Dr. Ting Cao
Instructional Assistant Professor
Dr. Ting Cao is an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida. She earned her Ph.D. in Food and Resource Economics from UF. Following the completion of her doctoral degree, Dr. Cao spent two years as a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Economics, where she taught a range of undergraduate economics courses. She later returned to FRE as a faculty member, bringing with her a strong background in agricultural economics and extensive experience in undergraduate teaching.
At UF, Dr. Cao teaches Principles of Food and Resource Economics and Principles of Agribusiness Management. Her teaching emphasizes connecting economic concepts with real-world applications and creating an engaging and supportive learning environment. She strives to make economic concepts accessible and relevant while helping students develop practical economic reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
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Research
Dr. Cao’s research focuses on applied agricultural and food economics, spanning both the production and consumer sides of the food and agricultural system. Her doctoral research examined the impacts of the opioid crisis on the U.S. agricultural sector, using county-level data to investigate rural–urban differences, farm vulnerability, and agricultural production outcomes.
Her postdoctoral research has focused on consumer behavior and food market analysis, using survey data and applied econometric methods to better understand consumer decision-making. Her current research examines consumer preferences, purchasing behavior, and demand responses in food and beverage markets.
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Teaching
- AEB 3103 – Principles of Food and Resource Economics
- AEB 3133 – Principles of Agribusiness Management
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Education
- B.S., Agricultural Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, China
- M.S., Agricultural & Resource Economics
- M.S., Applied Financial Mathematics University of Connecticut