Dean-Scientist Meets Student-Scholar
Always a Scientist
OCTOBER 2024
by EILEEN ODANAKA VAVRA
Dean Wendt may be a dean — Dean Dean, as he's often called — but he is also and always will be a scientist, researcher and teacher.
Long before he became dean of the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics, Wendt served in several roles at Cal Poly including dean of the Office of Research, director of the Center for Coastal Marine Sciences and professor in the Biological Sciences Department.
Wendt enjoys connecting with Bailey College students and stepping into their worlds of hands-on research and Learn by Doing.
"I get to be curious about their processes and discoveries. It's fun for me and it's inspiring to see their growth and dedication," said Wendt.
Whether inquiring about a student's poster at a research conference or interpreting data on a laptop during a happenstance encounter with an undergraduate researcher in a Frost Center lab (as in the above photo), Wendt values these one-on-one interactions. They're excellent opportunities for him to understand their projects and learning, and for the students to share their work and excitement with a fellow scientist.
Read Dean's message in the 2024 Intersections magazine.
From Student to Scholar
Fledgling scientists devote a lot of time to prepare for research presentations. It's important to be ready to field questions about their work or the quality of their data.
For third-year biochemistry major Mori Morsi seated in a Frost Center lab, he had no time to prepare when the dean of his college peered over his shoulder and asked, "What are you working on?"
Mori Morsi, biochemistry major
and Frost Research Scholar
Morsi, an undergraduate selected as a Frost Research Scholar, comfortably described to Wendt his work — designing a colorimetric paper-based heavy metal assay to create a simple and inexpensive way of detecting heavy metals in drinking water.
Frost Scholarships are key to the transformational undergraduate research program in the Bailey College. Biochemistry alum Bill Frost and his wife Linda have been funding the scholarship since 2002, awarding deserving students and helping launch their careers in research and innovation.
Frost Scholars participate in the Frost Summer Undergraduate Research Program or in external summer research or internship opportunities that provide meaningful real-world experiences usually had only by graduate students. They work with faculty mentors on research projects that often lead to professional presentations and peer-reviewed publications.
For Morsi, his hands-on research and support from the Frosts have helped him transition from student to scholar and beyond.
