions. Sandy’s expertise in spatial econometrics places the department and the University of Illinois at the forefront in addressing these critical societal problems.”
Why Illinois: “I chose Illinois for several reasons,” Dall’Erba said. “On a professional level, my current department – agricultural and consumer economics – has a very good reputation and is composed of brilliant scholars. The type of questions my colleagues work on cover a wide range of topics, from crop production to environmental and resource economics, which matches the breadth of research projects and intellectual interests I also have. In addition, the department is particularly well-equipped and experienced with the conduct of interdisciplinary work. Usually collaborators come from many departments on and off campus. It is the way I have operated for years and I would not see my work otherwise. The majority of societal challenges in the coming decades, such as climate change, really call for ways to combine expertise from many fields of science.
“On a more personal level, Urbana-Champaign has the perfect size, ambiance and diversity that my wife and I seek to raise our two daughters. They already love the many parks the city offers and the ice arena.”
