I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Iowa State University. My research focuses on international trade, trade policy and geopolitics, and global value chains, with particular applications to agriculture, food systems, and international development.

My work examines how changes in the global economic and geopolitical landscape shape trade, supply chains, and agricultural markets, with an emphasis on generating insights relevant to both academic research and policy.

I welcome opportunities for research collaboration, academic seminars, invited presentations, and media inquiries related to international trade, trade policy, agricultural markets, and global supply chains. Please feel free to get in touch.

• Contact: sunghun@iastate.edu | Google Scholar | LinkedIn | X | CV

Recent News

• October 2026 — Received a two-year, $350,000 cooperative agreement from the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) as Principal Investigator (PI) for the project, “Transportation Costs and Export Competitiveness in U.S. Agricultural Supply Chains”.

• September 2026 — Received a two-year, $150,000 cooperative agreement from the USDA Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) as Principal Investigator (PI) for the project, "Geopolitical Risks and the Resilience of U.S. Agricultural Supply Chains".

Recent Media & Public Commentary

Selected recent interviews and media commentary on trade policy, agricultural markets, and global supply chains.

• KTTC-TV, “What the exclusion of soybeans from U.S.-China trade talks means for Iowa,” television interview on the exclusion of soybeans from recent U.S.–China tariff relief, its implications for Iowa soybean farmers, and shifting global soybean trade patterns amid growing competition from Brazil, October 8, 2026.

• The Washington Post, “U.S.-Canada trade war hits GOP efforts to keep control of Congress,” interview on U.S.–Canada trade tensions and their implications for Iowa agriculture, manufacturing, and supply chains, September 12, 2026.

• KTTC-TV, “What U.S. ban on select Canadian imports means for Iowa,” television interview on the new U.S. restrictions on selected Canadian imports and their implications for Iowa agriculture, businesses, and consumers, September 29, 2026.

• Iowa Public Radio / NPR, River to River, interview on U.S.–Canada tariffs and their implications for Iowa, August 29, 2026.

• The Des Moines Register, “In Iowa, Rollins defends Trump decision to import more ground beef,” interview on U.S. beef imports, consumer prices, and cattle markets, August 22, 2026.

2026 Timeline for Invited Talks and Conferences: 

• • Annual Meeting, International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium, FL, December, 2026.

• • Invited Speaker/Panelist, Asian Impact Webinar, Aid for Trade in Asia and the Pacific 2026, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila/Virtual, November 2026.

• • Invited Presenter, ADB EJF Brown Bag Series,  Aid for Trade in Asia and the Pacific 2026: Unlocking Opportunities in Services and Agrifood Value Chains, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila/Virtual, October, 2026.

• • Research visit and seminar, Korea Rural Economic Institute, South Korea, July, 2026. 

• • Research visit, Asian Development Bank Institute, Tokyo, Japan, June 2026.

• • Research Seminar and GVC Research Project, "Understanding Agricultural Global Value Chains: Concepts, Evidence, and Research Frontiers", IDE-JETRO, Tokyo, Japan, June 2026.

• • Research visit, IDE-JETRO, Tokyo, Japan, April 2026. 

• • Research Seminar, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea, March 2026.

• • Farm Foundation Round Table (Invited only), El Palso, TX, January 2026.