AristAI · Higher Education
A National Award for AI Done Right: Congratulations to Prof. Toni Gist
June 26, 2026 · AristAI Team
University of Illinois professor and AristAI faculty ambassador Prof. Toni Gist has won a national USDA teaching award for applying AI and immersive technology to make nutrition education more engaging, equitable, and accessible. For higher education leaders weighing how to adopt AI well, her work is a model worth studying: faculty-led, outcomes-driven, and now nationally recognized.
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) named Prof. Gist a national honoree in the Teaching and Student Engagement category — one of only four faculty in the country recognized at the national level this year. A clinical professor of food science and human nutrition, she was honored for innovative teaching that expands what's possible for students.
Why this matters for higher education leaders
Most institutions are asking the same question: how do we adopt AI in a way that strengthens teaching rather than undermines it? Prof. Gist's answer is instructive. She didn't bolt technology onto a course for novelty — she redesigned the learning experience around the students she actually serves. Using a collaborative online international learning (COIL) model, she paired AI with 360-degree video and virtual reality to give students immersive global experiences without the cost or barriers of travel.
"Instead of asking students to adapt to the model, I wanted to adapt the model to the students."
Toni Gist
In her food science course, students "traveled" to street markets in Veracruz, Mexico, and Taipei, Taiwan, and collaborated with peers at Universidad Veracruzana and National Taiwan University on real projects — comparing food systems, nutrition practices, and how local environments shape what people eat. For students balancing jobs, family responsibilities, or financial constraints that rule out study abroad, AI and VR made global, intercultural learning genuinely accessible.
The outcomes leaders care about
Higher student engagement and satisfaction, measurable gains in global competency and scientific literacy, and a path to equity that reaches students traditional study-abroad models leave out — delivered through AI that amplifies a great educator rather than replacing one.
The Faculty Ambassador
Through the AristAI Faculty Ambassador Program, Prof. Gist is among the educators showing what AI looks like in the hands of exceptional faculty. AristAI builds the AI infrastructure for universities precisely so that faculty-led innovation like hers can scale — securely, equitably, and on the institution's terms. National recognition at this level affirms our core conviction: thoughtful, faculty-led adoption of AI doesn't replace excellent teaching. It amplifies it.
About the award
| Honoree | Prof. Toni Gist, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| Award | USDA Excellence in College & University Teaching Award for Food and Agricultural Sciences |
| Category | National Teaching & Student Engagement (1 of 4 national honorees) |
| Presented by | APLU & USDA-NIFA |
| Recognition | Presented at the 2026 APLU Annual Meeting |
| Announced | January 20, 2026 |
On behalf of the entire AristAI team — congratulations, Prof. Gist. Your students, your colleagues, and the broader higher education community are better for the work you do, and we're proud to be part of the journey.
Sources: USDA NIFA, "USDA Announces National Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences," January 20, 2026 · nifa.usda.gov · ISPR, "AI, VR give food science students a taste of study abroad experiences," June 9, 2026 · ispr.info