Na Zuo

Dr. Zuo teaches agribusiness management, finance, applied economic analysis, and food economics. Her teaching emphasizes authentic and experiential learning, applied research, data literacy, collaborative problem-solving, and connections between economic concepts and real-world decisions. Dr. Zuo has received national, regional, and university recognition for her teaching excellence. 

Dr. Zuo’s research examines innovative teaching, student engagement, career readiness, transferable skills, undergraduate research, and inclusive and online learning. She also conducts applied research on food insecurity, cultural food access, consumer preferences, food-safety certification, and natural-resource development. Dr. Zuo chairs the AAEA Teaching Academy Committee and serves as Co-Editor of Applied Economics Education and Extension.

Dr. Zuo is passionate about crafting effective learning experiences that prepare future professionals, practitioners, and leaders in agriculture and the food industry.

Publications

Zuo, Na, Lijiao Hu, and Satheesh Aradhyula, 2026, “Course-based Undergraduate Research (CURE): A Case in a Food Economy Course”. Applied Economics Education and Extension, forthcoming. 

Zuo, Na, Angela Jungbluth, and Katherine E. Speirs, 2026, "Food Insecurity and Cultural Food Access Among International College Students." Public Health Nutrition 29(1): e23. doi: 10.1017/S136898002510178X

Rachna Tewari, Na Zuo, Maria Bampasidou, Anthony Delmond, Tanner McCarty, Joey Mehlhorn, Scott Parrott, Jerrod Penn, Ross Pruitt, and Christiane Schroeter, 2024, “Innovate to Lead: Curriculum Innovations to Meet Students' Needs in Applied Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Programs”. Applied Economics and Teaching Resources, 7: https://doi.org/10.71162/aetr.206016. 

Rachna Tewari, Na Zuo, Joey Mehlhorn and Maria Bampasidou, 2022, “Learning by the hour: Student Perceptions on Single-credit-hour Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics Courses”, Journal of Agribusiness, 40 (1) 83-97. 

Brown, R., Hamilton, L., Kiesel, K., Treme, J. and Zuo, Na, 2021. Pedagogical Pivot-Faculty Reflections on the Rapid Transition to Virtual Teaching During COVID-19. In Western Economics Forum,19 (1): 120-129.

Brown, R., Buck, S., Kibler, M., Penn, J. and Zuo, Na, 2021. Course-related student anxiety during COVID-19: A problem and some solutions. Applied Economics Teaching Resources (AETR), 3(1): 1-21.

Zuo, Na, and Zhong, H. 2020. Can Resource Policy Reverse the Resource Curse? Evidence from China. Resource Policy, 68 (2020): 101733.

Kiesel, K.,  Zuo, Na, Plakias, Z.T., Pena-Levano, L.M., Barkley, A., Lacy, K., Hanson, E. and Treme, J. 2020. Increasing Student Engagement in a Changing Academic Environment. Applied Economics and Teaching Resources, 2 (3): 15-28.

Brown, R., Zuo, Na, Shockley, J. and Buck, S. 2019. An Authentic Learning Approach to Group Assignments: An Analysis of Student Attitudes. Applied Economics and Teaching Resources 1 (2): 1-13.

Wilson, P.N. and Zuo, Na, 2019. Outstanding Seniors: Where Have All the Young Men Gone?. Applied Economics and Teaching Resources 1 (2): 31-42.

Brown, R., Zuo, Na, Shockley, J. and Buck, S. 2019. The Project Manager/Private Contractor Approach to Group Assignments. Applied Economics and Teaching Resources 1 (2): 64-73.

Zuo, Na, Schieffer, J., Buck, S. 2019. The Effect of the Energy Boom on Schooling Decisions in the U.S. Resource and Energy Economics 55: 1-23.

Awards & Honors

Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) Distinguished Teaching Award (less than ten years’ experience), 2024

UA CALES Cardon Academy Teaching Excellence Fellow, 2023

Western Agricultural Economics Association (WAEA) Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, 2022
Gerald J Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence, 2022
Bart Cardon Early Career Faculty Teaching Award for the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, 2020
Wildcat Family Spirit Award, Classified Staff Council at UA, 2019
Graduate Student Teaching Award, AAEA, 2017