Recent News
Cal Poly Professor Receives CSU Honor for Innovation and Leadership
Aug 28, 2018
Zoë Wood sparked interest in computer science by integrating art, reaching out to women and finding a lost World War II plane
SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Professor Zoë Wood, who has worked to increase the number of women studying computer science, designed curriculums for all levels of computer science education, and helped students find a lost World War II plane near Italy, has been honored with a 2018 Faculty Innovation and Leadership Award by the California State University Chancellor’s Office.
Cal Poly Seeks Volunteers for Program Aimed at Easing College Transition for Out-of-State Students
Aug 24, 2018
Cal Poly’s Local Connections program is seeking local residents with a desire to support out-of-state students and provide a home-away-from-home on the Central Coast.
Originally created in 2014 by Cal Poly parents Scott and Julia Starkey, the program connects students with San Luis Obispo residents to offer a local support system as they transition to life at Cal Poly. The program also provides a meaningful way for local residents to volunteer their time, make lifelong connections with participating students, and give back to their local community.
Cal Poly Professor Works to Protect Koalas in Australia
Aug 24, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly Professor Greg Brown, whose research is focused on community engagement and participation, is working with a team of researchers from three universities and four local governments in New South Wales, Australia, to protect koalas, which are a nationally threatened species.
Brown, who heads Cal Poly’s Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department, said the overarching goal of the research is to identify locations that provide high koala conservation value and also have community support for conservation. The Australia Koala Foundation estimates there are less than 80,000 koalas today, down from millions in the last century. Human development and encroachment are the key drivers for the current decline in koalas, Brown said.
Cal Poly Music Department Announces 2018-19 Events
Aug 21, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Music Department 2018-19 season begins with three faculty recitals.
On Sept. 29, violinist Brynn Albanese will perform an eclectic mix of solo violin works. She will be joined for duo performances by faculty members Ken Hustad, bass; and John Astaire, percussion; plus guest guitarist Jack Cimo.
On Oct. 6, “Brahms Songs” will be presented by Katherine Arthur, soprano; Paul Woodring, piano; and David Arrivée, lecturer. It will be a delightful afternoon of performance and exploration of many well-known and loved Brahms songs.
The third faculty recital will be Oct. 19, when up to 12 faculty members are slated to perform, including Amy Goymerac, soprano; Brynn Albanese, violin; Heidi Butterfield, oboe; Keith Waibel, clarinet; Laura Kramer, baritone saxophone; Lisa Nauful, bassoon; Mark Miller, trombone; Christopher J. Woodruff, trumpet; Barbara Spencer, cello; John Astaire, percussion; and Ken Hustad, bass. University organist and staff accompanist Paul Woodring will play piano.
Cal Poly Journalism Department Announces 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees
Aug 13, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Four new members will be inducted into the Journalism Department Mustang Media Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Cal Poly.
The 2018 inductees are music industry executive Bruce Flohr, advancement professional Susan Houghton, political consultant and KCRA-TV analyst Kevin Riggs, and former KCPR faculty adviser and broadcaster Ed J. Zuchelli.
Cal Poly Campus Dining Wins Grand Prize in National Competition
Aug 9, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly recently won a grand prize in the 2018 Loyal E. Horton Dining Award competition, sponsored by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS). University Catering received this honor in the Catering-Online Menu category.
“Each day we work to create a better dining experience on campus and to support the success of each student who walks through our doors,” Catering Manager Cynthia Stocker said. “This is great recognition for our entire team and really emphasizes the work and pride that we put into everything we do.”
Cal Poly Honored at California State University Technology Awards
Aug 9, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly’s Digital Transformation Hub (DxHub), part of the university’s Information Technology Services division, won the Collaborating Across Boundaries Award at the California State University’s (CSU) 2018 Tech Awards.
The silver award was given in recognition of Cal Poly’s launch of the DxHub with Amazon Web Services (AWS) in fall 2017. The DxHub is dedicated to developing solutions to civic problems through technology while providing hands-on learning experiences for students. The DxHub innovation team is comprised of Cal Poly and AWS employees and employs student interns and researchers.
Cal Poly and Bugcrowd Join Forces to Improve Cybersecurity and Train Next Generation of Cyber Defenders
Jul 31, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Bugcrowd, the leader in crowdsourced security, and Cal Poly today announced a coordinated effort to address the growing cybersecurity issues affecting our government, economy and daily lives.
The two entities are embarking on a two-year program to conduct research that benefits the cybersecurity community, develop products to help organizations prevent and remediate cybersecurity issues, and provide real-world, hands-on training for students through the California Cybersecurity Institute (CCI) at Cal Poly.
Cal Poly Economics Professor Earns Award for Innovative Food Waste Research Paper
Jul 31, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly economics Professor Steve Hamilton and a colleague received an Elsevier Atlas Award for their research paper on strategies to salvage and sell cosmetically flawed produce.
Hamilton and Timothy Richards of Arizona State University, in their research titled “Food waste in the sharing economy,” analyzed ways in which “sharing economy” businesses similar to Uber and Airbnb can reduce the 40 percent of edible but “ugly” produce that goes to waste in the United States. The paper was published earlier this year in Food Policy, a multidisciplinary journal featuring original research.
Monthlong Cal Poly Summer Program Attracts 135 International University Students
Jul 25, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly’s third Summer International Workshop has attracted 135 participants — including more than 120 from Egypt — seeking the university’s Learn by Doing style of education.
The turnout is the largest since mechanical engineering Professor Eltahry Elghandour inspired the annual series of learning opportunities in 2016. In February, he traveled to Egypt where he met with several universities and held information sessions promote the program.