home faculty directory bioresource and ag engineering

Department Head
Richard A. Cavaletto, Ph.D., P.E. 
U.C. Davis 
08-101, 756-2383, rcavalet@calpoly.edu

Dr. Cavaletto is a Cal Poly alumnus. He teaches Agricultural Structures, Agricultural Safety, and Surveying. He is Director of the Agricultural Safety Institute at Cal Poly and a California-registered mechanical engineer. Current research projects include tractor and machinery safety, and human factors (ergonomics) of field workers. Specialty: Agricultural Safety.

Dr. Benail Burgoa, Ph.D.
University of Florida, Gainsville
08-33D, 756-2335, bburgoa@calpoly.edu

Charles M. Burt, Ph.D., P.E.
Utah State University
08-22B, 756-2379, cburt@calpoly.edu

Dr. Burt is a Cal Poly alumnus and Chairman of the externally funded Irrigation Training and Research Center. He teaches Irrigation Theory, Irrigation Water Management, Chemigation, Irrigation Engineering, Agricultural Irrigation Systems, and Irrigation Project Design. His current research interests include GIS applications in regional drainage studies, improved surface irrigation techniques, permanent subsurface drip irrigation, canal automation, estimation of irrigation project efficiencies, measurement of on-farm irrigation efficiencies, and development of bilingual teaching techniques for landscape and agricultural irrigation. Specialty: Irrigation/Drainage Engineering.

Samantha J. Gill, Ph.D. 
U.C. Berkeley 
11-257, 756-6205, sgill@calpoly.edu

Dr. Gill has a joint appointment between the Natural Resources Management and BioResource and Agricultural Engineering departments. She teaches Forest Resources, Forest Mensuration, Applications of GIS in Natural Resources, Computers and Surveying. Dr. Gill is currently working on research projects which include model application involving the modeling of tree crown profiles, models of crown radii and crown cover, a comparison of various growth and yield models for California, and accuracy assessments of vegetation maps. Specialty: Forest Biometrics.

Dr. Andrew J. Holtz, PE
University of California, Davis
08-104, 756-2385, ajholtz@calpoly.edu

Dr. Holtz is a graduate of the Cal Poly BRAE Department. He received his doctorate from UC Davis in Biological & Agricultural Engineering with a minor in Engineering Management. He is licensed as a Mechanical Engineer in the State of California. He has practiced engineering in the mobile agricultural equipment, construction equipment, pre- and post-harvest chemical, and subsea robotic industries. His product development experience has involved vehicle and machinery systems that interface with biological systems and environments. He continues to work in the area of chemical application system R&D. He teaches coursework in the areas of Agricultural Materials, CAD, BioResource Engineering, and Systems Analysis.

M. Stephen Kaminaka, Ph.D. 
Cornell University
08-03A, 756-2658, skaminak@calpoly.edu

Dr. Kaminaka teaches Engineering Design Graphics, Processing of Agricultural Products, Engineering Properties of Agro/Biomaterials, Finite Element Analysis Applications, Engineering of Agricultural and BioResource Systems, and Microcomputer Applications in Agriculture. He is also part of an interdisciplinary team teaching World Food Politics which utilizes a holistic systems approach to understand current issues in world hunger. Related professional interests include international agricultural development, faculty instructional development, and promotion of educational equity. Specialties: Power and Machinery; Human Factors Engineering.

Dr. Shaun F. Kelly, Ph.D., P.E.
Oregon State University
08-104, 756-2725, skelly@calpoly.edu

Dr. Kelly's expertise is in electricity, electronics, computers and controls. He is accomplished in design and research of industrial controls, SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) PLC's, communications systems, protocols and instrumentation in agricultural systems.

Kerry Langford
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
08-110, 756-2378, klangfor@calpoly.edu

Tom Mastin
California State University - Fresno
08-105 756-5391 tmastin@calpoly.edu

Mr. Mastin teaches engineering surveying, remote sensing, photogrammetry and advanced surveying with GIS applications. He is a licensed land surveyor in the State of California, with over 30 years of private practice experience. He coordinates the Geographic Information System for Agriculture minor. Specialty: Land Surveying.
 

Stuart W. Styles
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
08a-02B, 756-2429, sstyles@calpoly.edu

Dr. Styles is a Cal Poly alumnus and director of the externally funded Irrigation Training and Research Center. He teaches Principles of Irrigation, Hydraulics, and Agricultural Structures Design. His current research interests include the emerging electronic flow measurement technologies. Dr. Styles’ specialization is in irrigation project efficiency improvement studies, and on-farm irrigation management, design, and evaluation.

Gary Weisenberger
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
08-106, 756-2388, gweisenb@calpoly.edu

Mr. Weisenberger's expertise is in Power and Machinery Fabrication.  He is the Student Mechanization Branch faculty advisor.  He designs and builds the Cal Poly Tractor Pull Sleds.

Ilhami Yildiz, Ph.D.
Ohio State University
08A-044F, 756-6153, iyildiz@calpoly.edu

Dr. Yildiz received his Ph.D. in Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering from The Ohio State University. Here at Cal Poly he teaches Energy for a Sustainable Society, Bioconversion, and Agricultural Structures Planning. His interests include controlled environment sustainable production systems research, design, development and applications, with emphases on: environmental control, renewable energy resources and technologies, energy and water conservation, heat pumps, combined heat and power generation, hydronic heating systems coupled with flue gas recovery, carbon dioxide dosing and hot water storage systems. Specialty: Greenhouse Engineering, Energy Resources and Conservation, HVAC, Bio/Micrometeorology, Complex Systems Modeling. Bio Overview: Associate Professor, BioResource & Agricultural Engineering; BS, MS, University of Ankara; MS, MSME, PhD, The Ohio State University.