Faculty Research

Honors College faculty actively engage in research and creative scholarship that supports our core values and philosophy of teaching and learning.  Our work explores innovative approaches to honors, undergraduate, and higher education to scale at Virginia Tech and beyond. Additionally, faculty engage in transdisciplinary, collaborative, and disciplinary research that helps address our most pressing societal challenges (see our Faculty’s Bio pages to learn more). Below is a list of selected publications contributing to the national and international conversation around the scholarship of teaching and learning:

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• 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., Roerig, N., Stroud, A., & Garbutt, K. (2025). An edifying honors collaboration. In J. Zubizarreta & V. M. Bryan (Eds.), National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Monograph Series, (pp. 57-82).
• Budowle, R., Schinkel, K., Dai, B., Porter, C.M., & Keith, J.F. (2025). Every Poke nourished: Assessing University of Wyoming students’ experiences with and priorities for addressing food insecurity. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2024.2343309
• Budowle, R., Djokić, D., Duba, A.W., Stubblefield, N. (2025). Understanding historical context for community engagement in advanced nuclear energy facility siting: The Natrium case in Wyoming. Flash research presentation at International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes. Vienna, Austria.
• Budowle, R., Niewolny, K., & Demko, B. (2025). A design challenge course supports student food security and justice. Poster presented at Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, Blacksburg, VA.
• Velez, A.K. Patrick, A., Budowle, R., Jones, K., Ruiz-Geli, E., & Stephens, B. (2025). Reflecting on classroom space to set active learning expectations. Research presentation at Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, Blacksburg, VA.
• McMillan, J.B., Budowle, R., Shah, A., & Hwang, E. (2024). Charting pathways for sustainable community-engaged/service learning: a faculty fellow cohort’s reflections. Poster presented at Engagement Scholarship Consortium Conference, Portland, OR.
• Kretser, M., & Cherbaka, N. (2024). Big Data, Smart Buildings, Post-Covid Office Real Estate Decision Making, and Multi-Disciplinary Undergraduate Learning: A Case Study in Discovery Thinking. 2024 SEDSI Annual Conference. Abstract Presentation
• Lewis, S. N., Elliot, T., Ballard, T., & Brown, A. M. (2025, February 13-14). Implementation of First-Year Biochemistry CURE for Research Skill Development. [Conference Presentation]. Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, Blacksburg VA, United States. https://chep.teaching.vt.edu/conference-proceedings.html
• Lewis, S. N. (2024, October 30-November 2). A minor with major impact: Fostering change agents and engaged citizens through an academic minor in collaborative discovery. [Conference Presentation]. National Collegiate Honors Council, Kansas City MO, United States. https://www.nchchonors.org/page/conference-archive-nchc24
• Velez, A.-L., Hall, R., Lewis, S. N., Underwood, Z., & Williams, D. (2025). Effective Transdisciplinary Teaching Teams: Professorial Perspectives on Collaboration & the Circular Model for Collegiate Co-Teaching. In C. Amelink & T. Nicewonger (Eds.), Global Insights into Transdisciplinary Higher Education Initiatives (pp. 163-189) Virginia Tech Publishing. http://doi.org/10.21061/transdisciplinary-education
• Patrick, A. “Reflecting on Classroom Space to set Active Learning Expectations” Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy. Presented with Dr. Anne-Lise Velez. Blacksburg, VA. 2025.
• Patrick, A. ““I am your professor, not your mommy”: A discourse analysis of gender and student evaluations of teaching on Reddit’s r/professors” Southern Sociological Society Annual Conference. Presented with Dr. Maria Scaptura. Charlotte, NC. 2025.
• Patrick, A. “Frames of Impact: Engaging students with photovoice in the social sciences” Workshop. Southern Sociological Society Annual Conference. Presented with Dr. Lyla Byers. Charlotte, NC. 025.
• Ruiz Geli, E. and Velez, A. K. 2025. Time, Space, Existence [Exhibition]. European Cultural Center, Venice, Italy.
• Ruiz Geli, E. and Velez, A. K. 2025. Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective. [Exhibition]. Biennale Architettura 2025, Venice, Italy.
• Foundation Me We. Figueres, Catalonia, Spain. December 18, 2024. https://www.figueres.cat/actualitat/noticies/enric-ruiz-geli-presenta-l2019avantprojecte-del-nou-centre-cultural-d2019arquitectura-me-we-com-a-icona-d2019entrada-a-l2019eix-de-l2019estacio-figueres-vilafant
• Caixa Forum Valencia. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. November 29, 2024. https://www.centreobertarquitectura.com/en/caixaforum-valencia-work-in-progress-3/
• COAC Foundation and Naturgy Foundation. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. May 2025. https://www.naturgy.com/notas-de-prensa/fundacion-naturgy-y-coac-organizan-una-jornada-sobre-descarbonizacion-y-rehabilitacion-energetica/
• Akerlof, K. L., Schenk, T., Bankston, A., Mitchell, K., Syl, A., Eddy, L., ... & Velez, A. L. K. (2025). Training researchers to engage in policy in the United States: mapping the growth and diversity of programme models. Evidence & Policy, 1-29.
• Velez, A.K., Patrick, A., Jones, K., Ruiz-Geli, E., and B.A. Stephens. “Reflecting on Classroom Space to set Active Learning Expectations” Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, Blacksburg, VA, February 14, 2025.
• Velez, A. K., Daniel, J.* & Magoffin, M.* (2024). US preservation nonprofits in the 2010s: Shifting professional approaches, representation, and identity. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. DOI: 10.1108/JCHMSD-11-2023-0184
• Velez, A.K., T.A. Coates, Brad Stephens*, Monica Perez*, Jacob Heil*. (2024). “Pulaski County Public Land Use Survey Report”. [Evaluation of Pulaski County, Virginia resident and public land user perceptions of public land use and management, and goals for future county land use designations]Budowle, R., Velez, A.K., & Lewis, S.N. (2023). The Virginia Tech Honors Minor: Mapping a guided path for students to take risks in collaborative discovery. Journal of the European Honors Council, 6(2), 4. https://doi.org/10.31378/jehc.191
• Knox, P. and Heilker, P. (2023). Honors colleges, transdisciplinary education, and global challenges. In R. Badenhausen (Eds.) Honors colleges in the 21st century (pp. 423-475). National Collegiate Honors Council Monograph Series. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchcmonochap/130
• 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. https://doi.org/10.31378/jehc.187
• 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.  Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, 24, 47-62. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchcjournal/780/
• Kotinek, J., Bott-Knutson, R., Fine, L., Hart, J., Ziegler, W., Knox, P., Nichols, T., Sumner, S., Appel, H., Andersen, M., Bryk, M., Radasanu, A., Cassady, J., & Garbutt, K. (2023). The Justice Challenge: Honors endeavors innovative pedagogies through the Grand Challenge Scholars Program. Honors in Practice, 19, 121-124. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchchip/394/
• Hart, J., Bott-Knutson, R., Appel, H., Kotinek, J., Knox, P, & Ziegler, W. (2023).  Pedagogy of engagement, innovation, and reflection: Hackathons in honors education. Honors in Practice, 19, 125-128. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchchip/388/
• Appel, H., Bott‐Knutson, 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 R. Badenhausen (Eds.), Honors colleges in the 21st century: Opportunities and challenges (pp. 441-476). National Collegiate Honors Council. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchcmonochap/131
• Budowle, R., Porter, C. M., & McLennan, C. (2023). Justice and equity approaches to college and university student food (in)security: Introduction to the special section. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 12(2), 3-9. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2023.122.013
• Schinkel, K. R., Budowle, R., Porter, C. M., Dai, B., Gifford, C., & Keith, J. F. (2023). Service, scholarship, and sacrifice: A qualitative analysis of food security barriers and strategies among military-connected students. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 123(3), 454-465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2022.07.002
• Velez, A.K., Hall, R., & Lewis, S.N. (2022). Designing transdisciplinarity: Exploring institutional drivers and barriers to collaborative transdisciplinary teaching. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 28(2), 138-155. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2021.1992196
• Velez, A.K., Lewis, S.N., Thomas R., & Ozkan D. (2022). Learning transdisciplinary collaboration: Undergraduate student perceptions of successes and areas for improvement in transdisciplinary, problem-focused honors seminar courses. Journal of Advanced Academics, 33(2), 187-216. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X211061121
• Lewis, S.N., Velez, A.K., Ozkan D., Thomas R., & Carlson K. (2021). From program to college: The vision and curriculum evolution of the Virginia Tech Honors College. Honors in Practice, 17, 29-44. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nchchip/343/
• Velez, A.K., Ngaruiya, K., & Ozkan D. (2021). At the annex of service and higher education: A multidisciplinary assessment of the role of service learning. Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership, 11(4), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.18666/JNEL-2020-9649
• Budowle, R., Krszjzaniek, E., & Taylor, C. (2021). Students as change agents for community–university sustainability transition partnerships. Sustainability, 13, 6036. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116036
• Lewis, S.N., Brown A., & MacDonald A. (2020). Open pedagogical practices to train undergraduates in the research process: A case study in course design and co-teaching strategies. In A. Clifton and K. D. Hoffman (Eds.), Open Pedagogy Approaches: Faculty, Library, and Student Collaborations. Geneseo Authors. https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/openpedagogyapproaches/chapter/open-pedagogical-practices-to-train-undergraduates-in-the-research-process-a-case-study-in-course-design-and-co-teaching-strategies/