Cal Poly Update - February 2009
Alumni News
Travel to Tuscany with Alumni --
Sign Up
by Feb. 17
and Save $300
Need to get away from it all?
Sign up by Feb. 17 to travel to Tuscany this fall with Cal Poly Alumni and save $300 per person. The full price for the eight-day, seven-night trip through Italy is $2,590. Book now and see Tuscany and Cortona Sept. 16-24 for only $2,290 per person (airfare not included). To get your discount when making your reservation, use this promotional code: PREFEB1709. There's still time to join Cal Poly's trip to China in April and save $150 if you book by March 3. You don't have to be alumni to travel with the Cal Poly Alumni Association -- parents and friends are always welcome.
More on Alumni Travel programs | Tuscany Details | China Details
Alumni Events: Seattle, Chili, Wine, Baseball and More
Cal Poly Alumni in the Seattle area are getting together Feb. 12 at the Columbia Tower. The Orfalea College of Business, alum Darran Littlefield and Point B Solutions are sponsoring an all-Cal Poly reunion for Seattle-area alumni at the Columbia Tower Club. San Luis Obispo-area alumni are getting together for a pre-game chili tasting before the Feb. 21 Men's Basketball game in Mott Gym. Baseball team alumni are getting together soon, too, and Modesto-area alum are welcome for good food and wine at the annual 'Fork N' Bottle' get together. Check out the PolyLink Alumni Events Calendar for dates and details (no sign-in needed).
More Details on Cal Poly Alumni events
Come Back for Open House 2009:
April 16, 17 and 18
Open House showcases the best of the university for prospective students, their families and the community. Saturday, April 18, all events are open to the public. The day starts with a parade that includes Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo entries. More than 200 clubs will host demonstrations and concession booths. There will also be a Kids' Fair with many kid- and family-friendly activities. Everyone is welcome to tour Poly Canyon to see the annual Design Village competition, which draws teams of student architects from around the west.
Details on Open House 2009
PolyLink Job Boards: 199 Openings and Counting
Looking for a job? So far this month, there are 199 career-level job listings available through the PolyLink Job Boards. That's 199 employers looking to hire Cal Poly alumni. What's on the Job Boards? Well, 69 engineering openings, 24 business management and finance openings, 26 marketing and sales openings, and more. The bulk are for California job sites, though a handful are for locations across the nation. The PolyLink job boards combine the postings from alumni employers in PolyLink (the free, private online community for alumni) and career-level postings from Mustang Jobs (the free, private job board run by Cal Poly's Career Services department). Both job boards are free for alumni job seekers and employers.
Check Out the PolyLink Job Boards (PolyLink alumni only)
PolyLink Photo of the Month: Illuminated by Lincoln
Cal Poly couple Baley and Pedro Plascencia are February's PolyLink Photo of the Month winners for this shot from their 2007 trip to Washington, D.C. It was cold when they snapped the photo of themselves in front of the Lincoln Monument -- but it was worth it, says Baley Plascencia. The couple live in Southern California, where they both are consultants, Pedro in construction and site inspections, and Baley in fairs and events. PolyLink alumni can see more of their photos on their PolyLink personal pages -- or on the Mustang Marriages page. The Plascencias are just a few of the 10,592 alumni in PolyLink (www.calpolylink.com), the university's free private online community.
Everyone can see more Photo of the Month winners anytime -- no sign-in needed.
Alumni in the News:
From Architecture to Pastry Artistry, Flying Jennys and More
Cal Poly alumna Jennifer Tang (B.AR Architecture, 1994) is now a chef who specializes in pastry. After earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Cal Poly, Tang went on to graduate from the California School of Culinary Arts’ Le Cordon Bleu program in Pasadena. “I love art and architecture and the artistic elements of food,” said Tang, who was featured in the Ventura Star recently. Find out who else made headlines -- and whether you know them.
Read About Alumni in the News | Photo Courtesy Ventura Star
University News
Cal Poly in Top National Ranks of Architecture and Design Schools
Cal Poly’s Architecture Department ranked third in the 2009 DesignIntelligence survey ranking public and private undergraduate degree programs nationally. The Landscape Architecture Department ranked 10th in the national rankings of related programs, “a real tribute to the school’s reputation,” said department head Margarita Hill, since 85 percent of the graduates work inside the state a California. Cal Poly’s Architecture Department ranked third among undergraduate programs, up from fourth place the previous year. Cal Poly’s Architecture program has made the nation’s Top 20 list since 2003 with a ranking of sixth or better. The Landscape Architecture Department ranked 10th in the list of the nation’s Top 20 undergraduate programs. The Landscape Architecture program has made the list since 2005, ranking as high as fifth in 2007.
More details on the rankings | See video of one award-winning design project
Cal Poly Joins ' Focus the Nation' Teach-In
Cal Poly joined hundreds of universities around the country for "Focus the Nation: Building a Sustainable Economy." The event, a national "teach-in," included sustainability workshops, a green job fair and more.
More on Focus the Nation
Video: Orfalea College of Business Speaker Series - Gary McGraw
Global software security expert Gary McGraw, CTO of Cigital, Inc., spoke on the economics of online gaming, piracy, cheating and software security at Cal Poly as part of the Orfalea College of Business Distinguished Speaker Series. McGraw described how software designers anticipate security breaches and solutions by studying the actions of hundreds of thousands of interacting users in multi-user platforms; how millions of gamers have created billion-dollar virtual economies; why and how some gamers cheat; and career opportunities in software security. Play the video or download the podcast from Cal Poly's Orfalea College of Business.
See the full hour video of McGraw's lecture or download the podcast
Cal Poly Granting its First BioMed Engineering Master's Degrees in June
The California State University's first master of science degree in biomedical engineering will be awarded to as many as 10 graduates at Cal Poly this June. Recently approved by CSU Chancellor Charles Reed, the degree builds upon the university's biomedical engineering program, which was established in 2005. The popular and rapidly growing major was developed in response to industry growth in the production of stents, MEMS, tissue engineering and other medical products.
Details on the new master's program
Journalism, Graphics Get New Tech Equipment Donation
Kansa Technology has installed a Kansa 320 Inserter in Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department, providing students with the latest technology in newspaper inserters and related material-handling equipment. In addition to teaching web publication printing, the Graphic Communication Department runs an experiential student-run printing and publishing company, University Graphic Systems. This enterprise allows students to produce the Mustang Daily, the nation’s only student-produced daily newspaper in full color.
More on the Kansa additions
Faculty & Staff
Cal Poly Professors, Student Part of Gates-Funded UC Davis Project
Two Cal Poly Agribusiness professors and a student are taking part in a UC Davis research project on improving child nutrition in developing countries and plan to travel to Africa this summer as part of their work.
More on Cal Poly's connection to the UC Davis project
Cal Poly Grad and SLO Business Owner Named to Endowed Chair
Cal Poly’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design named Elbert O. Speidel, AIA, to the George Hasslein Endowed Chair for Interdisciplinary Studies in Environmental Design, established to honor the college’s founding dean. Speidel developed a prefabricated polymer housing unit called the Poly-Pod in addition to mentoring students through his 40 years in the field of architecture and construction.
Read More About Speidel
Cal Poly Researchers Report on 'Battle-Bot' Ethics, Risks
The Ethics + Emerging Technologies Group at Cal Poly has released a major report, “Autonomous Military Robots: Risk, Ethics, and Design,” authored by several faculty researchers. The 100-plus page report was funded by the U.S. Department of Navy Office of Naval Research. It covers issues including current and predicted states of robotics, different programming approaches (top-down, bottom-up, etc.), just-war challenges, legal responsibilities and other ethical concerns ranging from accidental deaths to robots’ rights.
More about the ethics report
Read the Report Reaction on Wired.Com
See the Story on GYRE.org
Philosophy Professor Advising New University
The Singularity University has invited Patrick Lin, technology ethicist in Cal Poly's Philosophy Department, to be one of its advisors. Lin joins other notable advisors and faculty from leading organizations such as Google, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego and Carnegie Mellon.
More on Lin and Singularity U
Professor Profiled for Debut Directing Orchesis
Assistant Professor Diana Stanton makes her debut as director of Cal Poly's Orchesis Dance Company with "Impact," the company's 39th annual concert, opening this weekend in the Spanos Theatre.
Read the SLO Tribune story
Details on 'Impact' Performances
Passings: Soil Science Professor Thomas Ruehr
Cal Poly Soil Science Professor Thomas A. Ruehr, 65, died on Jan. 7, 2009, at his home in Los Osos. He began teaching at Cal Poly in the Soil Science Department in 1974, and received Cal Poly's Distinguished Teaching Award in 1980. Professor Ruehr taught a variety of courses, mostly related to plant nutrition, soil chemistry, soil microbiology and bioremediation. He was also a founding member of Cal Poly's Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium.
More on Professor Ruehr
Today's Students
Ag Students Win Award, Represent U.S. in Italy
Students from Cal Poly represented the United States and competed against schools from Europe and Russia recently at the 2009 Festival dei Fiori in Sanremo, Italy.
More on the flower show
Three Cal Poly Students Recognized as Anti-Hazing Heroes
A national organization dedicated to ending the practice of hazing among students has named three Cal Poly students among its six 2009 "Anti-Hazing Heroes." HazingPrevention.org annually recognizes the students and professionals who take action towards a hazing-free future, by naming them Anti-Hazing Heroes. This year three Cal Poly students received the honor: Andrew Righter, Daniel Kim and Jacob Lopez.
Read more about Cal Poly's student heroes and the awards
Mustangs Crop Ponytails for Cancer Patients
Cal Poly students faced their shears, cropping their Mustang ponytails for cancer patients. Student Community Services hosted Ponytail Drive to benefit the American Cancer Society. Those willing to part with eight or more inches of hair were treated to a free cut and style at the event. Their donated hair will be used to make wigs for cancer patients suffering hair loss from their treatments.
More on the Pony Tail Drive
Coming Up
25th Annual Western Bonanza Livestock Show is This Weekend
Cal Poly students will present the Western Bonanza Junior Livestock Show on Feb. 13-15 in Paso Robles, and this year, they will mark the event's 25th anniversary with special celebrations and a capstone night of memories for past show managers and sponsors.
More on the Western Bonanza Livestock Show
Winter Hearst Lecture Series On Now
The College of Architecture and Environmental Design's annual Hearst Lecture Series launched in January and continues through winter quarter on campus. The series will cover research practice from the development of innovative books and articles on international postmodern culture, city planning in Brazil, and new trends in design fashion to the integrated study of technology and sustainable materials.
More details on the 2009 Hearst Lecture Series
See Vintage 'Mark of Zorro' as it's Meant to Be Feb. 20
The original 1920 silent classic film, “The Mark of Zorro,” is accompanied by the famed Paragon Orchestra’s live performance of the original, Spanish-tinged film score. While Douglas Fairbanks and his swashbuckling swordplay slashes Zorro’s trademark across the consciousness (and posteriors!) of corruption, the swelling strains of the Forbes Pipe Organ and zesty orchestrations will fill the hall.
More on Zorro
It's Just Jazz Feb. 21 with Cal Poly Jazz Bands
The Cal Poly Music Department presents "Just Jazz" Saturday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. at the Cohan Center. This concert will have an eclectic mix of jazz standards and modern compositions and will be performed by the University Jazz Bands No. 1 and No. 2 and the Cal Poly Jazz Combos.
More on the Just Jazz concert
Get 'In the Mood' Feb. 25 at the PAC
Cal Poly Arts' March 2008 "In The Mood" performance date sold out. Cal Poly Arts brought the production back for a second feel-good burst of song and dance from a time that was like no other. "In The Mood" is a fully-staged musical that recreates moments in the lives and times of America’s “greatest generation.” Let the youthful dancing, smooth singing, and the illustrious String of Pearls Big Band make memories old and new.
More on In the Mood
Theatre & Dance Department Stages 'Blood Wedding' February 26-28, March 5-7
Evoking spirit, ritual and mythology of rural Spain in the early 20th century, this bilingual production uses music, dance and poetry to portray the constraints of an honor-bound society and the murderous consequences of unbridled desire. Written by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Tanya Rondler and directed by Josh Machamer. Performance times are 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Feb. 26-28, and March 5-7.
More on 'Blood Wedding'
Cal Poly to Host 'Change the Status Quo' Conference Feb. 27 and 28
Cal Poly's Student Community Services office will host the seventh annual "Change the Status Quo: A Student's Role in Shaping Society" conference Feb. 27 and 28. The conference is open to the campus community and the public.
More on the 'Change the Status Quo' conference
Cal Poly Winter Choirs Concert is Feb. 28
"A Celebration of the Masters" is the theme for the annual Cal Poly Choirs' Winter Concert at 8 p.m. Saturday Feb. 28, at the Cohan Center. PolyPhonics and The University Singers will present music in honor of past masters Felix Mendelssohn and Franz Joseph Haydn. In addition, the department will premiere a new work by its own master, Cal Poly Music Professor Craig Russell.
More on the Winter Choirs Concert
Arab Music Ensemble Winter Concert is March 6
The Cal Poly Music Department presents its Arab Music Ensemble Winter Concert at 8 p.m. Friday, March 6 in the Pavilion at the Performing Arts Center. Join the ensemble as it performs vocal and instrumental selections of some of the best-known art and popular music of the Eastern Mediterranean and larger Middle East. Renowned guest artists bring added depth and virtuosity to the concerts, and San Luis Obispo’s own Middle Eastern dancers top off the performances with folkloric dancing.
More on the Arab Music Ensemble concert
Cal Poly Symphony Winter Concert is March 8
The Cal Poly Music Department presents the Cal Poly Symphony Student Soloist Showcase 3 p.m. Sunday, March 8 in the Cohan Center. Come hear the winners of the department's annual student solo competition for a taste of Mustang musical talent. The symphony will also perform music of Latin America.
More on the symphony Winter Concert