COVID-19 Testing Available to Employees
Cal Poly employees are again invited to participate in the university’s ongoing testing program, which started Sunday, Jan. 3. The university is continuing to work with a third-party vendor to offer this convenient nasal-swab testing through mid-January, at which time the university plans to transition to a saliva based-testing program. As faculty and staff, you are eligible to participate in both programs. Testing will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily in the Performing Arts Center Lobby through Saturday, Jan. 16. Testing will also be offered starting Jan. 7 in the Aliso Conference Room in Poly Canyon Village (171A). Visit https://coronavirus.calpoly.edu/employee-testing for more information and to make an appointment. As the university transitions to saliva-based testing, we will have the capacity to test up to 4,000 individuals a day, including students and employees.
Cal Poly Strategic Research Initiative Funding Supports First-of-its-Kind Institute to Research Holistic Solutions to Prevent Destructive Wildfires
An interdisciplinary group of faculty and staff, partnered with industry and community members, have received support from the university to officially establish a unique institute to research wildfires and risk reduction strategies, tactical and technical firefighting practices and more resilient methods of building in fire-prone areas. The Cal Poly Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) FIRE Institute will focus on the area known as the wildland-urban interface, which is where the natural environment meets the built environment. Fires in the wildland-urban interface make up the most frequent source of declared disasters in California and are becoming increasingly more frequent and damaging because of climate change. While researchers at Cal Poly have been studying WUI fires, prevention and firefighting strategies for years, support from the university’s Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI) program has allowed for the official establishment of the institute. This status will allow the researchers to bring more projects and funding to Cal Poly and will enable better coordination with other universities studying the field. Read more on Cal Poly News.
Cal Poly Researchers Receive Public Interest Technology Grant to Utilize Virtual Reality in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Trainings
An interdisciplinary group of faculty members has been awarded a $45,000 Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) Challenge grant to further support the critical new field of public interest technology. This funding will go toward a project that incorporates immersive virtual reality (VR) components into sexual and gender harassment, and LGBTQ+ affirming training. Working with partners, including Cal Poly Safer, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast (GALA) and the San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health Department, the researchers hope to understand where VR can be added to existing trainings in order to improve inclusion and equity at Cal Poly and in the community. The project will be led by James Werner, associate professor of media arts; Christine Hackman, associate professor of kinesiology and public health; Coleen Carrigan, associate professor of anthropology and science, technology, and society; and Jay Bettergarcia, assistant professor of psychology and child development. The project also will involve several student research assistants, who will help develop scenario scripts, conduct research activities and serve as liaisons between researchers and community partners.
Submit Nominations by Jan. 7 for Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
The campus community is invited to honor Martin Luther King Jr. at the fifth annual celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, via Zoom. The Black Academic Excellence Center in partnership with ASI Events hosts this event to honor King’s legacy, to raise awareness of the experiences of people of color at Cal Poly, and to celebrate a campus community member who leads with love and hope to create a better campus for all. This event will feature special guest speaker Yusef Salaam, one of the falsely convicted/exonerated “Central Park Five.” Salaam has committed himself to advocating and educating people on the issues of false confessions, police brutality, race and law, and the disparities in America’s criminal justice system. His story is an example of how the fight for racial justice must remain relevant and persistent. Thursday, Jan. 7, is the last day to submit nominations for the 2021 MLK Legacy Award. Click here to nominate someone who most represents the values reflected by King's legacy. Learn how the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lives on in the experiences of the Cal Poly community and nationally. Join on Zoom at https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/85781582516 (webinar ID: 857 8158 2516).
Astronaut Victor Glover Delivers Fall Commencement Address from the ISS
In December, graduates and families watching the university's virtual commencement ceremonies were treated to a truly special keynote address from alumnus and NASA astronaut Victor Glover. Floating in zero gravity inside the International Space Station, Glover encouraged Cal Poly's roughly 1,000 new graduates to continue to Learn by Doing and to stay resilient in the process. He was flanked by green and gold banners from his alma mater as he told his fellow alumni to dream big and take care of one another. "From up here, your futures look very bright," Glover said. "I expect to see big things from this graduating class." Watch the address and read the transcript on the Cal Poly News website.
Viasat Lab Will Help Engineering Students Adapt Workforces to COVID Challenges
As industrial and manufacturing engineering students prepare for careers that will likely be impacted by COVID-19, a newly sponsored lab at Cal Poly will help them adapt workforces to the unique challenges posed by the pandemic. The Viasat Advanced IME Lab will receive $125,000 to fund hardware, software and senior projects over the next five years. The gift will also support faculty professional development and research. The lab, in Room 240 of Engineering IV (No. 192), is sponsored by Viasat Inc., a global communications company based in northern San Diego County. Given the technical and economic challenges posed by the pandemic, Dan Waldorf, chair of the IME Department, said the donation comes at a time when students need to be trained to face changing work environments and demands. “During COVID and into the future, the ability to collect, analyze and make decisions based on large amounts of data will be extremely important for many, many fields, including healthcare services, manufacturing and distribution logistics, and development of new technology products,” Waldorf said. Read more on Cal Poly News.
Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Welcomes Five New Faculty Fellows
Laura Cacciamani |
Zachary Rentz |
Andrew Lacanienta |
Deb Donig |
Kim Lisagor Bisheff |
Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has added five faculty to its interdisciplinary cohort of faculty fellows. This newest group of CIE Faculty Fellows bolsters an interdisciplinary community that is committed to being a resource for the university as it evolves its role in innovation, entrepreneurship, technology commercialization and regional economic development. They join 24 previously appointed faculty fellows who connect students to Cal Poly’s highly regarded and nationally recognized entrepreneurship program. “CIE Faculty Fellows have reimagined curricula, crossed disciplines, and pushed the boundaries of what interdisciplinary entrepreneurship education can be,” said Lynn Metcalf, director of the CIE Faculty Fellows program and a professor of entrepreneurship in the Orfalea College of Business. The latest CIE Faculty Fellows include Deb Donig, an assistant professor of English literature; Kim Lisagor Bisheff, a multimedia journalism lecturer; Laura Cacciamani, an assistant professor of psychology and child development; Andrew Lacanienta, an assistant professor in the Experience Industry Management Department; and Zachary Rentz, a lecturer in the Philosophy Department. For more information, visit https://cie.calpoly.edu/learn/cie-fellows.
Cal Poly Study Shows Birdsongs Benefit Humans
If you thought your morning hike was contributing to your well-being, a new Cal Poly study shows that you’re right, especially if our avian friends were singing while you strolled. A growing body of research shows that time spent in nature contributes to human mental health. Although many studies have found that humans benefit from spending time in nature, few studies have explored why. A Cal Poly research team investigated how much the natural sounds humans hear during their time in the great outdoors contribute to this sense of well-being. The study was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on Dec. 16. “While the bigger picture of nature’s restorative properties is likely to involve multiple senses, our study is the first to experimentally manipulate a single one (sound) in the field and demonstrate its importance to human experiences in nature,” said Danielle Ferraro, a biology graduate student who led the study. Read the news release.
Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Startup Launches Online Marketplace to Encourage Sustainability
A Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) HotHouse Incubator company recently launched The Future Is Good (FIG), an online marketplace that sells sustainable goods and connects users with content that teaches the importance of sustainability and provides resources needed to improve their environmental impacts.
“Our mission is to empower individuals and organizations to make the future good through education, community and sustainable shopping,” said Garrett Perkins, who recently graduated with a degree in industrial engineering and communications. The marketplace houses products that the FIG team deems ethical and sustainable. Each product is evaluated on what Perkins refers to as “the FIG value score,” a composite score of the product manufacturer’s business practices and social and environmental impacts. Many of the products that FIG sells are made by B Corporations or companies certified as socially and environmentally responsible. Read the news release.
Cal Poly University Students Hold Rose Float Design Competition
Cal Poly universities Rose Float teams got back to the business of designing a parade float despite the worldwide COVID pandemic that forced the cancellation of the 2021 Rose Parade®. Cal Poly Universities’ Home-Brew Rose Float Competition was a virtual contest that involved planning, design and decoration ideas but no physical construction. The competition brought together teams of students from Cal Poly and California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. These universities have worked together since fall of 1948 navigating the 240 miles between campuses to produce memorable and eye-catching floats. About 45 students participated, starting in October, with a dozen teams presenting during the final Dec. 12 showcase. On average, seven out of 10 students on the final teams were first-time Rose Float participants, they said. While the Tournament of Roses didn’t host the traditional Rose Parade® in 2021 due to COVID-19, it will produce a New Year’s Day celebration to be broadcast in its place — featuring students from both Cal Poly universities. “Strength in Numbers,” which celebrated March 14 Pi Day, received the Sweepstakes Award for best overall team entry.
Cal Poly and Cuesta College Elevator Pitch Winners Cash in on Innovative Ideas
Two students, one from Cal Poly and the other from Cuesta College, each won $1,000 at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) 11th annual Elevator Pitch Competition Finals, a fast-paced contest for Cal Poly and Cuesta College entrepreneurs, recently held virtually. A third student, also from Cal Poly, received the $500 “audience choice” award. Ten students had just 90 seconds each to deliver their innovative business ideas at the Nov. 10 event. They were evaluated by a panel of judges on four criteria: how well the problem or opportunity was explained; whether the idea was innovative and creative; if the direction was clear; and whether the pitch was persuasive. Cal Poly student Ross Levine’s winning pitch was for Business Outsider, an online source for satirical tech and business news. Read the news release.
Architecture Student Team Wins National 2020 Barbara G. Laurie Student Design Competition
A team of architecture students won the 2020 Barbara G. Laurie Student Design Competition, a national contest by the National Organization of Minority Architects. The student design competition is one of the highlights of the annual NOMA conference. Open to the 80 student NOMA chapters from across the country, the contest challenged design teams to develop a program for a sustainable, community-owned, mixed-use development titled the “Black Cultural Zone Resilience Co-Hub,” with an emphasis on net-positive design strategies and a culturally responsive development for a site in East Oakland. Cal Poly’s entry, titled Oakland Flowz, received the $2,000 prize. Read the news release.
Submissions Open for Outstanding Student Employee Recognition
Due to the unusual circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Outstanding Student Employee of the Year (OSEY) committee, with the support of the National Student Employment Association (NSEA), will not have an Outstanding Student Employee of the Year for 2021. Instead, Cal Poly would like to honor students' accomplishments and celebrate more than one student. The process has been simplified and requires a one-page submission letter highlighting the student’s accomplishments. There is no restriction on length of employment for the student. All student employees are eligible for consideration, including state, ASI, Cal Poly Corporation and University Store student employees. Nominees can be Federal Work-Study and non-Federal Work-Study students. Faculty and staff may nominate more than one student. The NACE core competencies fact sheet may assist supervisors with their submission. The top recognition letter will be submitted to the state liaison for state, regional and national student employment recognition. Recognition letters, preferably on your Cal Poly department letterhead, are due to Financial Aid (financialaid@calpoly.edu or brollins@calpoly.edu) by Friday, Jan. 29. Questions? Contact Barbara Rollins at brollins@calpoly.edu.
Transfer Academic Coaches
The Transfer Center in partnership with the Office of Writing and Learning Initiatives has created a transfer academic coaching role. Two transfer academic coaches are available to meet with current transfer students to support their academic and personal success. Meetings are free. Transfer academic coaches, who are current transfer students, offer one-on-one support on topics including but not limited to: study tips, time management, mapping out course assignments for the quarter, connecting with faculty, navigating group projects and more. Student coaches can also refer students to other campus resources to support their success while they are at Cal Poly. Share this resource with any transfers you work with and encourage them to sign up for an appointment. Questions? Reach out to Heather Domonoske at hdomonos@calpoly.edu.
Hunter Francis, director of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences’ Center for Sustainability, retired in December after 23 years at Cal Poly. A Cal Poly alumnus, Francis spearheaded a broad, interdisciplinary coalition of students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members to strengthen educational programs for sustainable and organic agriculture at Cal Poly, leading the Center for Sustainability for more than two decades. In 2000, Francis created the Organic Agriculture course, the first catalog offering of its kind in the U.S. In the same year, he co-founded the Cal Poly Organic Farm with fellow soil science student Terry Hooker. The Organic Farm continues to provide the setting for Cal Poly classes, field trips and research. As a service-oriented organization, the Center for Sustainability orchestrated a wide range of offerings under Francis’ leadership and served as a Cal Poly liaison to regional food shed and farm-to-table initiatives. Most recently, it has played a leading role in grant-funded activities for climate smart agriculture, carbon farming and soil health. Francis has served on numerous external advisory boards, including the Inter-Institutional Network for Food, Agriculture and Sustainability and as board president of Central Coast Grown, which oversaw the establishment of SLO City Farm. He is succeeded by Claire Balint, who currently serves as interim director of the Center for Sustainability.
Swanton Pacific Ranch Director Brian Dietterick retired after 27 years at Cal Poly. He has been director of Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch since 2004 and was involved with teaching and research in the field of hydrology at Cal Poly since 1994. Dietterick taught undergraduate and graduate courses in hydrology, watershed management, and sustainable forestry at Cal Poly and at Swanton Pacific Ranch with a focus on furthering educational opportunities for students at Swanton. His career was also dedicated to research and support of land management and stewardship. Dietterick’s passion for furthering the vision of Swanton Pacific Ranch’s unique learning opportunities positively influenced countless students across the university. As director, he was committed to the development the Swanton Pacific Ranch Field Camp, a dream of benefactor Al Smith. Additionally, he served on numerous technical advisory committees, including a six-year appointed membership to connect science and policy for the state’s Board of Forestry. During his time at Cal Poly, he received numerous awards for his efforts, including special recognition awards in both teaching and research. In 2018 he was recognized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as an environmental steward for his efforts to strengthen and diversify the recovery efforts for the Central California Coast (CCC) coho salmon. Mark Swisher, formerly the associate director of business operations at the ranch, is the new Swanton Pacific Ranch director. Contribute to a special Kudoboard wishing Dietterick a happy retirement.
The Graphic Communication Department congratulates Korla McFall, administrative support coordinator II, on her well-earned retirement. McFall is a graduate of CSU Northridge with a degree in recreation, parks and tourism administration. She started her career at Cal Poly in the College of Business, joining the Graphic Communication Department (GrC) in 2001. During her time in GrC, McFall created a sense of community for students, often offering hugs along with her longstanding institutional knowledge, helping students succeed and feel part of the GrC family. McFall also served as the staff employment equity facility. She was awarded the Outstanding Career Achievement Award in 2015 in recognition of her amazing contributions to the department. McFall was key in keeping the complex GrC Department running, with its many "heavy metal" printing presses and unique software programs, three annual Career Fairs, the annual Graphic Communication week, two annual Advisory Board meetings, and UGS, the student-run printing enterprise. McFall's attention to detail was incredibly important to the continued success of GrC. In retirement, she plans to spend more time with her children and grandchildren and to visit more lighthouses around the world -- one of her favorite activities. GrC faculty, staff and students will miss her, and they wish her the best in retirement.
Susan Waterman, administrative support coordinator II for the Architecture Department, retired from Cal Poly on Dec. 23. She came to Cal Poly in December 2014 after a fulfilling career working in several interesting roles, including the College Board, Shea Homes in facilities management and human resources, and as an associate broker for Merrill Lynch. As a member of the Architecture Department's administrative team for six years, Waterman supported faculty in the department in the areas of human resources (recruitments, contracts, leaves and retirements), student assistants and budget. She brought the department good cheer with her positive attitude and many connections across the campus. Waterman is looking forward to spending more time with her husband, three sons, daughter-in-law, and extended family, including a gaggle of dogs and cats. The Architecture Department and College of Architecture and Environmental Design wish her the very best.
Velanche Stewart, IT consultant in the Journalism Department, retired in December after 20 years of service. Stewart moved to San Luis Obispo in 1992 from Southern California to attend Cal Poly as a transfer student. As a student, he was an assistant in the Orfalea College of Business’s Computer Lab and assisted some College of Liberal Arts faculty with creating and maintaining web pages. After graduating and a brief stint working in technical support for a local internet sersvice provider, Stewart was hired by the College of Liberal Arts in the summer of 2000. He performed a number of duties from one-on-one tutoring and in-person and phone technical support, to imaging and installation of computers, developing and teaching courses for staff and developing specialties in web accessibility. In 2011, he moved to the Journalism Department to offer temporary assistance. In 2013, he transferred from CLA Tech to the Journalism Department on a full-time basis. As a student at Cal Poly, he was a DJ at KCPR and has been an area DJ ever since. In 2021, his DJ collective, Soul Dust Productions, will celebrate five years. After retiring, Stewart plans to produce music, DJ and host his Urban Landscapes music show and a podcast on his YouTube channel. He also looks forward to biking more, exploring more of the Central Coast, traveling, pursuing photography, and writing a memoir or two.
Increased Library Services for Winter Quarter
The Kennedy Library is offering two options for obtaining library materials: in-person contactless pickup with increased hours and off-campus delivery. In-person contactless pickup is available from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and from 3-6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Allow one to three weeks for requests to be processed. For off-campus delivery, library materials are shipped via UPS to continental U.S. and Alaska street addresses. The library cannot deliver to Hawaii or international locations. Items can be returned to any CSU campus bookdrop or shipped using the prepaid UPS return label. Allow four to six weeks for requests to be processed and delivered. Find more information at http://lib.calpoly.edu.
Center for Service in Action Seeks Proposals for Change the Status Quo Conference
The Center for Service in Action is seeking session proposals for the 19th annual Change the Status Quo (CSQ) Social Justice Leadership Conference, slated for Saturday, Feb. 27. This year’s conference will be entirely virtual and aims to empower students to use the Learn by Doing spirit to challenge social norms, ask critical questions, demand solutions and make lasting social change. Through inspiring workshops, guest speakers and engaging Zoom sessions, students will gain a newfound sense and understanding of social justice and how they can take ownership of their role to advance social change. Proposals are due before midnight Monday, Jan. 18, and should be submitted via email to serviceinaction@calpoly.edu. Interested presenters can learn more and download a proposal form at the CSQ website.
Compete in Mustang Open Virtual Golf Tournament to Benefit Student-Athletes
Cal Poly Athletics invites the campus community to compete for the chance to win big in the Mustang Open Virtual Golf Tournament, presented by SLO Brew. Play in teams of up to four players on your preferred 18-hole golf course between Jan. 22 and Feb. 14. Determine your team’s score using a scramble format and get the chance to win prizes valued at up to $500 including exclusive Cal Poly Adidas gear, customized golf ball packages and prizes from our sponsor, SLO Brew. Kids 12 and under are invited to compete in the 9-hole Mustang Open Juniors round. Every participant will receive a Mustang Open prize pack of Cal Poly golf swag. All proceeds from this event benefit the Mustang Athletic Fund which provides student-athlete scholarships. Contact Special Events Coordinator Lacey Buck at lbuck@calpoly.edu with any questions. View the official tournament rules and register.
SensusAccess Document Conversion Available to Campus Members
SensusAccess is an automated document conversion service that converts readings into alternate formats, such as searchable PDFs and mp3 audio. This service is provided to the campus by the Kennedy Library at no cost to all faculty, staff and students and can be accessed via the link above or the Help menu in Canvas. SensusAccess can quickly convert scanned PDFs or images of text into searchable documents that can be read loud by assistive technology (e.g., text-to-speech software) when you follow these four easy steps:
- Upload the scanned PDF(s) or image(s) of text.
- Choose Accessibility conversion.
- Choose either of the Tagged PDF options.
- Enter your Cal Poly email address.
SensusAccess is fairly simple and intuitive to use. An e-learning course is also available, with modules on using various conversion options and making documents more accessible.
Annual Bach Week to be Presented Free and Virtually Jan. 19-23
The Music Department will present Bach Week from Tuesday through Saturday, Jan. 19-23. At
7 p.m. Jan. 19, Bach Week Co-Director David Arrivée will give an Akademie lecture titled “Bach’s ‘Musical Offering.’” Arrivée will discuss the collection of works that J.S. Bach dedicated to Frederick the Great, and the opposite world views of the two great men. At 7:45 p.m. Jan. 19,
Cal Poly’s Suzanne Duffy on flute; Emily Lanzone, violin; Laura Gaynon, cello; and Paul Woodring, harpsichord; will perform the sonata from Bach’s “Musical Offering.” At 11:10 a.m. Jan. 21, guest artists Andrew McIntosh, violin; and Paul Sherman, oboe; will coach students in instrumental repertoire from the Baroque era and provide insight into the style and nuance of giving a historically informed performance. At 3:10 p.m. Jan. 21, guest artist and soprano Rebecca Myers will coach several voice students in varied repertoire. At 7 p.m. Jan. 23, Bach Week Co-Director Scott Glysson will give a pre-concert lecture titled “The Motets of J.S. Bach.” Bach’s six motets (BWV 225-230) are some of the most iconic works of the traditional choral/vocal repertoire. At 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23, the Cal Poly Chamber Choir will conclude Bach Week with a performance of “Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden,” BWV 230. Attendees will also be treated to a bonus performance of two movements of “Missa O magnum mysterium” by Giovanni Palestrina. Admission is free to all of the events this year. Donations can be made during any of the presentations. For more information, visit the Bach Week website.
Event Calendar
To find out what’s going on at Cal Poly, visit the Events Calendar. The site includes community events that are open to the public and Campus Life events open to students, faculty and staff. The calendar also includes events at the Performing Arts Center. A link from the calendar allows staff, faculty and students to check facility availability before requesting and reserving on-campus locations for activities and events. For more information about publishing an event on the calendar, contact events@calpoly.edu. Virtual events can also be publicized via the university Events Calendar. Email the Events Team with details, and they will assist with adding your information.