Biography

Dr Tewari is an experienced educator and researcher with a strong background in agricultural economics, specializing in graduate and undergraduate teaching across farm business management, agricultural marketing, strategic management, risk analysis, and international agriculture. With demonstrated expertise in distance education and student research advising, Dr. Tewari has developed innovative courses for both in-person and online delivery, including new offerings on value chain management, sustainability issues in agriculture, and climate literacy. She also coaches student teams for regional and national agribusiness competitions and mentors applied economic research at undergraduate and graduate levels across multiple institutions.

Dr. Tewari’s current research focuses on the sustainability of small farms, marketing of local produce, and international agricultural development. She also has a keen interest in agribusiness entrepreneurship and small business development initiatives. A strong research portfolio in the scholarship of teaching and learning complements her passion for enhancing the student learning experience through creative pedagogical approaches.

Having worked across academic institutions, research agencies, and financial institutions, Dr. Tewari brings a broad skill set that includes business data analysis, financial product development in agribusiness, strategic research, and impact evaluation. Known for fostering cross-institutional collaborations, she thrives in collaborative environments and enjoys leading interdisciplinary research both nationally and globally.

Education

  • Ph.D. Agricultural and Applied Economics (2013), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
  • Master of Science. Agricultural Business and Economics (2010), West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX
  • Master of Business Administration (2007), Symbiosis International University, Pune, India
  • Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (2004), Acharya N.G Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad, India

Awards & Recognitions

  • Nominee Honoree: Excel in All We Do category, University of Tennessee President’s Awards, 2024, 2025
  • Campus Sustainability Award, UT Martin Center for Sustainability, University of Tennessee Martin, 2023
  • Featured Faculty Scholar Honor, University of Tennessee Martin, 2022
  • James R. Cunningham Outstanding Teacher/Scholar Award, University of Tennessee Martin, 2020
  • Hardy Graham Distinguished Professorship, University of Tennessee Martin, 2015-2018

Courses Taught

  • AGEC 271 Farm and Ranch Management, AGEC 371/372 Advanced Farm and Ranch Management and Lab
  • AGEC 364 Agricultural Marketing, AGEC 471 Agribusiness Management
  • AGRI 295 International Food and Fiber Systems, AGRI 250 Alternative Issues in Agriculture
  • AGEC 312 Value Chain Management in Food and Agribusiness, AGEC 401 Research Participation
  • AGEC 751 Strategic Management Issues in Agriculture, AGEC 750 Agricultural Risk Analysis and Decision Making

Selected Publications, Articles & Presentations

  • Tewari, R., M. Miller Foster, E. Sanchez, D. Foster, I. Lepcha, E. Pelren, B. Wolters, S. Dunagan and J. Mehlhorn (2025). Embedded courses as collaborative pedagogical tools: fostering sustainability and global engagement in higher education. Selected presentation at the 9th International Academic Conference on Education. University of Zurich, Switzerland. July 4-6.
  • Tewari, R., N. Zuo, M. Bampasidou, A. Delmond, L. Hu, T. McCarty, J. Mehlhorn, S. Parrott, J. Penn, R. Pruitt and C. Schroeter (2024). Innovate to Lead: Curriculum Innovations to Meet Students’ Needs in Applied Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Programs. Applied Economics Teaching Resources. Vol 6 (October).
  • Brown, R., J. Clark and R. Tewari (2024). We Need to Talk About Curriculum Innovation. Applied Economics Teaching Resources. 6 (1).
  • Tewari, R., N. Zuo, J. Mehlhorn and M. Bampasidou (2024). Learning by the Hour: Student perceptions on single-credit-hour agribusiness and agricultural economics courses. Journal of Agribusiness. 40 (1) 83-97 (Spring 2022), chronologically published Fall 2024.
  • Kandanool, D., R. Tewari, S. Green and J. Massey (2024). Evaluating Economic Costs and Benefits of Winter Cover Crop Adoption in Arkansas Furrow-Irrigated Rice – Soybean Rotation. Journal of Agribusiness. 40 (1) 17-45 (Spring 2022), chronologically published Fall 2024.
  • Tewari, R. (PI), I. Lepcha., D. Foster, M. Miller Foster., E. Pelren., E. Sanchez., B. Wolters., S. Dunagan., J. Mehlhorn and W. Bird. Empowering small farmers and agriculture students: FSAS (Farmers’ School for Agricultural Sustainability) and Experiential Learning Programs. Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) Program, USDA, NIFA, August 2022. $299,932.
Areas of Expertise
Agricultural economics
Agribusiness
Farm management
Water policy
Impact evaluation
Departments
Department of Agriculture, Geoscience, and Natural Resources
Office
265 Brehm Hall