Cal Poly Hosts CU*iP Conference to Support Underrepresented Students in Physics

Participants of the CU*iP Conference hosted at Cal Poly in January 2025. Photo by Alexis Kovacevic

‘Always Remember That You Belong’

February 2025 / NEWS STORY
by Angelina Benyamin Rodriguez

At a recent three-day physics conference held in San Luis Obispo, dozens of students from California universities including UCLA, Cal Lutheran, University of Southern California, Cal Tech, Cal Poly and others gathered to find community, showcase work and share learning experiences after being inspired by the encouraging kickoff remarks by Cal Poly Provost Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, who told students: “Always remember that you belong!”

Cal Poly hosted the annual Conference for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics (CU*iP), a regional APS (American Physics Society) event on Jan. 24-26 where undergraduate students found mentors, explored education and career opportunities and networked with and learned from fellow students including women, gender-diverse individuals and underrepresented people in physics.

The goal of the conference is to create a community of undergraduate women and gender minorities in physics to support their passion and network at a professional level, and to bring together those who may not always see themselves represented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.

Physics Department Chair Jennifer Klay, the co-organizer of the conference, emphasized the importance of the event as “the number of physics students in the U.S. who identify as female is typically on the order of 20% to 25%,” a number that is not representative of national demographics at large. 

The three-day-long event allowed students to participate in various workshops and presentations. Workshops included a demonstration of lasers, hands-on experience working with spectrometers, quantum computing and a resume workshop for graduate school.

Students learn about how lasers work and career paths

Third-year Cal Poly physics student Hannah Reilly and her peers presented their research on ultracold atoms during the poster session.

 “I think representation is really important,” Reilly said. “I've definitely had a few math classes where I'm one of like three girls out of 30, and it's very difficult to find a community that way. So, I feel like hosting something like this really helps make those connections and talking to people that are in the same situation as you, is really helpful trying to navigate this whole industry.”

Both Reilly and research partner, second-year Cal Poly physics student Reese Cormier, emphasized the importance of seeing women and minorities in professional roles within their field, but also other female students from outside of Cal Poly who share their same passions.

“It’s really nice to know that you're not alone in these problems,” Cormier said.

Cal Lutheran physics major Carys Garvey said that with very few women in her school’s major, she appreciated the close-knit feel of the conference.

“Sometimes I just get a lot of imposter syndrome, like ‘Can I really do this? Am I good enough?’” Garvey said. “And being here, being surrounded by other women in physics, and seeing what they're doing and finding such a common ground with them, it's just such a sense of community that I've been missing.”

Cal Poly has been participating in the conference for the past 12 years, and according to Klay participation has grown over the years; especially with the introduction of the Women in Physics Club (CPWiP) in 2008.

“I really wish this existed when I was a student,” Klay said. “I think it is very impactful and formative for them as scientists to know that they have a space to be here, that they belong in the community, and they help create the community, and this gives them an opportunity to do that.”

Students presented their research at an evening poster session in the William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation. Photo by Alexis Kovacevic