Lebenslauf 3

THOMAS J. VENUS
 PhD project
In my PhD project, I focus on the value chain efficiency - from the farm to the
consumer - of genetically modified (GM) food products. I use farm survey data to
analyze farmers’ cost of applying different coexistence measures to keep GM crops
separated from conventional and organic crops. At the processor level, I look at dairy
companies’ participation in implementing GM-free production standards. And at the
consumer side, I use a theoretical approach to analyze the welfare effects of
considering the difference in willingness-to-pay for GM-free goods under a voluntary
labeling policy and the willingness-to-accept GM products under a mandatory labeling
policy.
 Education
May 2015 - present
PhD, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
Continuing PhD (from 3rd year)
Oct 2013 – May 2105
PhD (1st and 2nd year), Technische Universität
München, Germany.
PhD focus: Value chain efficiency of the production of
genetically modified food products.
Oct 2011 - Jul 2013
M.Sc., Technische Universität München, Germany;
Field of research: Agricultural sciences
Focus: Agricultural economics and Agribusiness
Thesis title: “The role of farmers’ attitudes and cost of
coexistence measures in the decision for planting GM
maize in Germany”
Nov 2011 – Mai 2012
Short-term Scholar at the University of MissouriColumbia, USA;
- Preparation of PhD proposal and preparation of two
conference papers.
Research focus: Economic analysis of „GM-free“
dairy product labeling in Germany.
Oct 2006 – Sep 2010
M.Sc. (equ.), University of Applied Sciences
Weihenstephan, Germany;
Research
field:
Agricultural
Marketing
and
Management;
Thesis:
„Beschreibung
und
Beurteilung
des
wertorientierten
Steuerungssystems
im
BayWa
Konzern“
Oct 2003 – Jul 2005
College of Further Education, Schönbrunn, Germany;
Focus: Agriculture
 Work Experience
Mar 2015 – present
IAO, Research trainee, Agricultural Economics and
Rural Policy Group, Wageningen University.
May 2012 – Feb 2015
Research fellow, Chair group Agricultural and Food
Economics, Technische Universität München, Center of
Life Sciences Weihenstephan
- Research within the EU project PRICE (PRactical
Implementation of Coexistence in Europe):
Research in the field of coexistence between
genetically modified (gm) and non-gm food products
along the whole value chain. My focus is on
decision making of different agents.
- Preparing scientific papers for journal publishing.
- Teaching: “Life Science Economics and Policy”,
“Production economics”, and “Mathematics for
Economists”.
Feb 2013 - Nov 2014
External lecturer at the Management Center Innsbruck
(MCI). Three Block Seminars (one per semester):
“Introduction to agricultural Economics” to B.Sc.
students.
 Internship, Working student jobs
Aug 2011 – Nov 2011
Student Assistant, TUM, WZW, Chair Agricultural and
Food Economics;
- Investigation of the German milk market and its
connection to GM-free labeling.
- Project oriented application of research methods.
Feb 2011 – Nov 2011
Working student, Controlling department of Allgäuland
Käsereien GmbH, Germany;
- Developing
sales-analysis
tool
for
targetperformance comparisons.
- Teaching of employees to use the analysis tool.
Mrz 2011 – Jul 2011
Research Assistant, Futuragrar, Italy;
- Coordinating and conducting a scientific study:
„Comparison of Bt and non-Bt maize cultivation: a
case study of maize producers from Italy, Spain and
Germany”
Mrz 2011 – Jun 2011
Research project, TUM and Mövenpick Hotel &
Resorts, Hotel München-Airport, Hallbergmoos,
Germany;
- Economics and energy efficiency analysis as well
as potential CO2-reduction of ventilation system
with heat recovery.
- Contribution for the hotel to get the Green Globe
Certificate for sustainability.
Apr 2010 – Apr 2011
Working student, KETEK GmbH, Munich, Germany;
- Supporting quality management.
-
Programming and restructuring company-intern
intranet.
Aug 2010 – Oct 2010
Internship, Allgäuland Käsereien GmbH, Controlling,
Wangen im Allgäu, Germany;
- Leading a sub-project to restructure buisiness
processes.
- Operative support of the integration of a subsidiary
company and streamlining of product range.
- Supporting the implementation of software system
FELIX.
Sep 2009 – Oct 2009
Internship, BayWa Agrar, Unterstrogen, Germany;
- Insight in operational side of the business.
- Insight in accounts payable department.
Apr 2009 – Aug 2009
Internship, BayWa headquarters, Central Controlling,
Munich, Germany;
- Project: Implementation of value-centered planning
and control system.
- Preparing a corporate strategic planning simulation.
Aug 2008 – Okt 2008
Vacation job, hop
Wolnzach, Germany.
Okt 2007 – Dez 2007
Internship, breeding sow enterprise, Aarhus, Denmark.
Aug 2007 – Okt 2007
Internship,
breeding
sow
Martin Wimmer, Landshut, Germany.
Mai 2006 – Sep 2006
Vacation job, scaffolding,
Haarbach, Germany.
Sep 2005 – Mai 2006
Internship, arable farming
Agriventure Agentcy.
certifier,
hop
association,
Konrad
in
Western
enterprise,
Probsteder,
Australia,
 Other skills
Language
German (Mother tongue), English (fluent speaking and
wriging skills)
Computer:
MS Office: Excel, Access, Dynamics (NAV), Word,
Powerpoint
Programming und Statistic packages: R, EVIEWS,
Stata (basics), Python (basics)
Other Software: SAP, FELIX, Media Wiki
 Awards
Jun 2014
Award for “Best PhD Student Presentation, Silver” at
the 18th ICABR Conference, Nairobi, Kenia.
Scientific paper and presentations
 Paper (peer reviewed)
Punt, M., Venus, T. & Wesseler, J. (forthcoming): The Costs of Coexistence of Farms
in Germany. AgBioForum, Special Issue, 2014.
Venus, T, Kalaitzandonakes, N. & Wesseler, J. (2012): Ist das Angebot von
Nahrungsmitteln “Ohne Gentechnik” wirtschaftlich Nachhaltig? Vierteljahreshefte zur
Wirtschaftsforschung. Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung. 81. Jahrgang.
04/2012.
 Paper (not peer-reviewed) and public media
Venus, T. & Wesseler, J. (2012): Wieso produzieren „nur“ manche Molkereien „ohne
Gentechnik“? Deutsche Molkerei Zeitung 133(22): 32-34.
Venus, T. & Wesseler, J. (2012): Bereits doppelt so viel „ohne Gentechnik“- Milch als
Biomilch in Deutschland: Welche Bedeutung hat GVO-freie Milch für unsere
Milchwirtschaft? Deutsche Molkerei Zeitung 133(2): 24-26.
 Book chapters
Venus, T., Kalaitzandonakes, N. & Wesseler, J. (forthcoming): Lessons from EU
voluntary labeling for GM-free processed food products. In: Handbook on
Coexistence. Editors: Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes, Peter Phillips, Stuart Smyth, Justus
Wesseler.
 Seminars and Conference presentations
Venus, T., Punt, M., Wesseler, J. (2014) Dairies Investment Decisions in Voluntary
GM-free labeling standards in Germany, ICABR Conference, Nairobi, Kenia, June 17
– 20, 2014.
Venus, T., Punt, M., Wesseler, J. (2013) The role of farmers’ cost of coexistence
measures for planting GM maize in Germany, GMCC-13 Conference, Lisbon,
Portugal, November 14, 2013.
Workshop for agricultural price development and risk management: „Rohstofflieferant
oder Werterzeuger – Wie können wir Landwirte unseren Einfluss auf die
Wertschöpfungskette erhöhen?“, Evangelisches Tagungs- und Bildungszentrum,
January 9, 2013, Bad Alexandersbad, Germany.
Venus, T., Kalaitzandonakes, N. & Wesseler, J. (2012). Voluntary Labels for GMOfree Animal Products in Germany: Market Development and Market Structure, 16th
ICABR Conference, Ravello, Italien, June 23, 2012.
Venus, T., Kalaitzandonakes, N. & Wesseler, J. (2012). Mislabeling of GMO-free
animal products and its effects on the economic sustainability of voluntary labeled
products, 130th EAAE Seminar, SLU, Uppsala, Sweden, August 31, 2012.
Wageningen, 04.06.2015
Thomas Venus

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