Intersections - The COSAM Magazine - 2017-18

Intersections College of Science and Mathematics Fall 2016

FROM THE DEAN

As many of you may know, I re-joined the College of Science and Mathematics as dean last July. I have a long and deep connection to the college, beginning when I arrived as a transfer student in the Biological Sciences Department in 1989. I returned to San Luis Obispo in 2002 as a professor and then served as associate dean of the college, director of the Center for Coastal Marine Sciences, and dean of research for the university.

It’s an honor to have been selected as the next dean, and I’m grateful for
the opportunity to give back to the institution that has given me so much.

The college will continue to focus on our core value of student success by offering exceptional Learn by Doing experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Thanks to the historic gift from Bill and Linda Frost and the generosity of many of you, we will increase our offerings of real world student-faculty research. Providing faculty and staff with the resources they need is a crucial aspect of this equation.

We will also continue to turn our expertise outward to engage the community, industry and government. I believe that when we use science to benefit society, we realize the full potential of the university and of our students. College of Science and Mathematics students will apply what they’ve learned through study abroad programs, industry internships and research projects that answer vitally important questions for our local, state and national communities.

I greatly appreciate the impact that alumni and donor support makes on the college and look forward to getting to know you and working with you to make the academic and research programs in the College of Science and Mathematics among the best in the country.

DEAN WENDT, DEAN

College of Science & Mathematics

Features

ORDINARY LIFE, EXTRAORDINARY IMPACT
Biochemistry alumna Brittny Nation ('11) teaches chemistry at a high school where the students "come from an unreasonable amount of trauma." She inspires them to dream big with a Learn by Doing approach.

STUDENT, SCIENTIST, DEAN
"We're in the business of enriching lives through learning, discovery and innovation," says the new dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. Meet Dean Wendt — first-generation student, California native and biological sciences alumnus.

This story includes exclusive video content.

HISTORIC GIFT SUPPORTS STUDENT-FACULTY RESEARCH
Bill Frost (Biochemistry, '72) and his wife, Linda, gave a CSU-record $110 million to the College of Science and Mathematics. The gift is also among the largest ever given to public higher education in California.

1,600 MUSSELS, 10 CAL POLY STUDENTS, 5 DAYS
To figure out the inner workings of the California mussel, a team of biology students worked around the clock for five days at the Cal Poly Pier. Their complex experiment was one of the first of its kind. Get an up-close look at their research.

STATISTICS IN THE STACKS: AN INTERNSHIP AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Statistics major Stephanie Mendoza spent the summer as a data analyst intern at the Library of Congress. Her takeaway: the government needs statisticians, and she has what it takes to succeed.

Brittny Nation in the hall at San Lorenzo High

Alumni News

CALIFORNIA’S NEXT REPRESENTATIVE: THE STATE BAT?
Thanks to an unexpected phone call, biological sciences alumnus Dave Johnston ('74) fell in love with bats. Now he's promoting their conservation in an unusual way — by advocating for an official state bat.

MARINE ENTREPRENEUR NAMED HONORED ALUMNUS
John Waggoner (B.S., Biological Sciences, '79; MBA, '89) was named the 2017 College of Science and Mathematics Honored Alumnus for his accomplishments in the passenger vessel industry over the last 30 years.

This story includes exclusive video content.