Rate My Professor Penny Diebel

Penny Diebel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Economics within Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences. She currently serves as Director of the Eastern Oregon Agriculture and Natural Resources Academic Program. Previously, she held the position of Assistant Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Agricultural Sciences for seven years, where she provided leadership for curriculum development, student engagement, and accessible learning opportunities. Earlier in her career, Diebel was faculty in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, becoming the only female member of the department. She began her academic journey as an undergraduate at Colorado State University, earning B.S. and M.S. degrees there before pursuing doctoral studies in Agricultural and Resource Economics at Virginia Tech under Dr. Sandra Beatty. With over thirty years of experience in agricultural and resource economics research and teaching, Diebel has significantly shaped the education of thousands of Oregon State University students through her roles in academic administration and instruction.

Diebel's research specializations include agricultural and food policy, agricultural conservation policy and economics, natural resource economics, agricultural history, and natural resource conservation in agriculture. Her scholarly work has focused on economic analyses of conservation practices, such as buffer strips for water quality enhancement, the Conservation Reserve Program, and alternative cropping systems. Key publications include her master's thesis, “RINs and Biofuel Mandates: Comparing Ethanol and Biodiesel,” and “A comparative study of traditional instruction and distance education delivery formats in agricultural economics” (2009). She is recognized as an outstanding teacher, administrator, and scholar of agricultural, food, and environmental policy, earning inclusion in Oregon State University's 25-Year Club for her long-term contributions. Diebel has delivered public lectures, such as the DAM Lecture, and participated in professional organizations including leadership roles in academic committees and associations like the American Agricultural Economics Association.