ISSUE 20
Fall 2023
FALL 2023
A NOTE FROM THE DEAN
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As I prepare to retire as dean in December after more than 25 years at Cal Poly, I find myself reflecting not only on all of the firsts that I experienced along the way, but on the lasting lessons that will remain long beyond my time here. From rolling up my sleeves and working side by side with faculty and students cleaning out old labs to building multimillion-dollar facilities that ensure our students have access to the latest technology, every experience was done with one goal in mind: student success. Together, we can do hard things. And because of that, we can accomplish great things. Any organization is only as successful as the people who are a part of it. I retire knowing that the college is being led by some of the most talented, driven and compassionate educators out there. They will continue to prepare the next generation to be Ready Day One to address the fundamental issues that affect all of humankind – food security, environmental sustainability and the impacts of a changing climate. This global focus is at the forefront of everything we do in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences – and will continue to be long into the future. In this issue, you’ll read stories about students who are doing critical research in climate science and agronomy. You’ll see the students taking their first classes in the new Boswell Ag Tech Center, where agriculture, food and technology come together. And you’ll read about the latest efforts underway by the Cal Poly Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Institute. These efforts all reflect the first steps into the future that will create the lasting impacts future generations will benefit from. Thank you for your continued support of Cal Poly and our future. I will forever be grateful for the privilege of leading this college for the last
TUNDRA ————
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Cover Story BOSWELL AG TECH CENTER ————
10 Q&A
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GREEN GRANT ————
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TIMELINE
CULTIVATE is published for alumni and friends by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES). Dean’s Office 805-756-2161 Communications Team Haley Marconett hmarcone@calpoly.edu 805-756-2933 AnnMarie Cornejo ancornej@calpoly.edu 805-756-2427
Publication Designer Julia Jackson-Clark
(Graphic Communication, '19)
juliajacksonclark.com
Printer Lithographix Los Angeles, California Staff Photographers Felipe Vallejo
(Agricultural Communication, '21)
decade, and for the relationships formed along the way.
Morgan Elia
Third-year agricultural communication major
In gratitude,
Cover photo by Joe Johnston Andrew J. Thulin , Ph.D. | Dean Stay connected on:
cafes.calpoly.edu
STUDENT FEATURE
VERTICAL FARMING
Controlled-environment agriculture
Third-year bioresource and agricultural engineering major Anna Wescott kneels in the upper level of the indoor vertical farm transplanting lettuce that was moved just minutes prior from the plant propagation chamber next door. On the first level below, Ethan Chea, also a third-year bioresource and agricultural engineering major, adds nutrients to the water that will sustain the 800 lettuce plants for the next two weeks before they are harvested. The students are working with Assistant Professor Sara Kuwahara at the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department’s first hydroponic vertical indoor farm – which is inconspicuously housed in one of the department’s lab areas. The students, guided by Kuwahara, spent the summer assembling the structure which includes three horizontal levels and three sets of vertical towers for growing plants, which were donated by Plenty, a company that specializes in vertical indoor farming. In all, the department’s indoor farm has six independent hydroponic systems built by students and faculty for research and production instruction. Wescott also participated in the college’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program studying the first trial of plants grown in the hydroponic system – doing research to determine if plants flourished better when grown horizontally or vertically. For now, her findings are leaning toward horizontal. “Living in California I have seen how much land and water are needed for farming,” Wescott said. “What we are doing here is giving growers options.”
Anna Wescott and Ethan Chea transplant lettuce into the hydroponic vertical indoor farm.
Chea said he is interested in controlledenvironment agriculture because of the ability to control inputs and outputs — something he said is applicable to a lot of things. “In vertical farming you know what is going in and you can predict a certain outcome,” said Chea. “The hands-on experience I am getting here is going to help me for my whole life.”
Both Wescott and Chea are managing the project while working with students from the department’s Grow Club to handle daily chores, monitoring and upkeep. The indoor farming unit will be used by Kuwahara and these students to further her research of using ultrafine bubbles to improve water use efficiency in soilless indoor plant production. Controlled-environmental agriculture is often looked to as a sustainable path to the future of food production. Because it optimizes growing conditions by closely regulating environmental factors within a controlled space using technology-driven solutions, it addresses the growing demand for nutritious, locally-sourced food while minimizing the environmental impacts. However, it is not without challenges. Initial startup costs are high, as are energy costs. Kuwahara said investors are often stymied at the inability to turn a large profit, making it difficult for farmers to find the financial support they need to get started. “This is not a widget that turns into a million dollars,” said Kuwahara. “This is agriculture and the competition is high as vertical farmers try to compete against land-based producers who can do it for less.” Yet one outcome is proven: lettuce plants can grow from germination to harvest in just four weeks in controlled environments indoors – significantly less than the 40 to 60 days needed in the field. Kuwahara strives to increase the yield of indoor crops even further with her research using oxygenated microbubbles to nourish plants grown in controlled indoor environments. The CSU Agricultural Research Institute recently provided a grant that will provide for two years of operating the indoor farm, including two paid student techs. “So far it is improving yields by as much as two times,” Kuwahara said. “Our goal is to make that even more.”
CAFES.CALPOLY.EDU
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NEWS & NOTES
Faculty awards
Two College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences faculty members, Associate Professor Seeta Sistla and Professor Federico Casassa were honored at the university’s Fall Convocation event in September. Sistla, who teaches in the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department, was recognized as a distinguished scholar for her work as an emerging national leader in soil science. Since joining Cal Poly, she has brought in more than $1 million in grants funded by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture supporting diverse research projects that include investigating the ecological consequences of plastics in agriculture, solar array development in rangelands and arctic global change. Casassa, who teaches in the Wine and Viticulture Department, was recognized with the Provost’s Leadership Award For Partnership In Philanthropy. Casassa has been an integral part of advancement efforts for the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture and the department’s research program. Casassa’s research has brought leading winemakers from the area to the college, and he has hosted numerous industry advisory council members and other potential donors and supporters for immersive wine experiences in the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture.
BUILDING LONG-TERM GROWTH Progress is underway to replace or repair nearly 48 miles of fencing managed by the college surrounding its livestock and farm areas, including the Cal Poly Organic Farm and the orchards. Additionally, more than $4 million has been dedicated to replacing an aged fleet of trucks, tractors and support vehicles with newer models that meet emission reduction targets outlined by the California Air Regulation Board. The improvements are being made following the award of $18.75 million in one-time state funding to the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences in August 2022 to make equipment and infrastructure improvements to the university’s agricultural production units. Planned future improvements will include enhancing the Plant Sciences program with greenhouse facility upgrades and modernizing the dairy production and processing facilities while decreasing their environmental footprint.
DEAN ANDREW THULIN RETIREMENT CELEBRATION A Cal Poly alumnus, Dean Thulin will retire from Cal Poly at the end of 2023 after more than 25 years of service. He has led the college for the last 10 years and was the head of the Animal Science Department for 15 years before that. In that time, he worked to ensure the college is continuously poised to prepare future generations of students in sustainable agriculture practices that will build long-term food safety and security, environmental sustainability and climate-smart agricultural systems. A celebration will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Cal Poly's JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture.
SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH More than 35 students participated in the 2023 CAFES Summer Undergraduate Research Program, which culminated with a poster symposium in August at the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. Students worked alongside faculty on research projects across multiple disciplines in the college’s nine departments. Over the 10-week program, students receive a $3,500 stipend for their work as well as invaluable experience.
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NEWS & NOTES
THIRD ANNUAL BREAKAWAVE RODEO On Sept. 28, Cal Poly Rodeo hosted the third annual BreakaWave rodeo on the coastline of Pismo Beach. The event featured 24 breakaway ropers, four saddle bronc riders and two bareback riders. Proceeds from the event benefit the annual student-athlete scholarship fund.
MEET OUR NEW FACULTY
JAMES BINGAMAN DEPARTMENT: Agricultural Education and
Communication
AREA OF SPECIALTY: Communication EDUCATION: Doctorate in media communica-
CAL POLY RECEIVES TOP 5-STAR RANKING Cal Poly is among the 34 top public and private universities in the nation, according to Money magazine’s 2023 Best Colleges rankings. The personal finance website — which reports on mortgages, loans, credit, investing and more — analyzed dozens of data points, including graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid and alumni salaries, to find colleges that combine quality and affordability. The magazine used six rankings — from 2.5 to 5 stars — to identify the 736 schools “where your tuition (and time) is likely to pay off.” Cal Poly achieved the 5-star rating along with 33 other schools across the U.S., including Ivy League universities Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Columbia. Cal Poly was among seven top California schools — and the only California State University campus — to receive 5-star recognition.
tion in media from the University of Delaware HOMETOWN: Perth, Western Australia WHAT IS ONE FUN FACT ABOUT YOU? I was on
a TV show as a kid.
SHANNON MCCLORRY DEPARTMENT: Food Science and Nutrition AREA OF SPECIALTY: Early-life nutrition, iron
deficiency, metabolism
EDUCATION: Doctorate in nutrition from UC
Davis
HOMETOWN: Dundas, Ontario, Canada FUN FACT: As an undergraduate, I spent
a year interning with a Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
NEW RESERVE WINE Introducing Cal Poly's 2022 Reserve Wines: A Perfect Blend of Learn by Doing and Excellence The Wine and Viticulture Department recently debuted its 2022 Sauvignon Blanc and 2022 Chardonnay Reserve wines. The 2022 vintage marks the first time that Cal Poly's wines were made entirely on campus. Students are involved in every aspect of the winemaking process, from tending the vines in the Trestle Estate Vineyard to winemaking and bottling in the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. As the 2022 vintage began to take shape, the decision to launch a reserve tier was born. The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc and 2022 Chardonnay Reserve wines are the culmination of dedication, hard work and a commitment to excellence. These wines represent the very best that Cal Poly has to offer, showcasing the incredible talent of our students and the world-class faculty and facilities now available on campus. Produced in very limited quantities, you can find these wines at www.calpolywine.com.
MIGUEL PEDROZA DEPARTMENT: Wine and Viticulture AREA OF SPECIALTY: Wine volatile aroma
analysis and perception; wine processing EDUCATION: Doctorate in enology, University
of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
HOMETOWN: Monterrey, Mexico FUN FACT: I play guitar and bass and I am
always ready for a fun jam with fellow music enthusiasts.
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FEATURE
Left: Gaspord holding the day's collection of soil samples. Right: Grensted and a fellow researcher surveying and sampling cloudberry on the tundra.
CLIMATE RESEARCH IN THE TUNDRA In the remote Alaskan Arctic tundra, the impacts of a changing climate are like beacons guiding scientists to better understand the environmental shifts that will impact populations well beyond the rural landscape. Researchers worldwide are working tirelessly to better understand the social and environmental consequences of a rapidly changing climate, visiting the secluded region to access and study soil and flora samples. This summer, two Cal Poly students were invited to be a part of the research efforts, spending weeks there while working alongside scientists. Associate Professor Seeta Sistla, who teaches soil science in the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department, connected the students with the project as a lead and collaborative primary investigator on two National Science Foundation grants focused on documenting the effects of rapid climate warming in the Arctic. Sistla’s research is focused on interactions between soils and plants under changing environmental conditions. Her research in the Arctic is centered on understanding how tundra carbon and nutrient cycling responds to accelerated warming and novel fire stressors. Max Grensted, a fourth-year environmental management and protection major, and Cameron Gaspord, a
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second-year graduate student in environmental sciences and management, were funded by Sistla’s grants to engage in research documenting the ecosystem impacts of rapid climate warning and heightened fire frequency in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. Grensted is studying flora, while Gaspord is focused on soils. Both students have traveled unique academic journeys to this point. Grensted, a transfer student from Santa Cruz, learned about the opportunity in a global climate change class taught by Sistla. He was the first student to come forward to express interest in participating, despite worrying it might be out of his comfort zone. He now says it is the best decision he has ever made. “This is the most excited that I’ve been since I was a kid,” he said. “I genuinely felt like I was on a lifechanging adventure. Typically, I’m not a person who puts myself into these types of situations. But I’ve learned it is very possible – all it takes is 15 minutes of courage to say yes.” Gaspord, who came to Cal Poly from Minnesota to pursue a master’s degree under Sistla’s direction, made the connection through a mentorship program while an undergraduate at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. “My mentor saw a tweet that Sistla posted and he thought I would be interested in her research,” said Gaspord. “I’ve always
FEATURE
People, plants and animals are all impacted by the changes that are happening. It is easy to overlook the other aspects of climate change to plants and animals that are impacted by changes we as people don’t yet experience.”
dreamed of working on soils and I’m so lucky to be here.” Until attending Cal Poly, she’d never been to California. The two students are now connected in research and a shared understanding of what it is like to live in a tent in the Arctic tundra where the climate is warming much faster than the rest of the earth. Neither had been to Alaska before. “I think it is one of the most formative experiences you can have,” said Sistla. “To be out in a place like that in the world and see a landscape really rapidly changing – it is a beautiful, enchanting landscape in the midst of rapid environmental change and these students were given the opportunity to collect samples and see where things are coming from. Those are the reasons why you teach.” Grensted spent two weeks in the field participating in a terrestrial burn comparison study, collecting samples from the cloudberry plant, a low-growing perennial native to area. Samples were taken from three field sites, one from an older burn area, another from a more recently burned area and one from an area that had not yet experienced fire. “As the Arctic is disproportionately warming, wildfires are increasing,” he said. “As the planet continues to warm, it is important to understand what fires are doing in that region.” For Grensted, the importance of the impacts on the cloudberry plant extends beyond the immediate changes determined in the plant’s production to understanding how this will have a larger impact over time on the larger ecosystem. “It is all connected,” he said. “People, plants and animals are all impacted by the changes that are happening. It is easy to overlook the other aspects of climate change to plants and animals that are impacted by changes we as people don’t yet experience.” His days were spent documenting what he saw, taking plant counts, measuring leaf area and environmental conditions such as soil moisture and temperature, and collecting samples. He is now analyzing the samples he took at a lab at Cal Poly to document his findings. Gaspord spent six weeks in the field collecting soil samples and assisting other researchers in collecting trace greenhouse gasses such as methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide and water samples. The campsite, accessible only by helicopter, consisted of a series of tents and no running water. It was shared with Grensted and scientists from the
Woodwell Climate Research Center and was occupied by anywhere from three people to up to 15 at a time. Only one other person stayed as long as Gaspord, who described the experience as both intense and lifechanging. The weather was often rainy and windy and the wetland environment of mosses and low-lying shrubs formed a spongy ground – making the 45-minute trek to the sample sites each day a physical challenge. With no trees, you could see for miles. Gaspord’s days started at 8 a.m. with a large breakfast of either oatmeal or hashbrowns and pancakes provided by the camp cook, and then hiking across the tundra in waders with her supplies secured in a raft pulled behind her. She would collect samples, walk back, have dinner, play a few card games and retire for the day before setting out to do it all over again. The soil samples she gathered are being added to a collection of samples that were taken during different cycles of the seasons – allowing for further research in understanding how the melting of the area’s permafrost affects the soil’s active layers and release of carbon into the air. She is also analyzing the various burn areas to include wildfire as a variable as the fires that are now sweeping through the tundra area more often change the natural landscape and what grows there. “I am collecting as much data as possible out of the sites, which will then be uploaded and shared with the Arctic Data Center to allow access for researchers across the globe,” she said. Both Grensted and Gaspord say they want to continue doing research after they graduate. In December, both students will present their findings at the American Geophysical Union, an international, nonprofit scientific association. “When in class, you may go for a field trip for a day or two, but it can’t compare to being out there without distraction to observe the field of study,” said Sistla. “The experience of being out camping, encountering moose and grizzly bears and ecosystems completely different from our own, is wildly different than having the samples provided to you. It formalizes the strengths and limitations of taking samples, furthers the research goals and grows our collective our understanding of ecological responses to rapid climate change.”
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ALUMNI FEATURE
Mobile Vet
Mobile Veterinary Practice Initiated by Cal Poly Grads Finds Success BY LAUREN MCEWEN Alumnus Jacob Wright (Animal Science, ’20) co-founded a mobile veterinary franchise that allows doctors to offer a wide range of services such as exams, routine care and vaccinations on the go. Wright partnered with Dr. Raffy Dorian, who also studied animal science at Cal Poly, and Dr. Daniel Gutman to launch the franchise, called Vetama, with the assistance of Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The business model, started in San Luis Obispo, is now being used in Salem, Oregon, and will soon expand to San Diego. Founded in June 2022, Vetama is equipped to offer general veterinary care and is sold to veterinarians as a means of incorporating quality, comfort and efficiency into their practice, said Wright. The inspiration for the mobile care van came from the experiences shared by Dorian, Wright and Gutman while working together at the mobile veterinary practice Central Coast Veterinary Service. Each franchise sold includes the van and guidance from Wright and his team to assist in getting started. Wright said the inspiration for the mobile business began with his time as an animal science undergraduate but really took root as a graduate student in the Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business’s MBA program. There, Learn by Doing paved the way for Wright’s concept to flourish. “While in the MBA program, we developed this model,” says Wright, “You have to Learn by Doing. If you don’t actually do it, you won’t learn anything.”
You have to Learn by Doing. If you don’t actually do it, you won’t learn anything.”
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To jumpstart the business, Wright turned to Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Incubator, a two-year program that provides everything needed for early-stage companies to develop into successful enterprises. The CIE prepared the Vetama founders for various facets of the business such as marketing, promotion and expansion. Success followed not long after, with Dr. Kasey Joynt, a veterinarian in Salem, Oregon, making the first purchase of a Vetama mobile unit. Joynt said he is experiencing an overwhelmingly positive response from his clients about the quality, convenience and efficacy of the mobile vet practice. Cal Poly’s polytechnic and interdisciplinary educational model helped prepare Wright, Dorian and Gutman to launch their mobile veterinary franchise. Wright shared that seeing the success of the original location in San Luis Obispo being replicated elsewhere is empowering but acknowledged that there is always room for continuous improvement, especially when it comes to technology.
Boswell ag tech center
COVER STORY
The bustle in the halls of the new Boswell Agricultural Technology Center the first week of fall quarter signals a new chapter for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences – a modernized training of future leaders in agriculture and food innovation. Students are immersed in classes focused on culinary and food science, sensory analysis, product development, food safety and nutrition. From day one, students will work in the state-of-the-art labs using equipment and tools that are at the forefront of the industry. “Students are now working in spaces that are more representative of the equipment they will encounter during their careers,” Food Science Associate Professor Samir Amin said. “The new labs ensure that students are gaining a handson experience from their freshman to their senior year that prepares them beyond anything that can be taught in a classroom.”
Located within the William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation, the donor-funded Boswell Agricultural Technology Center is the centerpiece of the new $125 million complex that serves as a hub for students, faculty and industry to gather and share knowledge to drive the food industry forward. Amin, who has taught food science at Cal Poly for eight years, spent the summer months preparing to teach classes in the new culinary teaching lab. The excitement glistens in his eyes as he moves around the demonstration station of the lab, which provides students a space to closely observe techniques prior to CAFES.CALPOLY.EDU
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COVER STORY
INSIDE Photo courtesy of Joe Johnston
Within the Boswell Ag Tech Center, students, faculty and industry will come together to create safe, healthy and sustainable food for the future – while solving today’s more complex food issues. The new center will serve as a hub for students, faculty and industry to gather and share knowledge to drive the food industry forward in the areas of food safety, culinary development and sensory evaluation.
Culinary Teaching lab Sensory Analysis Teaching and Research Lab
implementing the new skills themselves in the larger kitchen area. Tracking cameras installed above the range livestream to mounted screens throughout the space allowing for Amin to closely demonstrate skills to a large audience – giving students a first-hand experience that wasn’t possible in older labs.
Food Safety Labs Teaching and Research Instrumentation Lab
This fall he is teaching an introduction to the fundamentals of food course that encompasses the principles of culinary science and food preparation. The course is required for food science students in the Culinology® concentration and all nutrition students and serves as an approved elective for students in other programs across the university. As the first class taught in the space, it was capped at 48 students but will expand to up to 60 students in the winter and spring quarters.
Nutrition and Food Studies Lab Experience Innovation Lab
Photo courtesy of Brittany App
The list of skills that students enrolled in the food science and nutrition courses will learn is endless, including learning how to use fryers, charbroilers, blast chillers and combi ovens that can roast, poach, steam, grill, bake, and even sous vide or air fry food. Behind the scenes the lab includes the technology needed to reconfigure space and equipment as needed for courses, research and working with corporate partners.
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CULINARY INSIGHT The culinary lab is centralized on the first floor of the new Frost Center, which is shared with the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Liberal Arts, encapsulated in glass walls that allow passersby a glimpse into the space as students practice the fundamentals of cooking. “The location provides an opportunity for other students to see what we do in the Food Science and Nutrition Department and get excited,” said Professor Amy Lammert, who teaches courses in product development
Photo courtesy of ZGF Architects
Photo courtesy of Joe Johnston
Photo courtesy of ZGF Architects
COVER STORY
and sensory analysis. “The goal is to not only pique the interest of students, but to demonstrate to prospective students all that awaits them if they choose Cal Poly.” Lammert is teaching an upper-level food product development class this fall, which integrates all of the lessons taught to food science students up to that point. The course is an opportunity to partner with industry and give students the experience of working on developing a product that is being considered for the marketplace. “Students will delve into everything from concept analysis to developing a benchtop prototype and planning for scaling the product up for commercial production,” Lammert said. Additionally, students enrolled in an agribusiness course will work concurrently to develop a business strategy and pitch for the product that students develop. “What I teach my students is reflective of the skills that are needed in industry,” Lammert said. “It was difficult to teach the same breadth of skills in our former space – the new labs are a gamechanger. We can really make a difference in
The new labs were designed in consultation with industry and use the latest technology, exposing students to cutting-edge equipment and processes that they will experience in industry upon graduation.
learning opportunities for our students and better prepare them for prospective employers.” Students go on to pursue careers in product development, sensory analysis, sales, research and development, quality assurance and leading culinary establishments.
We are grateful for the philanthropic investments that made the Boswell Agricultural Technology Center possible. THE JAMES G. BOSWELL FOUNDATION THE OREGGIA FAMILY FOUNDATION ALBERT B. SMITH
food and beverage products. The two labs are connected, allowing students to easily transition from one space to the next. “You can’t have food without sensory analysis,” Lammert said. “Food is driven by consumers. If a company wants to be successful, they have to understand the consumer.” By partnering with industry to create and test new food products in state-of-the-art labs, the Boswell Ag Tech Center will be at the forefront of culinary, sensory and food product development designed to meet the changing needs of consumers.
GEORGE P. JOHNSON EXPERIENCE MARKETING
“I look at the space and see endless opportunities,” Lammert said. “We’ve removed all physical boundaries from teaching – allowing students to come in and immediately be engaged.”
Next door to the culinary lab is the new sensory analysis teaching and research lab, which will be used to train students and conduct research to determine insights into consumer goods and new
In all of the classes, students are encouraged to try new things, play with new flavors and be creative. “I always tell my students that the only difference between this and a chemistry lab is that, if you want to, you can lick the spoon,” Amin said.
THE OTIS BOOTH FOUNDATION TAYLOR FARMS MIKE LEPRINO
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Q&A
Frank frievalt 10
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Retired fire chief Frank Frievalt joined Cal Poly this year as the director of the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Institute. He previously served as fire chief for the Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District, division chief of operations for the Sparks Fire Department and in various other leadership roles. The Cal Poly WUI FIRE Institute, comprised of faculty, staff and students, and partnered with industry and community members, is focused on developing and evaluating methods of managing forests and designing communities in ways that reduce wildfire severity and threats to human welfare and property while maintaining environmental and community health. It is the first of its kind at a California State University campus.
Q&A
What is the mission of Cal Poly’s WUI Fire Institute and what distinguishes it from other efforts?
What is one common misconception about the growing number of fires in California and throughout the nation?
The center’s mission is to create the most fire-resilient communities in the world. Cal Poly’s approach is distinct in that we see the wildland-urban interface (WUI) as an integrated system rather than a collection of discrete systems.
There are two. The variability of fire intensity is frequently misunderstood. A great deal of total acreage burned on any given fire happens within a beneficial range, or as “good” fire that accomplishes necessary ecologic cycles. Sustainability of these systems will require more frequent but less intense fire activity. Indeed, the institute’s most important contribution to making WUI communities fire resilient is setting conditions for acceptable land use polices that return beneficial fire back on the landscape at scale. The other is the speed and propagation of spot fires via ember cast; these are significantly worse than people imagine.
You’ve had more than 30 years of professional experience with fire, so what attracted you to the WUI Fire Institute director position at Cal Poly at this time in your career? I am most content when contributing and believe we should strive to find the grace in every age. This position allows me to address unfinished business as a public safety professional, but now from my office rather than the field. My fire service has been rewarding beyond measure, organizing chaos and improving outcomes for things gone wrong. Losing a WUI community to wildfire is staggering; it always feels like an epic failure. Paradise has become the footnote to Lahaina and Lahaina will become the footnote to somewhere else until we make our WUI communities truly and reliably resilient to wildfire. We have much to do. What will be the initial focus of the institute? First, we have four major grants funding roughly 17 projects being diligently worked on by our faculty and students; I’ll ensure they have the time, resources, authority and clarity of scope to complete their work. Second, I’m bringing seven years of WUI mitigation projects and networks with me to Cal Poly and will leverage those to give our institute a jumpstart among practitioners, legislators, industries and communities. Third, we are transitioning from a multi-year start-up mode to the commencement of an institute, celebrating the process of getting here while leaning into our formidable responsibilities. What conversations are you having with the insurance, building, lending and real estate industries to develop holistic solutions to prevent destructive wildfires and help build more resilient communities? We are constructively breaking legacy systems through courageous conversation. Increases in vegetative fuel loads, development in fire-adapted ecosystems and climate change have accrued an unsustainable level of unmitigated global risk. We must reconcile that the environmental and financial consequences of climate change are fellow travelers, not competing interests. The message is straightforward; we need the best fire science, driving the best consequence modeling, driving the best valuation of mitigations, driving the data architecture, to improve incident response, and (this is where the real magic happens) iteratively redefine the best science through post-fire reconstruction to establish mitigation efficacy.
Any exciting research currently underway by Cal Poly faculty and students? What I find most exciting is our approach to the research; it is applied in a way unique to the academic DNA of an agricultural/technical university. The research is never far from the dirt, often in the dirt. This approach supports WUI research making it to the last mile of local implementation and maintenance; anything less is merely a finer articulation of an unresolved problem. We have projects involving lidar, policy dashboards, particulate barriers, respirators, hyperspectral imaging, 3D model simulations, fire retardants, architectural design, professional development, metabolomics, actuarial valuation of risk and even some refuse truck fire research going on…that’s pretty exciting. The center is the first of its kind at a California State University campus. Why is that? It is based on the thought leadership of our university administrators, staff, faculty and donors. They could see over the horizon an unfolding WUI crisis in need of focused attention. My predecessors understood the need to convert this effort into an effective rhythm, and a dedicated WUI Institute was the way they chose to do so, for which I am grateful. What are your plans for the future of the WUI Fire Institute and how can alumni help? In addition to supporting our existing faculty research capacity through grant-sponsored programs, I plan to bring on research capacity funded independently of the grant process, which will rely on donors. The necessity for this is twofold. First, as a teaching institution, our faculty capacity for research must be shared with our responsibilities to support students in the classroom. Second, we need to be influencing the funding of WUI research, not merely responding to the legacy systems influencing it now; that requires pre-funded research capacity to lead the way in a new era of WUI risk exposures. CAFES.CALPOLY.EDU
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FEATURE
THE GRANT IS GREENER In California, legalized cannabis is a $5 billion industry. But are excessive taxes and a hodgepodge of municipal regulations hampering the market? A group of Cal Poly professors are investigating just that. Agribusiness Professor Michael McCullough was awarded a $445,000 grant from the California Department of Cannabis Control to study how California’s regulation of the cannabis industry impacts markets and growth potential. Cal Poly is one of only two California State University campuses to receive the funding, which is part of a larger $20 million investment in research by the state at 16 colleges and universities.
The goal of our research is to evaluate different state policies that could potentially reduce the impact of these practices and therefore create a healthier California cannabis industry.
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McCullough has done extensive research in the beer and wine industries and specializes in California production agriculture and the implications the regulatory environment has on producers. He will work alongside Professor Lynn Hamilton, Assistant Professor Dan Scheitrum and graduate and undergraduate students over the next two years to examine the effects that local regulation throughout California has had on market concentration and prices, and how differences in local regulation can impact market power, unfair competitive practices and the growth of the California cannabis market. The research will detail local cannabis regulation across the supply chain and throughout California to identify instances that may have created unfair competition. The research team will then combine extensive industry interviews with price and quantity data and market concentration to estimate market power in local areas. Ultimately, the project will examine state policies that could mitigate non-competitive effects of market concentration. “The cannabis industry is very similar to the alcohol industry,” McCullough said. “When the use, sale and cultivation of marijuana was legalized in California in 2017, local municipalities were left to figure out for themselves how to regulate it. This created a vast array of differing regulations.” McCullough added that some of these regulations may have created local monopolies and unfair practices in the industry that can lead to higher-than-normal margins and prices, as well as a reduction of the quantity of legal cannabis sales. “The goal of our research is to evaluate different state policies that could potentially reduce the impact of these practices and therefore create a healthier California cannabis industry.”
FEATURE
Ornamental greenhouses BY ANYA REHON
Anticipated enhancements and repairs are in the works for the college’s 18,000-square-foot ornamental horticulture facility thanks to a generous donation by an alumnus of the program. The current facility has served thousands of students since 1969 and the ornamental horticulture program has played an integral role in undergraduate curriculum at Cal Poly since the early 1900s. Students in the program learn about landscape and horticulture installation and design, vegetable production, floral production and design and disease and pest control management. Alumnus and longtime College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences dean’s advisory council member, Charles Walton (Ornamental Horticulture, ’66), donated $1 million for the project, which will be used to modernize and update the complex. Updates to the complex include the installation of new shade and thermal curtains; advanced fog, cooling and steam-sterilization systems; new concrete flooring and more. These advancements enhance student learning while reducing energy waste and consumption. Walton, who was named the college’s honored alumnus in 2015, is the past owner and CEO of the Smithers-Oasis Company, an international producer and marketer of floral and horticultural products. He made the gift in honor of Dean Emeritus Howard Brown (Ornamental Horticulture, ’43), who taught Walton while he was a student at Cal Poly. Brown, who was also the former head of the Ornamental Horticulture
Department, served at Cal Poly for over 40 years and left a significant impact on those he interacted with – one that Walton would like to honor by naming the upgraded facility after him. “Howard Brown was a bigger-than-life individual. I cannot imagine anyone else’s name that should be on the building than his,” said Walton. “There are few times in life that you can do something for someone who has meant so much to you, and this is that opportunity.” Updates to the complex begin this fall. The improvements pave the way for the next phase of enhancements – a 60,000-squarefoot, high-tech Venlo-style greenhouse complex, part of the new Plant Sciences Complex, which will break ground on campus in the coming year. For more information about supporting upcoming projects in the college, please contact Russ Kabaker at rkabaker@calpoly.edu.
Dean Andy Thulin and Alumnus Charles Walton at the Honored Alumni Awards event in 2015.
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TIMELINE
25 YEARS OF
Dean Andy Thulin Andrew Thulin, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES), will retire from the university at the end of the 2023 after more than 25 years of service. A Cal Poly alumnus, he joined CAFES in 1998 as head of the Animal Science Department and has led the college for the last 10 years. He forged international partnerships with universities in Glasgow and Edinburgh for pre-vet students, increased faculty and diversity within the college and formed effective connections with industry. During his time at Cal Poly, Dean Thulin raised more than $230 million for the college, while continuously bringing advanced technologies to the college’s various programs so that students who graduate out of CAFES are prepared to make a difference in their chosen careers.
2007-2010
New enterprises developed and expanded, including the Quarter Horse and Western Bonanza.
2007
New state-of-the-art Animal Nutrition Center completed.
1998
2011
New Meat Processing Center, funded largely by private donors, opened as one of the only U.S. Department of Agriculture-inspected plants on a college campus.
1998
Joined CAFES as head of the Animal Science Department.
2003
Started first courses that exposed students to advanced biotechnology, installing new labs for genomics and biotech and applied animal embryology.
Planned and hosted a reunion marking the 100th anniversary of the Animal Science Department with more than 700 people in attendance – the largest reunion in Cal Poly history.
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Constructed 40-stall Walter J. Thomson Mare Barn
TIMELINE
2018
2013
Named interim dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, becoming dean in July 2014.
2014
Cal Poly Strawberry Center established in partnership with the California Strawberry Commission.
2021 Led Swanton Pacific Ranch fire-recovery, restoration and rebuild efforts.
2020-2023
Grand opening of the 60,000-square-foot Oppenheimer Family Equine Center, funded by a $20 million donation from Peter and Mary Beth Oppenheimer made in 2014 — the largest cash gift in the university's history at the time.
Grand opening of the $23 million JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture, the largest fully donor-funded project in CSU history.
Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research established.
2023
2017
Appointed to the California Board of Food and Agriculture
2019
Cal Poly Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Institute launched.
College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee formed; Aspire to Grow, a student-led conference on diversity in the workplace created.
2023
Boswell Ag Tech Center opens, driving the food industry forward in the areas of food safety and security, nutrition science, culinary development, sensory evaluation and experiential design.
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STUDENT FEATURE
ALTERNATIVE BREAKS BY ANYA REHON
In late June, two College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences students participated in a global service trip to Cape Town, South Africa, where they engaged in learning outside of the classroom and connected with the community through service projects. The trip, called Alternative Breaks, is hosted by Cal Poly’s Center for Service in Action, which allows students to participate in meaningful community service opportunities, cultivating social awareness and furthering their educational experience. Cal Poly’s Center for Service in Action, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, offers local, national and global programs for students. The center provides a variety of services to the campus community — including volunteer matchmaking for students, faculty and staff, partnering with faculty for service learning and annual service trips. In all, eight students and two staff members traveled to South Africa. Once there, the group partnered with students from Film School Africa to collaborate on service projects in the community. Cal Poly students worked for a family shelter where they painted people’s homes, assisted with installing flooring, and helped with gardening, among other tasks. When not working, they were led on excursions throughout the region, including visiting an ostrich farm, hiking and petting a cheetah at a sanctuary. Alex Wiens, an environmental sciences and management master’s student, described it as the trip of a lifetime. “I got to see a completely different side to the country that
I would not have seen had I traveled there as a tourist,” Wiens said. “We went to Robben Island and saw the cell that Nelson Mandela was imprisoned in. To learn about racial inequity was very powerful and moving.” Students who participate in the Alternative Breaks trips also complete a global leadership certificate, which sets a framework for critical reflection. Bradley Kyker, who is the assistant director for the Center for Service and Action and was the host lead to South Africa, takes careful consideration when planning the trips to ensure everyone is mindful and compassionate towards the communities being served. “The Alternative Breaks trips help students diversify their education. Part of our training is about intercultural humility. We are exploring and learning about another area of the world. To come alongside them in solidarity to serve,” Kyker said. Also on the trip was second-year forest and fire sciences major Jacob Zuniga, who said he was grateful for the connections he made along the way. “I want to thank the college for sponsoring this trip,” he said. “It was beautiful to be in community with people. We learned how to be global leaders in a way where we push back against the ideology of a savior complex. We were there to be with and serve the community how they needed.” Alternative Breaks trips have taken Cal Poly students all over the world, including Peru, Vietnam, Cuba and Jamaica. Next year, the center will take students to Nepal, before returning to South Africa in 2025. For more information about participating, you can reach out to the Center for Service in Action at altbreaks@calpoly.edu.
We are exploring and learning about another area of the world. To come alongside them in solidarity to serve. -BRADLEY KYKER
Left: Hiking Table Mountain. Right: Wiens (left) petting a cheetah hosted by Cheetah Outreach.
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ANDREW & TERI THULIN
EARN BY DOING ENDOWMENT
Learn by Doing is the hallmark of Cal Poly and Teri and I are inspired to support students to gain hands-on technical and leadership skills so they can have an immediate and lasting impact on the food and agriculture industries in California and beyond. Andrew Thulin, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES), will retire from the university at the end of 2023 after more than 25 years of service. A Cal Poly alum, he joined CAFES in 1998 as head of its Animal Science Department and has led the college for the last 10 years. In that time, he worked to ensure the college is continuously poised to prepare future generations of students in sustainable agriculture practices that will build long-term food safety and security, environmental sustainability and climate-smart agricultural systems. During his tenure, more than $230 million was raised for numerous new laboratories and the construction of a new Beef Center, Animal Nutrition Center, J & G Lau Meat Processing Center, Oppenheimer Family Equine Center, Boswell Ag Tech Center in the William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation and the $22 million JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. All projects were built to reflect Thulin’s vision of offering advanced technologies to provide students with the hands-on experience needed to succeed and thrive in industry. To honor Dean Thulin’s legacy of leadership and his commitment to providing students with hands-on experience in the college’s food and agriculture units, the college – with support from advisory council leaders, alumni, donors and friends – seeks to establish a named $3 million endowed fund in support of the Earn by Doing Internship Program. The Earn by Doing Internship Program is an opportunity for students to gain paid work experience at one or more of the college’s on-campus food and agricultural production units or departments. The program allows students to work part-time, up to 20 hours per week, gaining technical and leadership skills in positions related to their chosen careers. During a typical school year, more than 400 students participate in the program, but only when budgets permit, and as a result, most units are often understaffed. As Cal Poly alums and parents, Andy and Teri know firsthand the value of a Cal Poly education and providing students with hands-on learning opportunities. Creating an Earn by Doing endowment in their names will honor their legacy and enduring commitment to student academic and professional success in the food and agriculture industries. To learn more about how you or your company can make a gift or pledge toward the Andrew and Teri Thulin Earn by Doing Endowment, please contact a member of the CAFES Advancement team today. Russ Kabaker, Assistant Dean. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rkabaker@calpoly.edu Tim Northrop, Senior Development Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tnorthro@calpoly.edu Erica Nordby, Director of Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nordby@calpoly.edu Abby McCullough, Director of Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ammccull@calpoly.edu
TO DONATE NOW, VISIT https://bit.ly/thulin
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California Polytechnic State University 1 Grand Avenue San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0250
The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences welcomed 1,112 new students to its nine departments during the annual Week of Welcome.
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