Discovering the Power of Economics: A Global Journey Towards Prosperity and Sustainability

(Interview with Dr. Almuth D. Merkel, Economics, College of Business and Public Management at Wenzhou-Kean University)

In the eyes of Dr. Almuth D. Merkel, the world is multidimensional and there is always something to explore on our journey ahead. Growing up in Europe, completing her Ph.D. in the United States, and involving herself in volunteer services in Latin America, she has observed the world, experienced the world, and felt the world. She focuses on academic research to tackle the issues in food security, resource management and nutritional health and connects the social market economy with peace, prosperity, and sustainability.

This time, we sit down with Dr. Almuth D. Merkel to discuss the connections between economic studies and peacebuilding as well as how her experience exploring the world has led her to conduct research in this field.

Almuth D. Merkel received her PhD in Data Management and Analytics and Economic Analysis of Conflict Concentration in Intl. Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University. Her dissertation focused on the social market economy as a formula for peace, prosperity, and sustainability. She has developed a web-based application that allows a user to assess and compare social market economic performance across countries and to simulate the effects of changes in social market economic policies concerning indicators of peace, ecological sustainability, and income.

Her research focuses on analyzing the causes and consequences of unequal economic development and the concept of the social market economy. Her research is applied in nature and data-driven studies, including economic impact studies and public policy simulations. She has a particular interest in the use of information technology to bridge the gap between academic research and informed public policy and debate.

Use professional power to make the world a better place

Returning to the real world, allowing observation and research to be deeply integrated, and making the world better in ways within her power is what Dr. Merkel has insisted on in her academic life. This thinking, in fact, has been developed already since her teenage years. Having had aspired to work for the United Nations or the World Health Organization, she has spent a year in Santiago, Chile, before starting university. Her first task was to help local people living in poor areas by volunteering. She noticed that people were malnourished and did not know how to manage the scarce resources they had. Improving nutrition and managing scarce resources are the basics of strengthening food security. Therefore, she decided to study Ecotrophology, hoping to do her part in tackling food insecurity.

As an undergraduate, Dr. Merkel chose to do internships in Mexico and Nicaragua, developing countries where many people still live in poverty. “In Nicaragua, people just eat rice with beans, there is no meat to fill the stomach. Milk is also considered a rare commodity, and only young children who need it most can have the opportunity to drink it”, she said. Once again, she realized that “without proper financial means or a solid economic foundation, people cannot maintain a healthy lifestyle because it depends on the supply of food.” Afterwards, she has been determined to pursue a combined master’s degree in Food and Agribusiness, focusing on agricultural production and the management of scarce resources. In Dr. Merkel’s view, “many conflicts are caused by food insecurity.” Venezuela, for example, was rich before the 2015 economic crisis, relying on oil-reserve sales. However, a severe oil crisis due to politics and a drop in oil production led to significant slowdowns in economic growth and contributed to unrest across the country. Observing this phenomenon, she discussed the link between food insecurity and regime change in Venezuela in her master’s thesis, combining her knowledge of food and agribusiness and studying the food security issue from an economic perspective.

During her doctoral study, Dr. Merkel focused on conflict management to explain social development, national stability, and world peace using economic analysis, integrating professional knowledge with the reality of the international society and contributing meaningful discussions to world development. She published a paper on child mortality caused by the war in Yemen, focusing on the harm caused by the conflict. Using Palestine as an example, she explored the impact of conflict on aid. Additionally, she studied the response of authoritarian and democratic countries to widespread discontent and hunger caused by rising food prices.

Use experience to shape life: “Detours” are also “shortcuts”

“A citizen of the world, a woman of international consciousness” has always been Dr. Merkel’s assessment of herself. Growing up in Germany, she had the opportunity to practice in different countries thanks to the educational methods and government policies of Germany. “At the end of high school, young adults are encouraged to go abroad to participate in volunteer activities, and the government provides funds for their overseas practice.” With the support of her parents, she went to school with the children of upper-middle-class families in Chile and Bolivia. With the support of governmentally funded programs and stipends, she worked with the underprivileged in Santiago in Chile, Puebla in Mexico, and La Paz Centro in Nicaragua. Furthermore, she studied for a doctorate in the United States. These experiences enriched her life and shaped her growth and development.

Dr. Merkel is currently in her second year teaching economics at WKU. During her two years of teaching, she was fortunate to observe her students grow throughout multiple consecutive courses, gradually fall in love with teaching, and had a fantastic start to her career. Inspired by her father, she always believed that “sometimes a detour is also a shortcut” and her career path also shows this. After learning about food security and agribusiness and studying conflict management as a Ph.D. student, Dr. Merkel ended up teaching economics since her major was based on economics. What seemed like a detour turned out to be a shortcut to her career.

“Experience life in the center of your path, sharpen your eyes, let your chosen profession serve you, and don’t try to fit yourself into a frame that is uncomfortable and makes you unhappy.” At the end of the interview, Dr. Merkel sent a message to WKUers, hoping that she would encourage them to find a suitable way of learning, develop professional skills and activate their learning passion. More importantly, take your life into your own hands!

Writer: Chang GU, Zikang WAN

Proofreader: Wenwei XIANG, Ken Wade