2024 CALS Alumni Awards Honor Nick Kuminoff and Harrison Walker

The CALS Alumni Awards recognize and celebrate exceptional achievements and contributions of alumni from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State. ARE Alumni Nick Kuminoff and Harrison Walker were recognized at the award ceremony, held on September 13, 2024, at Talley Student Union. Read on to learn more about the honorees.

Outstanding Alumni – Nick Kuminoff

The Outstanding Alumni Awards recognize CALS graduates who have excelled in their chosen fields and demonstrated a record of service.

A Northern California native, Nick Kuminoff is an associate professor in the Economics Department at Arizona State University and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Having earned his Ph.D. in economics from NC State in 2006, Kuminoff has made significant contributions to his field, authoring more than 50 journal articles, book chapters and working papers, which have been cited more than 3,600 times. His academic influence extends to his service on more than 50 student dissertation and thesis committees, shaping the next generation of economists.

Kuminoff’s research aims to understand the supply and demand for public goods and environmental amenities, such as air quality and open space. His recent projects have included developing satellite accounts for implicit spending on environmental amenities, investigating how menus of electricity price plans and health insurance plans can be designed to improve consumer welfare, examining how air pollution affects health and human capital among senior citizens, and estimating their willingness to pay to reduce exposure to health risks. His work has been recognized and funded by more than $2.5 million in grants from prominent agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Kuminoff serves on the board of directors for the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists. He also plays a key role as an editor for the Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists and serves on the editorial board for the Review of Environmental Economics and Policy.

He advises students to become proficient in coding languages like Matlab, Python and R, emphasizing that these tools are essential for applying economic insights to solve practical problems in research, government and business.

Outstanding Young Alumni – Harrison Walker

The Outstanding Young Alumni Awards recognize former CALS students who have excelled early in their careers and show potential for continued success.

A native of Buffalo Junction, Virginia, Harrison Walker is a dedicated legislative assistant in the Office of U.S. Senator Thom Tillis. In this role, he spearheads the senator’s legislative initiatives across a broad spectrum of policy areas, including agriculture, energy, environmental issues, natural resources, transportation and infrastructure. His deep-rooted passion for agriculture and public service traces back to his upbringing on his family’s seventh-generation tobacco farm.

Walker graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in agricultural business management and a B.A. in political science, complemented by a minor in economics. His exemplary contributions to community engagement earned him the CALS Outstanding Senior Award. As president of Sigma Chi Fraternity, he demonstrated leadership and commitment to his peers.

Walker transitioned into a career in agriculture policy, which led him to Washington, D.C. Over the past five years, he has held various positions in Senator Tillis’ office, further honing his expertise in policy development. Alongside his full-time role, he is currently pursuing a law degree as a second-year evening student at the George Washington University Law School.

Walker’s dedication extends beyond his professional career; he serves on the board of directors for the ARE Office of Student Mentoring, contributes to the North Carolina Nuclear Energy Industry Advisory Council and volunteers with LIFE Non-Profit, supporting underprivileged youth in Southside Virginia. 

Walker’s advice to students is to “remember that your life is part of a bigger plan. Don’t waste time worrying about having it all figured out because just when you think you do, there will always be a curveball thrown your way. Find what makes you happy and take pride in your work. The finer details will sort themselves out in due time.”

Congratulations, Nick and Harrison!