News and Notes – Cultivate Summer 2020
Meet Our New Associate Deans
Bill Hendricks, longtime head of Cal Poly’s Experience Industry Management Department, and Catherine Kleier, most recently a professor of biology at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, have been named associate deans of the college. Hendricks and Kleier join current Associate Dean Jim Prince. Executive Associate Dean Richard Cavaletto will retire later this year and will be honored then. Hendricks, who joined Cal Poly in 1994, earned a doctorate in philosophy, recreation and leisure from the University of Utah. Kleier earned a doctorate in organismic biology, ecology and evolution from UCLA. She will begin in September. Following Hendricks' transition to his associate dean role, Jerusha Greenwood, currently an associate professor in the Experience Industry Management Department, will serve as the interim head of that department while a search for a permanent head is conducted.
Learn by Doing @Home
The college launched a series of free Learn by Doing at Home sessions during the spring quarter to showcase its virtual model of teaching and learning. The four-part series gave a glimpse into the virtual classroom on topics such as sausage making and grilling tips, floral arrangement and event planning, an Indian street food demonstration and the art and science of making champagne. You can watch episodes at https://bit.ly/cafesyoutube.
Tomato Spectacular Goes Virtual
The popular student-run Tomato Spectacular event went virtual, allowing people to purchase plants online and pick them at a designated time to meet safety precautions related to COVID-19. More than 3,000 plants, grown by students in the Horticulture and Crop Science Department's campus greenhouses, sold out in record time. “While we are not able to offer the traditional sale because of important social distancing requirements related to COVID-19, staff and students alike worked hard to find a virtual platform to make sure the community was still able to support these students’ hard work,” said Wendy Robinson, campus greenhouse manager.
Mission Unstoppable
Lecturer Yamina Pressler, a soil ecologist in the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department, was featured on the CBS show "Mission Unstoppable" in May. The show focused on middle schoolers, features and celebrates women in STEM, with the goal of inspiring the next generation of scientists. Pressler serves as an ambassador to the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s IF/THEN movement, which seeks to further women in science, technology, engineering and math by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation. Watch the episode at: https://bit.ly/missionunstoppable_yamniapressler.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
September 14th - Fall Classes Begin
October 9th - Fall Preview
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