Do you know the Portuguese word for surprised? Fabio Chaddad, assistant professor in Agricultural and Applied Economics who was born in Brazil, does. And he was very surpreendido one recent warm morning when a group of CAFNR administrators and faculty burst into his classroom to present a Golden Apple Award.
CAFNR’s Golden Apple Award is designed to recognize faculty in the College who excel and go “above and beyond” in teaching and/or advising.
Nominators William Meyers, professor, and Jan Dauve, teaching associate professor, both in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department, said Chaddad has significantly and consistently exceeded the Department averages for student evaluations of courses taught. “Because of his excellent record, we‘ve asked him to add a third course to assist with the growing demand for the Agribusiness and Cooperative Management education,” they said.
Creating Curiosity Among Students
Enrollment in Ag Econ 3286 has consistently risen due to Chaddad’s performance, the nominators said. “Students have listed him as the reason why they want to pursue graduate work,” they continued. “After his classes, students have a much better understanding of how markets and organizations work and the value of economic research.”
“Dynamic is the first word that comes to mind when I think of Fabio Chaddad,” said Jeromie Allen, master’s student. “Whether it’s in class, in a meeting or just during a conversation, his teaching style and personality is unmatched. He has a way of creating curiosity among his students which, in turn, challenges them to be truly engaged in not only his class, but events happening around the world.”
Chaddad teaches economics of managerial decision making, collaborative arrangements in agri-food chains, and economics and management of producer-owned organizations. He earned his PhD from Mizzou, and his bachelor’s and master’s from the University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Teaching Awards – North and South America
Chaddad’s teaching awards include the Chafi Haddad Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Insper Business School, Brazil, in 2007. He also earned the R.M. Wade Award for Excellence in Teaching, College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences, Washington State University, in 2004.
The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives in 2002 awarded Chaddad the Edwin G. Nourse Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation. Before coming to MU in 2008, Chaddad was an academic coordinator and assistant professor at the Insper Business School.
In addition to his teaching and research responsibilities, he contributes to the public good through leadership in the Agribusiness Economics and Management Section of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association; and serving on the Editorial Board of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Review.
Nationally, he served as a member of the International Agribusiness Task Force, funded by a USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant; and in the expert panel of the project “Agricultural Cooperatives: Economics and Structure in a New Era of Food, Fiber and Fuel” sponsored by The Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics. At the College level, he has served in the CAFNR Courses and Curricula Committee since 2009 and the Policy Committee since 2011.
To be eligible for the Golden Apple award, faculty members must demonstrate clarity, variability and enthusiasm. They need to be accessible to students, helpful, personable and act as a mentor who students can turn to for advice and direction. Nominees should be well-prepared for classes and encourage creative work. They should demonstrate how they provide opportunities for learning, teaching to clearly established objectives and expectations.
Previous Golden Apple awardees include Chris Boessen, teaching assistant professor in agricultural and applied economics; Bryon Wiegand, associate professor of animal science; Marci Crosby, equine instructor; Linda Sowers, instructor of agricultural journalism, agriculture and applied economics; David Vaught, chair and director of graduate studies for the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources’ Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department; and Chip Kemp, Animal Sciences Livestock Judging Team coach.