Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences Our target audiences for the current period varied by objective. Objective 1: Develop a series of interdisciplinary honors courses around USDA priority need areas. This objective targeted the Honors student population. Objective 2: Support interdisciplinary undergraduate research. This objective targeted the final undergraduate student who completed their final report. (All others completed their final report in the previous report cycle). Objective 3: Develop undergraduate student interns who will work with partners to deliver non-formal educational programs to underserved youth populations. This objective targeted the Honors student population. Objective 4: Provide foundational faculty development opportunities emphasizing systems thinking. This objective targeted the faculty. This objective also targeted a broader, public audience through the posting of information on the Honors website. Therefore, teachers and professors from any institutions may implement the course designs. Objective 5: Develop and award participating students 'grand challenges scholar' designation for completion of two of the courses and experiential learning activities above. This objective targeted the Honors student population Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This was described in the accomplishements section under Goal 4. Objective 4: Provide foundational faculty development opportunities emphasizing systems thinking. To prepare instructors, students, researchers, and outreach professionals to effectively execute the project, systems thinking workshops that emphasized high-impact Honors instructional strategies were created. These workshops were designed to provide guidance on how to apply systems thinking principles to the Grand Challenges. During the summer/winter breaks an expert facilitator led three-day "Systems-Thinking" workshops where participants considered systems-approaches to problem planning and problem solving in a variety of contexts including a model UN scenario on climate change. Some thirty faculty and students participated in each workshop. This workshop was offered three times. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The data obtained and lessons learned from this grant were disseminated at four regional and national conferences including: The National Collegiate Honors Council Annual Conference (2015) The Upper Midwest Regional Honors Conference (2015) The National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (2015, 2017) Additionally, we have disseminated our work through SDSU Extension, local media, and through the twitter hashtag: #honorsgrandchallenges. Manuscripts detailing the activities and acknowledging NIFA funding have been submitted to the Collaborations Journal as well as the NACTA Journal. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Through implementation of the "Meeting the Grand Challenge" program, the number of talented, motivated, educated students well equipped to address the multifaceted Grand Challenges substantially increased. Hundreds of students were able to enhance their understanding and active participation surrounding these important issues. Through faculty development and mentoring, members of the faculty were able to improve engagement across disciplines and functions (i.e. teaching, research, outreach) with the Grand Challenges. Honors pedagogical approaches, systems thinking, and diverse learning opportunities were successfully integrated into colloquium, student research, and outreach internship experiences. Objective 1: Develop a series of interdisciplinary honors courses around USDA priority need areas. 100% Accomplished Syllabi and materials for seven new three-credit upper division interdisciplinary courses in Honors were created. These courses were based on the topics of climate change, sustainable energy, food safety, hunger/food security, obesity, and global agriculture. Approximately 16 faculty instructors (some of whom had not previously taught honors courses) from the Colleges of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Education and Human Sciences, and Engineering were recruited to teach the courses. A total of 155 honors students were enrolled in the listed courses from spring of 2014 to fall of 2017. The syllabi from these courses are available on our website so that they may be incorporated into other programs across the nation and beyond. Colloquium Title: Energy: Present Realities, Future Possibilities. Semester and Year offered: Fall 2014 (Participants: 18 Students, 9 Faculty) and 2016 (Participants: 12 Students, 4 Faculty). Partnering Colleges: Agriculture & Biological Sciences, Arts & Sciences, Engineering, Honors. Priority Area: Sustainable Energy. Colloquium Title: Meeting the Grand Challenges. Semester and Year offered: Fall 2015 (Participants: 24 Students, 3 Faculty). Partnering Colleges: Agriculture & Biological Sciences, Arts & Sciences, and Honors. Priority Area: Food Security, Sustainable Energy, Climate Change, Food Safety, Obesity. Colloquium Title: The Wicked Problem of Land Conservation. Semester and Year offered: Fall 2016 (Participants: 10 Students, 2 Faculty). Partnering Colleges: Agriculture &Biological Sciences and Arts & Sciences. Priority Areas: Sustainable Energy. Colloquium Title: Food. Semester and Year offered: Fall 2016 (Participants: 30 students 1 Faculty). Partnering Colleges: Education & Human Sciences. Priority Area: Agriculture and Leadership Colloquium Title: Food Safety: Farm to Table. Semester and Year Offered: Fall 2017 (Participants: 14 Students 3 Faculty)/ Partnering Colleges: Agriculture & Biological Sciences). Priority Area: Food Safety Objective 2: Support interdisciplinary undergraduate research. 100% Accomplished. An annual call for original undergraduate research proposals was distributed to the campus community. Students identified faculty mentors and then developed proposals to apply for research funding on topics related to the Grand Challenges. Top proposals received funding in the form of stipends to be used to support student research efforts during the summer months. Faculty mentors matched these funds with additional research support. Each student awardee was required to enroll in one credit of undergraduate research or Honors independent study during the timeframe of their research, to submit a progress report at the conclusion of the summer, and to present their findings at the SDSU Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Day and/or a regional or national professional meeting. Stipends were paid to students in two installments, at the beginning of the summer term, and upon receipt of an end of term progress report. In addition, Project funds were available to support student travel related to their research and to help produce their research posters. Over the span of three years, 22 undergraduate research stipends ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 were awarded. This wide range of projects reflects topics from education and nutrition to climate science, geographical information systems, molecular biology, and sustainable energy. Over $70,000 has been awarded to support these projects and have been dispersed to honors students and faculty from five of our six degree-granting academic colleges at SDSU. With additional support from other funding sources, some students have been given the opportunity to engage in year-long/multi-year research experiences. Objective 3: Develop undergraduate student interns who will work with partners to deliver non-formal educational programs to underserved youth populations. 100% Accomplished. Six undergraduate student interns were recruited and trained to deliver non-formal educational programs that addressed the USDA priority need areas (see table below). The community outreach internships were conducted in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of Brookings, Yankton, Wagner, Marty, and Flandreau South Dakota as well as SDSU Extension. The outreach component of the Grand Challenges allowed for the project to reach more than 1,000 youth ranging from preschool to high school aged students. The role of the interns was to create, execute, and assess a series of experiential learning activities for youth that translated grand challenge lessons learned through the college students' coursework and research to this broader audience of youth, and to further the Honors College goal of deepening its engagement in the community. Student Outreach Topic Areas by Age Group: Age Group: 5-9 Years. Priority Area: Climate Change, Food Security, Childhood, Obesity, Bioenergy Age Group: 6-8 Years. Priority Area: Water, Childhood Obesity, Food Safety, Food Security Age Group: 9-10 Years. Priority Area: Bioenergy, Childhood Obesity, Food Safety, Food Security Age Group: Teens. Priority Area: Food Security, Childhood Obesity, Food Safety, Bioenergy, Water, Climate Change. Objective 4: Provide foundational faculty development opportunities emphasizing systems thinking. 100% Accomplished. To prepare instructors, students, researchers, and outreach professionals to effectively execute the project, systems thinking workshops that emphasized high-impact Honors instructional strategies were created. These workshops were designed to provide guidance on how to apply systems thinking principles to the Grand Challenges. During the summer/winter breaks an expert facilitator led three-day "Systems-Thinking" workshops where participants considered systems-approaches to problem planning and problem solving in a variety of contexts including a model UN scenario on climate change. Some thirty faculty and students participated in each workshop. This workshop was offered three times. Objective 5: Develop and award participating students 'grand challenges scholar' designation for completion of two of the courses and experiential learning activities above. 100% Accomplished. Students who complete two of the courses and experiential learning activities may request to be recognized with the 'grand challenges scholar' designation at the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College annual medallion ceremony for honors graduates. Six students participated as community outreach interns, 22 participated in research related to the grand challenges, and 133 participated in colloquium. To date, three students have achieved the grand challenges scholar designation.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Bott-Knutson RC, Larson B, Van Heek N, Nichols T, Stluka S. Community Partnerships Help Undergraduate Students to Meet the Grand Challenges of Today. Submitted to Collaborations Journal.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Nichols T, Larson B, Stluka S, Van Heek N, Bott-Knutson RC. Honors Collaborates to Meet the Grand Challenges. Submitted to the NACTA Journal.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
https://www.sdstate.edu/van-d-and-barbara-b-fishback-honors/usda-higher-education-challenge-grant
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Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audiences for the current period vary by goal. Goal 1: Interdisciplinary Honors courses designed to address the Grand Challenges targetted the Honors student population. Goal 2:Meeting the Grand Challenges Research awards have directly impacted undergraduate researchers and their mentors, plus our secondary audience of team members within the labs and audiences duirng dissemination. Goal 3Grand Challanges Youth Outreach internships has directly impacted our four undergraduate interns as well as the youth participating in the Brookings Boys and Girls Club where the Grand Challenges curriculum was designed and implemented by our interns. Indirect audiences include families of the youths as well as the staff at the Brookings BGC. Changes/Problems:We requested (and received)a 1-year NCE for the following reasons: Our team is sought approval of a one year, no-cost extension to extend the end date of the project to August 30, 2018 and allow approximately $10,000 to be carried over to support one additional year of work. We will package key deliverables for dissemination, as well as writing SDSU ExtensioniGrow.org articles on the outcomes. Our team has worked diligently to provide a strong, innovative HEC program within the Fishback Honors College, but unfortunately, we encountered some major staff changes, including a change in the project director and departure of a graduate assistant that occurred unexpectedly leading into and during this final fiscal year, respectively. As such, we are requesting this no-cost extension in order to complete the activities that we had proposed to implement during this final year, but were unable to accomplish due to unforeseen and unexepected delays. While we worked diligently to assign a small percentage of graduate assistant to provide coverage to this project, this student had to resign earlier than expected due to her internship start date being moved forward. If given the opportunity to extend our funding end date, we will be able to secure a percentage of a new graduate student to lead the work on our remaining objectives. On the subsequent pages of this request, you will find each project goal listed with a summary of the work remaining. Goal 1: Develop a series of inter-disciplinary Honors Colloquia (classes) around the USDA priority need areas of: food security and hunger, sustainable energy, childhood obesity, climate change and food safety. Work Remaining: We have successfully developed and implementedsix colloquia related to the Grand Challenges. Products from these courses are needed to satisfy the our deliverable of a website with instructional materials from all five challenge areas. Goal 2: Support interdisciplinary undergraduate research experiences for teams of students around the USDA priority areas. Work Remaining:Six studentscompleted their summer research projects, and have submitted final reports within the original project end date of 8-31-17. One additional student requested a project extension and is in the process of completing his final report. Goal 3: Develop a cadre of undergraduate student interns who will work with community partners to develop educational programs related to the grand challenges. Work Remaining: This goal has been accomplished. Goal 4: Provide foundational faculty development opportunities that will prepare and support teachers, researchers, and outreach professionals to effectively execute the project. Work Remaining: None. We have fulfilled this goal through supporting the development of outreach, and course development as well as hosting a professional development opportunity on systems dynamics for 25 faculty and students. Goal 5: Assess and leverage lessons learned and disseminate results to a broader audience. Work Remaining: We have disseminated our accomplishments thus far at the NACTA meetings in 2016 and 2017. However, we still need to compile lessons learned and course products on our website. PD Bott's effort will be maintained at the current level for the year ahead. Additionally, we will hire 1-2 part-time graduate assistants to contribute to the development of website and disseminations materials. We request a transfer of the remaining supplies and grants funds as well as $1000 from benefits ($8030.84) be transferred to salaries. While the colloquium-related supplies cost less than expected, we do need hourly support in the form of graduate assistants to fulfill our remaining grant-related obligations. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?See description of courses above. In addition,two faculty members includingInterim Dean of Honors Rebecca Bott-Knutson and Suzanne Stluka from dieteticsparticipated in a professional development opportunity by attending the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture annual conference in late June. One of the Youth Outreach Interns, Rachel Landmark-dietetics major,joined them and presented on her experience teaching Grand Challenges at the Boys and Girls Club. The Project Director participated in the summer Project Director's Meeting in West Lafayette. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been disseminated annually at the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Annual Conference. Additionally, project partners are working to develop three manuscripts to more broadly disseminate our findings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Goal 1: Develop a series of inter-disciplinary Honors Colloquia (courses) around the USDA priority need areas. This goal is complete. Goal 2: Support interdisciplinary undergraduate research experiences for teams of students around the USDA priority areas.Host the 2017 research award recipients to present their research at a campus-wide research celebration and at regional conferences. Goal 3: Develop a cadre of undergraduate student interns who will work with community partners to develop educational programs related to the grand challenges. We have completed our formal internship program, and will be focussing on new ways to continue to fund these important internships. Goal 4: Provide foundational faculty development opportunities that will prepare and support teachers, researchers, and outreach professionals to effectively execute the project. This goal was accomplished in previous reporting periods, although we will be hosting an additional faculty development workshop on the mentorship of undergraduate research. Goal 5: Assess and leverage lessons learned and disseminate results to a broader adience. Publish results collected from the Youth Outreach Internships.Explore and develop project sustainability through curriculum planning and fundraising. Make products available on the Honors website. Thoughtfully capture project impacts in a final report and a flagship publication. Submit a total of 3 manuscripts summarizing project outcomes.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We have made major progress towards towards four of our goals in the past year. Goal 1: Develop a series of inter-disciplinary Honors Colloquia (courses) around the USDA priority need areas. 100% accomplished. Interdisiplinary Honors courses have been offered in the following areas: Food, Energy, Meeting the Grand Challenges, The Global Ecosystem, and The Land. Additionally, two new courses were developed andwere be offered in fall 2017: Food Safety: Farm to Table, and The Propinquity of Humans and Animals. Goal 2: Support interdisciplinary undergraduate research experiences for teams of students around the USDA priority areas.100% accomplsihed. Invite the 2017 research award recipients to present their research at a campus-wide research celebration and at regional conferences. All seven 2017 research award recipients have been extended an invitation to present their research campus-wide. One has done already, and the rest are scheduled for a spring event. Goal 3: Develop a cadre of undergraduate student interns who will work with community partners to develop educational programs related to the grand challenges. 100% accomplished. We have completed our formal internship program, and willbe focusing on new ways to continue to fund these important internships. Goal 4: Provide foundational faculty development opportunities that will prepare and support teachers, researchers, and outreach professionals to effectively execute the project. 100% complete. This goal was accomplished in previous reporting periods. Although we accomplished this goal in a previous reporting period, we are continuing this important work. We will be hosting an undergraduate research mentorship workshop for faculty partners in January, 2018. Goal 5: Assess and leverage lessons learned and disseminate results to a broader adience. (50% accomplished). Publish results collected from the Youth Outreach Internships.Explore and develop project sustainability through curriculum planning and fundraising. Make products available on the Honors website. Thoughtfully capture project impacts in a final report and a flagship publication. Submit a total of 3 manuscripts summarizing project outcomes. We have disseminated our findings at two national meetings. We are currently drafting three manuscripts and will be developing our information to be shared on a public website.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Stluka, Suzanne, Landmark, Rachel, Nichols, Timothy, and Bott-Knutson, Rebecca (2017). 'Meet the Grand Challenges: Undergraduates Embrace Land Grant Mission.' General Session. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture. June 28-July 2. Purdue University.
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Progress 09/01/15 to 08/31/16
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached by our efforts during this reporting period included SDSU faculty (course instructors and research mentors), students enrolled in interdisciplinary courses, students engaged in undergraduate research, students participating in youth outreach internships, in addition to stakeholders in the community, such as youth and staff at the Boys and Girls Clubs. Changes/Problems:We will seek to hire a graduate student this year to assist with creation of a project web site and to assist with project evaluation. We will make a transition with the principal investigator's role, as Dr. Nichols will be leaving SDSU in fall 2016. The appropriate change in project leadership will be filed for approval. As of this writing, we still havelarge positive balance in the project's funding; therefore,we anticipate applying for a one-year, no-cost extension. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?See description of courses and faculty development efforts above. In addition, students and faculty associated with the project have traveled and presented on their courses and research and the project more broadly on campus and at regional and national meetings (see below). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Conference Presentations: Nichols, Timothy and Jacob Gubbrud (2015). 'Energy: Present Realities, Future Possibilities'. Faculty poster session. National Collegiate Honors Conference. November 11-15. Chicago, IL. Nichols, Timothy, Goeden, Henry, and Jacob Gubbrud (2015). 'Honors Collaborates to Meet the Grand Challenges'. General Session. National Collegiate Honors Conference. November 11-15. Chicago, IL. Nichols, Timothy and Jacob Gubbrud (2016). 'HonorsMeets theGrand Challenges'. General Session. Upper Midwest Honors Conference. April 14-16. Bettendorf, IA. Nichols, Timothy, Goeden, Henry and Suzanne Stluka (2016). 'Meeting the Grand Challenges'. General Session. North American College Teachers of Agriculture. June 21-24. University of Hawaii-Manoa. Conference Abstracts: Nichols, Timothy, Stluka, Suzanne and Henry Goeden (2016). Meeting the Grand Challenges. North American College Teachers of Agriculture. June 21-24. University of Hawaii-Manoa. NACTA Journal. Volume 60, supplement1. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Continue to offer interdisciplinary colloquia. 2. Continue to support student research. 3. Continue to support youth outreach internships. 4. Explore and develop project sustainability through curriculum planning and fundraising. 5. Thoughtfully capture project impacts in final report. 6. Submit project article for publication in peer-reviewed journal (e.g. NACTA Journal or Journal of National Collegiate Honors Councill.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We have made major progress toward all of the goals above in the past year. Goal 1: Interdisciplinary Honors courses have been offered in the following areas: Meeting the Grand Challenges (fall 2015); Energy -- Present Realities, Future Possibilities (fall 2015); The Global Ecosystem: What role do we play? Goal 2: Two 'rounds' of Meeting the Grand Challenges undergraduate research awards have been presented. Projects funded under the Grand Challenge initiative (with support from USDA and other campus sources) to dateinclude: *Effects of Cooking Classes on Freshman Eating Behaviors *Mama's Against McDonalds -- Impact of Gut Microbiota and Metabolism of 2 Different Diets *Nutrition and Wellness Needs of First Year College Students *Determining Flowability and Storage Properties of Soybean-Based Biomaterials *Bull Semen Motility and Protein Production *Profitability and Yields of Alternative Oil Seed Crops *Leadership Qualities Needed by Agriculture Employers for Meeting the Grand Challenges *Nutritional Fluctuation and the College Student Experience *Examining Environmental Factors Relating to Obesity in Rural and Non-Rural Children *Measuring the Efficacy of Social Media Based Nutriton Education Interventions *Examination of Gut Microbiota and Other Mucosal Colonizers Through Culturomics *Plasma Activated Biochar Electrode for High Energy Supercapacitors *BHV-1 Sequencing Project *How South Dakota Agriculture Educators are Meeting the Grand Challenges *Environmental Factors Impacting Obesity Among Rural and Non-Rural Children *A Renewable Energy Microgrid Lab *The Effects of Stress and Sleep Deprivation on Student Nutrition Choices *Functional Characterization of Porcine Epidemic Virus Non-Structural Protein 15 *Assessing Nutrition and Physical Activity Needs via the South Dakota Good and Healthy Communities Checklist *Good and Healthy SD Communities: Using HEAL MAPS to Assist Wellness Coalitions in High Need Rural Communities Goal 3: We have recruited, trained and deployed our first cadre of Grand Challenge Youth Outreach Interns, placed at Boys and Girls Clubs in Brookings and Yankton, SD. They are delivering developmentally appropriate grand challenge themed programs and activities at the Clubs.Through a partnership with Americorps and SDSU Extension, the interns, in addition to their grant-funded stipend, will receive an educational benefit at the completion of their service. Goal 4: We provided the foundational systems thinking faculty/student development training in the grant's first year. These concepts have been incoporated into the interdisciplinary courses.We have provided additional faculty development around development and delivery of interdisciplinary courses and on mentoring student research projects. Goal 5: Our first 'grand challenge scholars' will graduate in December 2016.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nichols, Timothy, Stluka, Suzanne, and Henry Goeden (2016). Meeting the Grand Challenges. Conference Abstract. North American College Teachers of Agriculture. June 21-24. University of Hawaii--Manoa. NACTA Journal. Volume 60. Supplement 1.
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