URBANA, Illinois – The Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics honored Maria Teresa Serra Devesa as the Thomas A. Hieronymus Distinguished Chair in Futures Markets during an inauguration ceremony at the University of Illinois April 27.
Serra is a top scholar in the field of applied agricultural economics. Her research focuses on agricultural commodity futures and options markets, agricultural production and policy analysis.
Since joining ACE’s department, Serra has focused on market microstructure, a branch of finance that looks at how specific trading mechanisms affect pricing and transaction costs, and their impact on market efficiency, market participants and regulation.
She is a recognized expert in understanding econometrics and applying rigorous statistical analysis to understanding modern agricultural derivatives markets.
Serra has authored more than 72 publications in leading scholarly journals and has earned $4.9 million in research grants. She has received invitations to keynote at prestigious international conferences, to write book chapters in her field, and to serve on grant meetings and journal editorial boards.
“Professor Serra demonstrates excellence and relevance in her research on agricultural market performance in ACE. I’m sure she will continue to make important contributions to understanding the economic role and workings of agricultural markets that will benefit all market participants,” said Sally Thompson, interim department head at ACE.
Dear Chairman
The TA Hieronymus Distinguished Chair in Futures Markets was co-established with the Office for Futures and Options Research by Gary and Carlotta Bielfeldt and their family through the Bielfeldt Foundation in Peoria.
Gary and Carlotta and their three children – Linda, David and Karen – are all graduates of the U of I at Urbana-Champaign.
While at UIUC, Gary studied with Hieronymus and earned both his bachelor’s degree in professional agriculture and his master’s degree in agricultural economics. Carlotta has a bachelor’s degree in physical education.
The family’s leadership in establishing a foundation for OFOR and establishing the professorship builds on Hieronymus’ many contributions to the development of the futures industry and the long history of futures teaching and research at UIUC.
The Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics is located in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at U of I.
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