Student News
A team of 12 students from the Plant Sciences Department competed in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition at Colorado State University in March, with two top three finishes and several top ten finishes in individual events. One student, Emma Whitehead, placed fourth overall out of 727 students. Cal Poly placed 17 out of 54 schools, the highest placing school of teams with 12 or fewer members.
General News
Nearly 200 people, many of them alumni from the late 1960s and the 1970s, gathered on March 21 to celebrate the dedication of the newly renovated Howard C. Brown Horticultural Greenhouse Complex, paying tribute to the former college leader whose mentorship many give credit for their love of horticulture.
The enhanced 18,000-square-foot ornamental horticulture facility, initially opened in 1969, is named in honor of Dean Emeritus Howard Brown (Ornamental Horticulture, ’43). Brown served at Cal Poly for more than 40 years, growing the ornamental horticulture program exponentially.
Events
Registration for the Cal Poly Alumni Wine and Beer Garden during Open House weekend is LIVE!
All faculty and staff are invited to the Cal Poly Alumni Wine and Beer Garden, happening Saturday, April 12, from 1:30 to 4 p.m., is at the Engineering Plaza on campus. Your ticket includes tastings of wine, beer, and cider (for guests 21+) as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Plus, enjoy a delicious taco bar from Efrens with all the tasty fixings, Cal Poly Creamery ice cream and local favorite Cowboy Cookie. Limited tickets will be sold at the door starting at 2 p.m. This event sells out every year, secure your spot today!
Faculty and staff may purchase discounted tickets ($15) with the college’s access code. Enter CAFESfacstaff in the promo code box at checkout to reveal the discounted tickets.
Events
Faculty and staff of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences are invited to college day on during this year’s baseball and softball season. At the April 18 baseball game, faculty and staff receive free general admission and discounted tickets to Krukow’s Klubhouse for $40. With Krukow’s Klubhouse tickets, attendees will enjoy in-game hospitality with all-you-can-eat snacks, hot dogs, beer and soda until the final out of the seventh inning of the game.
At the April 22 softball game, faculty and staff receive free general admission and discounted tickets to the Third Base Club for $60 for the double-header. With Third Base Club tickets, attendees will enjoy in-game hospitality with all-you-can-eat snacks, hot dogs, beer and soda until the end of the fifth inning of the game.
Use this link to purchase and access tickets for baseball and softball. Please also note that ticket sales for Krukow’s Klubhouse end two days before game day for baseball.
Events
More than 100 different types of tomato plants will be available at Cal Poly’s annual Tomato Spectacular plant sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 5 and again during Cal Poly’s Open House on Saturday, April 12 at the Horticulture Unit near the Poly Plant Shop.
Brandywine, Kellogg’s Breakfast, Vintage Wine, and a selection of cherry tomato plants, including Nature’s Bites, are some of the unique cultivars that will be available during the student-run event, one of several hands-on opportunities offered by Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. A catalogue of available varieties will be made available on March 26 at polyplantshop.com.
Student News
Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program. This prestigious program encourages and develops future leaders and prepares individuals for greater civic involvement. Cal Poly has participated in this program since 2001. This opportunity is open to qualified students from any major who have an interest in Congress, civil leadership or public service and are matriculating third or fourth-year students. Complete program requirements and details are available at https://provost.calpoly.edu/content/internship. The application deadline is Friday, Feb. 14, by 11:59 p.m. PST.
Faculty News
Ricky Volpe: Egg prices are likely to shoot up even more in 2025. Here’s what to know: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/eggs-prices-shortages-bird-flu-2025/
Daniel Scheitrum: Concerns of price gouging after L.A. wildfires at Cal Poly: https://keyt.com/news/money-and-business/consumer/2025/01/22/concerns-of-price-gouging-after-l-a-wildfires-at-cal-poly/
Frank Frievalt: Domino Effects: Insurance after LA fires: Bloomberg (Wall Street Week) Interview:
Marc Horney and Frank Frievalt: Startups Race to Build Bigger, Better Drones to Fight Bigger, Hotter Wildfires: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/startups-race-build-bigger-better-drones-fight-bigger-hotter-wildfires-rcna187152
Frank Frievalt: On America’s Wildfire Nightmare: https://www.climateproof.news/p/frank-frievalt-on-america-s-wildfire-nightmare
Frank Frievalt: ‘It was a hellscape’: The challenge of evacuating Los Angeles during wildfires: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250109-why-los-angeles-was-so-hard-to-evacuate-during-the-wildfires
General News
Brian Horgan has been named dean of Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES), effective July 1, 2025.
Horgan, who currently serves as a professor and associate dean for faculty affairs and development in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University (MSU), brings a wealth of experience and innovative leadership to the role. His past positions include chair of the Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences at MSU, as well as several leadership roles in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota (UMN), including interim head and extension program leader.
“Dr. Horgan’s alignment with Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy and his forward-thinking leadership uniquely position him to guide CAFES into its next chapter of excellence,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, Cal Poly’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “His expertise will enhance the college’s role as a leader in agricultural innovation and sustainability, ensuring that it continues to make a lasting impact on California and beyond.”
Read more about Horgan.
General News
Please join us Friday, Feb. 14 for a kick-off planning workshop for the new CAFES Farm Store, part of the Plant Sciences Complex from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Center for Wine and Viticulture, Bldg.156, 110. The college recently received a large donation that has enabled us to move forward with planning a new CAFES Farm Store. It will bring together all of the college’s food and agriculture products at a single, central campus location serving the campus and community to make available for sale fresh, campus-grown and -produced food and beverages.
We envision learning opportunities for students in the areas of food and beverage production, retail supply chain, merchandising, marketing, sales, experiential design and more. Please join us for a workshop designed to start identifying academic teaching and research opportunities and the space design needed to support them.
Snacks will be provided.
General News
Exciting progress is underway at both the Charles and Claire Jacobson Animal Health Center and the Plant Sciences Complex. The framework for the Animal Health Center is officially up. This multi-use complex will feature flexible spaces for teaching, research, and clinical training, including labs and a surgery suite. A covered outdoor space for animal examinations and a mobile ambulatory unit will provide exposure to livestock practices, inspiring students to pursue careers in animal care.
The concrete foundation recently was poured at the Plant Sciences Complex, with the steel structure coming soon. The 6-acre Plant Sciences Complex that will feature a new teaching and laboratory building, state-of-the-art research and production greenhouses, an ancillary produce packing and cooling facility and a farm store for food retail operations. Phase one is the George Wurzel Plant Sciences Building. This will be the teaching and research hub of the complex, bringing together multiple complementary disciplines under one roof to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
