Rate My Professor Gina Shamshak

Gina Shamshak is a Professor of Economics at Goucher College, where she also contributes to the Environmental Studies program and the M.A. in Environmental Sustainability and Management. She is an environmental and natural resource economist specializing in fisheries and aquaculture economics. Shamshak earned her Ph.D. in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics from the University of Rhode Island, with dissertation research that developed a dynamic stochastic bioeconomic model to examine the economics of offshore bluefin tuna aquaculture in the United States. She also holds an M.A. in Economics from Boston College. Her areas of expertise include applied microeconomics and environmental and natural resource economics. Her research has addressed the global geoduck market, U.S. seafood consumption, aquaculture production advantages amid rising feed costs, and market opportunities for U.S. producers. Current projects focus on seafood markets, fishing communities, and the fishing industry in Georgia. Key publications include "Market Opportunities for U.S. Aquaculture Producers: The Case of Branzino" (Marine Resource Economics, 2022, with Asche, Garlock, Guillen, Kumar, and Llorente); "Evaluating the Economic Viability of Inland Seafood Markets in Georgia" (Marine Resource Economics, 2020, with Sweeney Tookes and Yandle); "U.S. Seafood Consumption" (Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, 2019, with Anderson, Garlock, and Love); "From Cannery to Culinary Luxury: The Evolution of the Global Geoduck Market" (Marine Policy, 2015, with King); and "Economic Evaluation of Capture-Based Bluefin Tuna Aquaculture on the US East Coast" (Marine Resource Economics, 2011).

Shamshak joined Goucher College in 2009 as an Assistant Professor, advancing to Associate Professor and then to full Professor in 2021. Earlier, she was a Knauss Sea Grant Fellow at the National Marine Fisheries Service in Washington, DC (2005-2006). Her accolades include the Elizabeth Conolly Todd Class of 1921 Distinguished Professorship (2023-2028); Caroline Doebler Bruckerl Class of 1925 Award (2021-2022) for outstanding teaching, research, and service; Excellence in Teaching Award for Tenure-Track Faculty (2014-2015); International Association of Aquaculture Economics and Management Dissertation of the Year (2010); and multiple Honorable Mentions for Best Student Paper from the North American Association of Fisheries Economists (2011, 2009). She serves as a reviewer for Marine Resource Economics, Marine Policy, Aquaculture Economics and Management, and the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. Shamshak integrates her research into teaching to demonstrate economic concepts through real-world applications, such as fish stories.