Legacy of Learning
Bryant Low Soil Analysis Lab dedication solidifies funding for soil science research
BY ANYA REHON
Tucked away on the second floor of the Warren J. Baker Center for Science and Mathematics , faculty and students in the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department are hard at work conducting re search in the newly named Bryant Low Soil Analysis Lab, examining and testing soil samples to determine environmental impacts and conducting soils research related to environmental, forest and fire health, production agriculture, carbon sequestration, and water quality. A gift from Cal Poly alumnus Bryant Low (Biology, ’58) provided generous funding for the lab in perpetuity — ensuring that the department has the financial resources it needs to support faculty-driven soil science research and maintain the lab’s analytical equipment.
The lab first opened in 2013, serving as a collaborative research space for faculty and students and featuring several pieces of highly specialized equipment used in soil analysis. For Assistant Professor Seeta Sistla, the lab is foundational to her research. “As faculty, we believe in the work we are doing for environmental health and wellbe ing,” she said. “One of the reasons I came to Cal Poly was to have access to state-of-the-art-equipment.”
One area of Sistla’s research focuses on the accumulation of microplastics in soils of well-managed strawberry farms throughout California and its impact on the environment, food security and human health. For the project, soil samples from a dozen fields across the state were tested and processed in the lab, all exhibiting macro and micro plastic contamination. Access to the lab’s equipment made getting results much faster than having to ship the samples elsewhere for testing.
“One of the advantages of having this equipment is it allows us to specialize in our research. We are able to do analysis with a quick turnaround time,” said Craig Stubler, lab technician. “Mr. Low’s bequest allows us to have consistent funding for instrument maintenance and repair. We will also be able to better plan for instrument upgrades or replacements with this generous funding.”
Prior to Low’s passing in 2021, he had a successful career as a chiropractor and grew almonds on a 40-acre parcel in Le Grand, California, where he developed a passion for soil and plant health. In early March, the department unveiled the naming of the lab in honor of his legacy, bringing together Low’s closest friends with faculty and students from the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department.
Assistant Professor Stewart Wilson, along with a team of students and faculty in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, is using the lab as he leads a multidisciplinary team researching and developing preventative fire-retardant products that are less toxic to soils, plants and the environment. Wilson is thankful for Low’s long-term vision in supporting soil science research at Cal Poly and expressed the gratitude that he and his colleagues all feel. “We are all incredibly grateful for Mr. Low’s generous bequest and are committed to fulfilling his legacy wishes to make Cal Poly the leader in applied soil science research in California," he said.
If you would like to make a lasting impact by adding Cal Poly to your estate plan, please contact Cal Poly’s Office of Gift Planning for more information at legacy@calpoly.edu or 805-756-7125.
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