Professor Shively conducts nationally and internationally recognized research on agriculture, the environment, and natural resource management. His research focuses on the links among poverty, land use, and natural resource management in developing regions of the world. His interests also include the environmental and distributional implications of sector-specific and macroeconomic policies, and dynamic models of investment and portfolio choice. Prof. Shively's international experience includes work in numerous African and Asian countries. He is the author of more than 50 articles, books and book chapters and currently serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal Agricultural Economics.

Prof. Shively has been designated a University Faculty Scholar and is the 2007 recipient of Purdue’s Agricultural Research Award.