About Grand Challenges Scholars

The Collaborative

The Collaborative is a team of honors deans and directors from across the nation who have a shared passion for advancing higher education and workforce development through innovative honors educational pedagogies. The Collaborative joined forces with food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences experts to develop The Justice Challenge, which launched on Dec. 15, 2022.

Collaborative Partners

College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences

Affiliations

Scholarly Endeavors of The Collaborative
Peer-Reviewed Articles
  • Bott, R.C., Kotinek, J., Nichols. T., Appel, H., Radasanu, R., Hart, J.L. (2025). Applications of systems thinking in honors education: The Justice Challenge. Submitted to Honors in Practice.
  • Hart, J.L., Bryk, M., Fine, L., Kotinek, J., Bott-Knutson, R.C. (2025). Reacting to the past as a leadership pedagogy tool. Journal of Leadership Education.
  • Nichols, T.J., Bott, R.C., Hart, J.L., Radasanu, A., Kotinek, J., Garbutt, K., Appel, H., Bastian, G.E. and Budowle, R. (2025). Transdisciplinary experience engages students in wicked problem of food justice. NACTA Journal, 69(1). DOI:10.56103/nactaj.v69i1.258
  • Hart, J.L., Radasanu, A., Nichols, T., Bott-Knutson, R.C., Kotinek, J. (2024). From individuals to neighbors: Growth through embracing positionality. Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council. 25(1).
  • Bott-Knutson, R.C., Hart, J., Appel, H., Kotinek, J., Knox, P., Ziegler, W., Roberts, D., Radasanu, A., Nichols, T., Fine, L. (2023). Simul fortior: The rise of an honors collaborative and The Justice Challenge. Journal of the European Honors Council. 6(2):5.
  • Hart, J.L., Bott鈥怟nutson, R.C., Appel, H., Kotinek, J., Knox, P., Ziegler, W. (2023). Pedagogy of engagement, innovation and reflection: Hackathons in honors education. In Honors in Practice. 19:125-28.
  • Kotinek, J., Bott鈥怟nutson, R.C., Fine, L.E., Hart, J.L., Ziegler, W., Knox, P., Nichols, T., Sumner, S., Appel, H., Andersen, M.C., Bryk, M., Radasanu, A., Cassady, J., Garbutt, K. (2023). The Justice Challenge: Honors endeavors innovative pedagogies through the Grand Challenge Scholars Program. In Honors in Practice. 19:121-24.
  • Radasanu, R., Bott-Knutson, R.C., Fine, L.E., Kotinek, J., Hart, J.L., Nichols, T., Appel, H., Roberts, D.M., Knox, P., Ziegler, W. (2023). A relational model for honors education: From contagion to permeability. 2023. Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council. 24:47-62.
  • Ziegler, W., Appel, H., Bott-Knutson, R.C., Radasanu, A., Hart, J.L., Knox, P., Keen, R., Kotinek, J., Andersen, M. (2023). Honors education: A natural laboratory for interdisciplinary exploration of the arts, humanities, social sciences and education. Proceedings of the International Conference on Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • Bott-Knutson, R.C., Larson, B., Van Heek, N., Nichols, T. and Stluka, S. (2019). Community partnerships help undergraduate students to meet the 鈥榞rand challenges鈥 of today. Collaborations Journal. 2(1), 1-7.
  • Nichols, T., Larson, B., Stluka, S., Van Heek, N. and Bott-Knutson, R.C. (2019). Honors collaborates to meet the Grand Challenges. NACTA Journal. 63, 282-287.
Monograph Chapters
  • Bott-Knutson, R.C., Kotinek, J., Appel, H., Hart, J.L., Knox, P., Radasanu, A., Roberts, D.M., Nichols, T., Fine, L., Ziegler, W., Bryk, M., Sumner, S., Cordingley, K., Bastian, G.E., Budowle, R., Roerig, N., Stroud, A. and Garbutt, K. (2025). An edifying honors collaborative. Honors and Faculty Development, edited by J. Zubizarreta and V. M. Bryan (Eds.), National Collegiate Honors Council.
  • Bott-Knutson, R.C., O鈥橪eary, S., Breuninger, S., Youmans, K.D., Chamberlain, J. and Nowinski, S. (2025). A critical role for an honors community of practice. Honors and Faculty Development, edited by J. Zubizarreta and V.M. Bryan (Eds.), National Collegiate Honors Council.
  • Hart, J.L., Bott-Knutson, R.C., Appel, H., Kotinek, J., Knox, P., Sumner, S., Roerig, N., Ziegler, W. and Fine, L.E. (2025). Hacking through the Silos: Honors faculty development. Honors and Faculty Development, edited by J. Zubizarreta and V. M. Bryan (Eds.), National Collegiate Honors Council.
  • Appel, H., Bott鈥怟nutson, R., Hart, J., Knox, P., Radasanu, A., Fine, L., Nichols, T., Roberts, D., Garbutt, K., Ziegler, W., Kotinek, J., Cooke, K., Keen, R., Anderson, M., Kapur, J. (2023). Teaching and learning in the fourth space: Preparing scholars to engage in solving community problems. In Honors Colleges in the 21st Century: Opportunities and Challenges, edited by Richard Badenhausen, National Collegiate Honors Council.
  • Bott-Knutson, R.C., Kotinek, J., Appel, H., Hart, J.L., Knox, P., Radasanu, A., Roberts, D.M., Nichols, T., Fine, L., Ziegler, W., Bryk, M., Sumner, S., Budowle, R., Cordingley, K., Bastian, G.E., Roerig, N., Stroud, A., Garbutt, K. (2024). An edifying honors collaborative. Accepted for publication in J. Zubizarreta and V. M. Bryan (Eds.), Honors and Faculty Development. National Collegiate Honors Council.
  • Hart, J.L., Bott-Knutson, R.C., Appel, H., Kotinek, J., Knox, P., Sumner, S., Roerig, N., Ziegler, W., Fine, L.E. (2024). Hacking through the Silos: Honors faculty development. Accepted for publication in Honors and Faculty Development, edited by J. Zubizarreta and V. M. Bryan (Eds.), National Collegiate Honors Council.
  • Parolin, P., Nichols, T.J., Skinner, D. and Bott-Knutson, R.C. (2023). The role of the honors dean in the future of honors education. Honors Colleges in the 21st Century, edited by Richard Badenhausen, National Collegiate Honors Council, (pp. 155-79).
Professional Presentations
  • Bott, R.C. (2025). The Justice Challenge: Elucidate, equip, empower. Abstract will be presented at the Venice City Symposium, Venice, Italy.
  • Appel, H., Radasanu, A., Cordingley, K. and Budowle, R. Partnership and collaboration in community-engaged learning. Workshop presented at the 2025 National Collegiate Honors Council Annual Conference. San Diego, CA.
  • Belcher, S., Campbell, C., Hart, J.L., Hernandez, A., Jaikumar, G., Karimi, I., Konshak, M., Limbong, H., Nagarajan, D. and Wu, L. (February 2025). Addressing wicked problems through systems thinking: Honors students and The Justice Challenge. Paper presented at Kentucky Honors Roundtable, Louisville, Kentucky.
  • Wu, L., Nagarajan, D., Konshak, M., Jaikumar, G., Hart, JL., Causey, A. and Belcher, S. (March 2025). Transforming the plot of wicked problems: Our story of systems thinking in The Justice Challenge. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southern Regional Honors Council, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
  • Budowle, R., Niewolny, K. and Demko, B. (2025). A design challenge course supports student food security and justice. Poster presented at Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, Blacksburg, Virginia.
  • Nichols, T., Bott-Knutson, R.C. and McDonough, P. (2025). How students across the nation engage grand challenges of climate justice. Abstract will be presented at the annual meeting of the 2025 National Collegiate Honors Council, San Diego, California.
  • Bott-Knutson, R., Hart, J. L., Garbutt, K., Radasanu, A., Nichols, T. J., Appel, H., Cooke, K. and Anderson, M. (2024). Elevating honors education through systems thinking: Applications in community engagement, self-studies and strategic thinking. Presented at the annual meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Kansas City, Missouri.
  • Radasanu, A., Appel, H., Bott-Knutson, R., Hart, J.L. and Nichols, T. (May 2024). Making honors more permeable: From contagion to permeability. Presented at the Biennial Honors Education at Research Universities Conference, Lexington, Kentucky.
  • Nichols, T. J., Bott-Knutson, R., Hart, J. L. and Kotinek, J.  (Oct. 30-Nov. 3, 2024). A national honors endeavor to address food justice. Presented at the annual meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Kansas City, Missouri.
  • Bott-Knutson, R., Roerig, N., Spreng, J., Rosenau, K. and Khuu, N. (April 2024). Honors education redefined: The Justice Challenge experience. Presented at the Upper Midwest Regional Honors Conference, Dubuque, Iowa.
  • Bott-Knutson, R., Nichols, T., Hickman, K., Appel, H., Hart, J., Kotinek, J., Ziegler, W., Garbutt, K., Radasanu, A., Knox, P. and Roberts, D. (June 2023). Leveraging honors education in food, climate and sustainable agriculture via The Justice Challenge. Presented at the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Annual Conference, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
  • Hart, J., Bott-Knutson, R., Radasanu, A., Roerig, N. and Ziegler, B. (2023). Just food: Honors hackathons to develop transdisciplinary team-oriented skills toward equity (conference session). Presented at the 58th National Collegiate Honors Council Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. The group was joined by 3 Justice Challenge participants from the University of Louisville, 1 from 日本av视频, and 1 from Northern Illinois University.
  • Nichols, T., Bott-Knutson, R.C., Radasanu, A., Kotinek, J. and Roberts, D. (2023). Engage breakfast: The Justice Challenge. Presented at the 58th National Collegiate Honors Council Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois.
  • Roerig, N. and Eide, H. (2023). The Justice Challenge: Let鈥檚 change the world! (conference session). Presented at the second annual South Dakota Honors Showcase, Madison, South Dakota.
  • Ziegler, W., Appel, H., Bott-Knutson, R.C., Radasanu, A., Hart, J.L., Knox, P., Keen, R., Kotinek, J., Andersen, M. (2023). Honors education: A natural laboratory for interdisciplinary exploration of the arts, humanities, social sciences and education. Presented at the International Conference on Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • Bott-Knutson, R.C., Appel, H., Hart, J., Kotinek, J., Ziegler, W., Garbutt, K., Radasanu, A., Knox, P., Roberts, D., Keen, R., Anderson, M., Cooke, K., Kapur, J. and Nichols, T.J. (2022) The Justice Challenge: An honorable model. Presented at the 2022 Honors Education at Research Universities conference, Houston, Texas.
  • Bott-Knutson, R.C., Appel, A., Kotinek, J. and Ziegler, W. Amin Gutierrez de Pineres S. (2022). Beans to Beanstalks: Counting to cultivating. Presented at the 2022 Council of Honors Education annual meeting, Denver, Colorado.
  • Appel, H., Bott-Knutson, R.C., Hart, J., Keen, R., Kotinek, J., Nichols, T., Radasanu, A., Roberts, D. and Ziegler W. (2022). Honoring our communities: Lessons on engaging diverse honors cohorts. Presented at the 2022 annual meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Dallas, Texas.
  • Ziegler, W., Radasanu, A., Appel, H., Keen, R. (2022). Capstone on top of capstone: The honors dilemma. Presented at the Capstone Design Conference, Dallas, Texas.
  • Appel, H., Bott-Knutson, R.C., Garbutt, K., Nichols, T., Kotinek, J., Knox, P., Roberts, D., Ziegler, W., Andersen, M., Cooke, K., Hart, J., Kapur, J., Keen, R., Fine, L., Kadlecek, C., Radasanu, A. (2021). The rise of a nationwide collaborative of honors colleges and programs from public institutions. Presented at the annual meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Orlando, Florida.
  • Bott-Knutson, R.C., Appel, H., Anderson, M., Cooke, K., Fine, L., Garbutt, K., Hart, J., Kadlecek, C., Kapur, J., Keen, R., Knox, P., Kotinek, J., Nichols, T., Radasanu, A., Roberts, D. and Ziegler, B. (2021). The Justice Challenge: Engaging students in the future of food, climate and energy. Presented at the 2021 NSF Convergent Food Systems conference.
  • Kotinek, J., Appel, H., Ziegler, W., Roberts, D., Nichols, T. and Bott-Knutson, R.C. (2021). The rise of a nationwide collaborative of honors colleges and programs from public institutions. Presented at the 2021 NCHC conference.
Honors Education within Agricultural Science
  • Hansen, A., Nold, R.A., Kutzke, K., Bott-Knutson, R.C. and Djira, G. (2021). Early exposure to an honors course yields retention of agricultural majors in honors. NACTA Journal. 65: 460-464.
  • Kutzke, K.L., Nold, R.A., Gonda, M.G., Hansen, A.M. and Bott-Knutson, R.C. (2020). Student perception and affinity: Establishment of an institutional framework for the examination of underrepresented programs such as agriculture in honors. Journal of the National Collegiate Honors. 21: 95-116.
  • Bott-Knutson, R.C., Larson, B., Van Heek, N., Nichols, T. and Stluka, S. (2019). Community partnerships help undergraduate students to meet the 'grand challenges' of today. Collaborations Journal. 2(1): 1-7.
  • Nichols, T., Larson, B., Stluka, S., Van Heek, N. and Bott-Knutson, R.C. (2019). Honors collaborates to meet the grand challenges. NACTA Journal. 63: 282-287.

Grand Challenges Scholars History

The Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College received U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture funding to launch a campuswide approach to 鈥渕eeting the grand challenges,鈥 as outlined by the USDA.

This project originated in 2013 under the leadership of Timothy Nichols, then-dean. In 2016, Rebecca Bott-Knutson succeeded Nichols as dean of the Honors College. The pair collaboratively led the project to a successful conclusion in 2017. Since the conclusion of the project in 2017, 日本av视频 has continued to lead the way in the exploration of honors education within agricultural sciences.

Honors innovation in the food, agricultural, natural and human sciences has continued evolve, particularly upon the establishment of The Collaborative in 2021.

The Collaborative is a subset of the members of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities鈥 Council on Honors Education Student Opportunities Committee 鈥 a team of honors deans and directors from 14 universities from across the nation who have a shared passion for advancing higher education and workforce development through innovative honors educational pedagogies.

The Collaborative joined forces with food, agricultural, natural and human sciences experts to develop The Justice Challenge, which launched on Dec. 15, 2022.