Science and Technology
Student-Built Payload Hitches a Ride on a Space Plane
In June, a payload built by Cal Poly students took a historic ride on Dawn Aerospace’s Aurora spaceplane. The flight from Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre near Christchurch, New Zealand, carried the company’s first U.S. student-built experiment to an altitude of 37,000 feet and speeds of Mach 0.79.
“This mission is putting student-built hardware on the front lines of aerospace innovation,” said Kurt Colvin, retired professor and payload advisor. Students designed the payload to test whether an off-the-shelf data acquisition system could withstand the rigors of high-altitude, spaceflight-like environments with similar performance to a custom system.
Packaging Design Challenge
Interdisciplinary Student Teams Place Second and Third
Two interdisciplinary teams, including graphic design, packaging design and business administration students from the College of Liberal Arts and Orfalea College of Business, placed second and third in the Paperboard Packaging Alliance 2025 Student Design Challenge.
The annual competition challenges university students in leading sustainable packaging or graphic design programs from across North America to create innovative, recyclable paper-based packaging solutions that meet real-world customer needs. Team “PAWSH” and team “Teef Story” designed sustainable, recyclable packaging for a line of pet care products, PPA Pets.
Employee and Organization Development
Sharpen Your Leadership Skills With Principles of Supervision
Employee and Organization Development (EOD) is offering a new session of the Principles of Supervision series — an interactive program focused on core supervisory skills that drive performance, engagement and retention.
Whether you’re new to leading or want to refresh your approach, this series empowers you with proven strategies. Join 9 a.m. to noon on Thursdays, Jan. 22 to March 5. Invest in your professional growth — space is limited!
To register, email learnandgrow@calpoly.edu and confirm your commitment to attend each session. Join the Express Interest list to hear about future sessions.
Join the Express Interest List
Employee and Organization Development
Building Belonging Series at Cal Poly
In partnership with the Office of University Diversity & Inclusion (OUDI) and the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT), Employee and Organization Development (EOD) is proud to support the Building Belonging workshop series.
This collaborative effort has been highly successful, with full and engaged sessions throughout fall. Workshops such as One Cal Poly, Cultural Humility in Practice and Communicating with Care offer employees interactive, reflective learning that strengthens our shared commitment to an inclusive campus. We encourage staff and faculty to continue this momentum by signing up for the upcoming winter sessions.
Faculty and Staff Parking
Winter Quarter Staff Parking Permits Available Jan. 2
Faculty and staff can purchase winter quarter parking permits beginning Thursday, Jan. 2. Permits are valid from Jan. 5 through March 29, 2026.
Employees may buy daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual permits online, with payroll deduction available for eligible staff. To purchase, log in to the Parking Portal.
Learn More About Faculty and Staff Permits
Environmental Health and Safety
Annual Asbestos Notification Available
Cal Poly remains committed to safely managing asbestos-containing materials in campus buildings. Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) maintains comprehensive surveys, conducts routine monitoring and oversees all abatement activities to support a healthy campus environment. Building occupants may review historic asbestos surveys during business hours, and the university’s Asbestos Management Plan is available online. For questions, contact EHS at 805-756-5555 or rstrobel@calpoly.edu.
Associated Students Inc.
Winter with ASI
Bundle up! Registration for ASI winter quarter programs is live and ready for you! Explore new classes, returning favorites and exciting ways to move, splash and adventure with ASI Fitness, ASI Aquatics, ASI Poly Escapes and more. Plus, mark your calendars! The ASI Craft Center opens for registration at 8 a.m. Monday, Jan. 5. It’s another quarter packed with opportunities to get creative, stay active and elevate your Cal Poly experience.