After four years as a Faculty Specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Maryland, Elizabeth Thilmany will depart UMD and the Ag Law Education Initiative this August to begin a PhD in Applied Economics and Management (Food & Agriculture) at Cornell University this fall. She first joined ALEI as an undergraduate research assistant under Paul Goeringer, and since then has:
- Led outreach workshops for landowners across Maryland, translating complex research into actionable guidance.
- Developed and taught an upper-level course, “Renewable Energy,” that reviewed varying clean energy technologies, their pros and cons, and how they work together, though some are better suited to particular locales.
- Advanced ALEI’s geospatial analysis capabilities, integrating new mapping tools to visualize policy impacts.
Driven by a passion for applied, extension economics and regional land-use analysis, Thilmany looks forward to advancing her skillset and research capabilities at the intersection of agricultural resource economics and geography. “I aim to take the perspectives and values I have learned by working directly with farmers, landowners, and stakeholders into my PhD program and beyond,” she says.
Additionally, Thilmany reflects, “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow as a young professional in the State of Maryland.” Further, she says, “It has been an honor to present our research to local, national, and international audiences.” Building on Elizabeth’s reflections, Paul Goeringer adds, “ALEI will miss Elizabeth’s creativity, her thoughtful approach to research and Extension outreach, and her geospatial perspectives; she’s helped enrich our work with her spatial insights. We congratulate her in taking the next steps in her education experience.”
Elizabeth Thilmany will continue several research initiatives and collaborations with UMD and will remain reachable at thilmany@umd.edu for co-authorship, questions, or just to say hello. Feel free to reach out and send her your best wishes as she embarks on this new chapter.
We wish Elizabeth all the best as she embarks on this next chapter. Her contributions have left a lasting mark on both the department and our program, and we look forward to following her future successes.
