Faculty Members Making a Difference: Abbas Aboohamidi

Dr. Abbas Aboohamidi grew up in southern Iran in a town called Ahwaz. After leaving his hometown in 1999, he found himself in Dallas, Texas. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus in Economics at Texas A&M. Taking his education a few steps further, he went on to receive his Master’s degree in Economics and a Ph.D. in Agriculture Applied Economics, both at Texas Tech.

From his education history, it speaks for itself that he is wildly intrigued by the concept of economics. Currently an Agribusiness Professor and Department Head of Agribusiness at Panhandle State, Abbas is always excited to walk into a classroom to teach his students.

University President, Dr. Tim Faltyn commented, “We are excited to have such a knowledgeable professor like Abbas. He has a strong understanding of his students and a passion that we see in many of our faculty members across campus.”

Relocating from Texas to Oklahoma was an easy decision for Abbas, “I love living in the rural United States. My children live in Lubbock, Texas, so I can go see them often.” He has four children ranging from ages 11 to 17; Adam, Noah, Mckaylah, and Isabelle.

When asked what his favorite part of Panhandle State is, he answered, “When students are in a bigger class setting, you cannot connect one-on-one with them. In order to have an excellent understanding of what is taught, there needs to be a good discussion in the classroom.” He went on to tell of the passion his students have for the subject by saying, “The students are eager to learn and are very respectful.”

Dean of College of Agriculture, Science, and Nursing, Shawna Tucker stated, “Dr. Abbas is a wonderful addition to the talented faculty in the Agriculture division. He is an excellent and rigorous instructor who truly cares about all of his students. He brings fresh ideas and perspectives to his classes and the College of Agriculture, Science, and Nursing. He is genuinely kind and a delight to work with.”

Abbas teaches several classes, including Ag Marketing, Ag Economics, Money and Banking, Studies in Ag, and Quantitative Methods in Ag. He spends countless hours studying economics to learn more about the topic. Dr. Michael Hudson is his role model, when talking about the study of economics.

Professor of AgEducation, Nels Peterson, commented, “I am extremely impressed by the amount of care Abbas shows for the students. He genuinely cares for them. That goes a long way when teaching.”

Abbas can be found either in the classroom, his office, or working out at the Noble Center. In his youth, he dabbled in professional soccer. While having a real passion for economics, he also expressed soccer being another interest of his. “I taught my son Adam, 17, how to play, and he is on his way to playing at the collegiate level. It is exciting to watch your children be so passionate about something like you were.”