Brian Whitacre

Brian Whitacre is a Professor and Jean & Patsy Neustadt Chair in the department of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University. Brian's main area of interest is rural economic development, with a focus on the role that technology can play. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, with most exploring the relationship between Internet access and rural development. He has developed innovative outreach programs that help small towns benefit from the Internet. Brian has won regional and national awards for his research, teaching, and extension programs. In 2025, he won OSU's Land Grant Award for exemplary contributions that promote the university's land grant mission.  

Dr. Whitacre earned B.S. degrees in mathematics and economics from the University of Mary Washington in 1998. He went on to study agricultural economics at Virginia Teach, earning a M.S. in 2003 and a Ph.D. in 2005. He has been at Oklahoma State University since 2006.

Research Interests:

Broadband Access and Effective Use
Information and Communications Technology
Rural Development
Rural Health