Hector O. Zapata
Past Presidents of the LSU Alumni Association Alumni Professor
Contact
hzapata@lsu.edu
225-578-2719
111 Martin D. Woodin Hall
Zapata is a prolific and highly cited scientist in applied and simulation econometrics, agricultural economics, and risk and financial management. He currently serves as Academic Advisor to graduate students in agricultural economics and has mentored numerous successful graduate students, including a national M.S. thesis award-winning student. He has been successful in securing grant funding for research and education and has led and collaborated with numerous academic teams. He has conducted extensive agricultural economics and agribusiness consulting work in the U.S. and internationally. Zapata is passionate about teaching, and his dedication to his field and to undergraduate teaching led to award Past Presidents of the LSU Alumni Association Alumni Professor. Zapata has extensive leadership experience, and examples include being President of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association, Book Editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, numerous committees at LSU and the Faculty Senate, leader of various educational and research missions worldwide (Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mozambique, Namibia, Spain, South Africa, and Zambia), and member of the School Board for Baton Rouge Democracy Prep. He served as the Senior International Officer for LSU from May 2012 to October 2019. He has created and led various initiatives, including LSU Global, internationalization grants for faculty, a study abroad scholarship program connecting domestic and international students, and student internship programs. He has been a facilitator of strategic international partnerships with institutions of research and education worldwide. One of Zapata’s beliefs is that How You Think is Everything! Which has been a driver of his leadership roles in academics and his personal life.
Zapata, H. O. and S. Mukhopadhyay. “A Bibliometric Analysis of Machine Learning Econometrics
in Asset Pricing.” Journal of Risk and Financial Management15,11 (2022): 535-
Zapata, H. O., R. C. Hill, and T. B. Fomby. Econometrics for the Future. Book Chapter in The Routledge
Handbook of Agricultural Economics. Edited by G. L. Cramer, K. P. Paudel, and A. Schmitz.
Routledge, New York, 2018.
Zapata, H. O. and Caminita, C. M. “The Diffusion of Hausman’s Econometric Ideas. In Advances in
Econometrics: Nonparametric Methods, Volume 29, Editors: B. H. Baltagi, R. C. Hill,
W. K. Newey, and H. L. White. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, UK. (2012):1-29.
Zapata, H. O. and Paudel, K. Functional form of the environmental Kuznets curve.
In Advances in Econometrics: Nonparametric Methods, Volume 25, Editors: Qi Li and
Jeffrey S. Racine. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, UK. (2009):471-493.
Zapata, H. O., J. D. Detre, and T. Hanabuchi. “Historical Performance of Commodity and Stock Markets.”
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 44,3(August 2012):339–357.
Paudel, K. P. and H. O. Zapata. “An Empirical Test of Environmental Kuznets Curve for Water Pollution.” Environmental
& Resource Economics, 31 (2005):325-348.
Fortenbery, T. R. and H. O. Zapata. “Developed Speculation and Underdeveloped Markets: the Effects of Futures Trading
in Export Prices of Less Developed Countries.” European Review of Agricultural Economics,
31 (4,2004).
No, S-C and H. O. Zapata. “A Dynamic Econometric Model of the U.S. Rice Market.” J. Am. Academy of Business,
8, 1 (March 2004):384-393.
Robledo, C. W., H. O. Zapata, and M. McCracken. “Measuring Predictive Accuracy in Agribusiness Forecasting.” J.
Am. Academy of Business, October 2002.
Zapata, H. O. and J. M. Gil. “Cointegration and Causality in International Agricultural Economics
Research.” Agricultural Economics, 20, 1 (1999): 1-9.
Fortenbery, T. R., R. Cropp, and H. O. Zapata. “Analysis of Expected Price Dynamics Between Fluid Milk Futures Contracts and Cash
Prices for Fluid Milk.” Journal of Agribusiness, 15, 2 (Fall 1997): 125-234.
Zapata, H. O. and A. N. Rambaldi. "Monte Carlo Evidence on Cointegration and Causation." Oxford
Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 59, 2 (May 1997): 285-298.
Zapata, H. O. and P. Garcia. "Price Forecasting with Time Series Methods and Nonstationary Data:
An Application to Monthly U.S. Cattle Prices." Western Journal of Agricultural Economics,
15 (1990): 123-132.
Zapata, H. O., M. A. Hudson, and P. Garcia. "Identifying Causal Relationships Between Nonstationary
Stochastic Processes: An Examination of Alternative Approaches in Small Samples."
Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, 13(1988): 202-215.
Garcia, P., R. M. Leuthold, and H. O. Zapata. "Lead-Lag Relationships between Trading Volume and Price Variability: New Evidence."
Journal of Futures Markets, 1 (1986):1-10.
Econometrics
Operations Research
Agricultural Price Analysis and Futures Markets
Agricultural Production and Policy
International Economic Development
Risk and financial management
M.S., Agricultural Economics, LSU, 1983
Ph.D., Agricultural Economics, University of Illinois, 1987
AGEC 7103 Advanced Statistical Methods, 2023
AGEC 7123 Operations Research in Agricultural Economics, 2022
AGEC 7710 Advanced Topics in Agricultural Economics, 2020.
AGEC 4273 Agricultural Price Analysis, 2023.
AGEC 4433 Agricultural Commodity Exchanges and Futures Trading.
Dr. Hector Zapata Graduating Class of 2022, National University of Honduras, December
20, 2022.
Service Award, UAA-US Alumni Association, the United States, March 2022.
Past Presidents of the LSU Alumni Association Alumni Professor, LSU Alumni Association,
May 1, 2012.
Distinguished Professional Contribution Award, Southern Agricultural Economics Association,
in recognition for service as 2009 President, Orlando, Florida, February 8, 2010.
Award of Merit, Outstanding Academic Alumnus of the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
Department, Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Alumni Association, Louisiana
State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, October 23, 2004.
LSU Foundation Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award 2004, Louisiana State University
and Agricultural & Mechanical College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 11, 2004.
Service Award, Southeastern Louisiana University. In recognition for participation
in the “Development Agro-Industrial Rural Micro-Enterprises Seminar.” Hammond, Louisiana,
June 2003.
Sedberry Award for Outstanding Graduate Teaching in the College of Agriculture, Louisiana
State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, October 2002.
Honor Roll, LSU Gamma Sigma Delta Teaching Merit Award, Baton Rouge, 2000, 2001, 2002,
2003, 2011.
Special Appreciation Award, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, for services
to the association as First Vice-President, 1999-2000.
Outstanding Service Award, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, for services
to the association as Second Vice-President, 1998-1999.
George Award, College of Agriculture George Award, Louisiana State University, for
service, dedication, and imagination, Spring 1991.
Co-Editor, Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 2021-Present.
Board Member, C-FARE (Council on Food, Agricultural & Resource Economics), 2010-2013.
Additional duties included member of Financial Auditing Committee, and member of the
PR committee.
Past-President, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, 2010 (President 2009;
President Elect: 2008).
Book Review Editor, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2009-2012.
Member, Quality of Research Discovery Awards Committee, American Agricultural Economics
Association, 2006-2009.
Lead Economist, Partnership for Food Industry Development (PFID/USAID) project in
Southern Africa, LSU Ag Center International Programs, 2004-2009.
Leader, Agricultural Development and Reconstruction Project for Honduras, LSU Agricultural
Center, International Programs, October 2000-April 2002.
Reviewer, Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 2022-Present
Reviewer, Journal of Commodity Markets, 2020-Present.
Reviewer, Journal of Futures Markets, 1987-Present
Chair, Quality of Communications Sub-Committee, American Agricultural Economics
Association, 2002-2003 (member 2000-2002).
Past President (2010), President (2009), First Vice-President (1999), Second Vice-President
(1997), Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
Leader, Resource Allocation Policy Simulation Modeling, Delta Region (Louisiana, Arkansas,
Missouri and Texas) Research Group, 1994-1995.