Education:
Ph.D., Boston University
M.A., Boston University
B.A., DePauw University
Courses Taught:
Introduction to Animal Science
Animal Nutrition
Ethics of Animal Agriculture
Crop and Soil Science
Agriculture Business Management
Agriculture Economics/Microeconomics
Agriculture Sales
History of International Relations, 1900–1945
History of International Relations, 1945–present
Women, Society, and Culture: Humanities Seminar (Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program)
Areas of Teaching Expertise:
Twentieth-Century U.S. History, Political History, Agricultural and Environmental History, International Relations, Biotechnology, Precision Agriculture
Teaching Philosophy:
Neal Knapp, Ph.D., believes every student can succeed by providing an individualized approach to instruction. His teaching emphasizes accessibility, engagement, and growth through low-stakes assessments, feedback, and student-centered projects.
Dr. Knapp integrates high-impact practices such as undergraduate research, field-based projects, service learning with community partners, and internships to foster curiosity, belonging, and critical thinking. He views teaching and advising as interconnected, supporting individualized and collaborative learning that helps students engage complexity with confidence, creativity, and ethical responsibility.
Book:
Making Machines of Animals: The International Livestock Exposition, 1900–1920 (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2023)
Research Interests:
Sustainable agriculture history, precision farming, agrivoltaics, interdisciplinary projects integrating historical research with quantitative data.
Current Projects:
“Vertical Towers and Agrivoltaics” (Wahoo Solar)
“Food Security Project” (Marian University Scholarly Learning Communities)
“Empowering Communities Through Hydroponic Farming” (Marshall County Community Foundation)
Awards:
Marian University Ancilla College Exceptional Faculty Teaching Award (2025)
Marian University Undergraduate Summer Scholars, Mentor (2024)
Franciscan Values Award, Marian University Ancilla College (2024)
SLC Grant, Marian University (2024)
Graduate Research Abroad Fellowship, U.K. (2013)
Outstanding Teaching Fellow Award, Boston University (2011)
Dean’s Fellowship, Boston University (2011-13)
Presidential University Graduate Fellowship, Boston University (2009-2011)
Lilly Endowment Scholarship
Committees and Boards:
Peer Reviewer, Isis: History of Science (University of Chicago Press)
Chair Emeritus and Member, Indiana Agricultural Institute
Vice President, Purdue Extension
Ex Officio Member, Marian University Institutional Review Board
Committee Member, Academic Review Committee
Committee Member, Marian University Ancilla College Faculty Hiring Committee
Member, Marian University Franciscan Values Faculty Committee
Memberships:
American Studies Association, Organization of American Historians, American Society for Environmental History, Agricultural History Society, Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, Organization of Educational Historians
Editorial and Conference Roles (Selected):
“Myths about the American West: Racialized Violence and Environmental Destruction in American Agriculture,” Agricultural History Society, New Mexico State University, 2024
“Animal Imperialism: Violence and Ecological Degradation in the American West, 1880–1920,” Japanese Association for American Studies, Senshu University, 2023
Multiple presentations at international conferences in the U.S., Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Puerto Rico, and the UAE (2011–2024)
Speaking and Media (Selected):
“Hydroponics at Marian University’s Ancilla College,” PBS Michiana (Education Counts)
“Agrivoltaics in a Changing Political Landscape,” Plymouth Community Schools, 2025
“North Putnam,” film screening and panel discussion, University of Notre Dame, 2025
Numerous community and professional talks on sustainable agriculture, rural development, and public education (2014–2025)
