Digital Commons Network^™

Skip The Grid Bringing Light To The Darkness And Bridging The Educational Gap In Navajo Nation, Robert Joseph Byrne

Construction Management

Skip The Grid is a unique project done in collaboration with many groups, including California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) students and faculty members, representatives from Solv Energy, Nextracker, Tribal Liaisons, Heart of America, and members of the Navajo Nation. This group delivered and installed solar panel systems accompanied by batteries, lights, and a small refrigerator. The Navajo Nation faces many problems, including higher poverty and unemployment rates when compared to the rest of the United States. The goal of the Skip The Grid project was to deliver sustainable, safe, and reliable power to homes of school-aged children in the …

Assessing The Impact Of The Women In Construction Leadership Course And Disc Training On The Construction Industry For Students And Recent Graduates, Amanda E. Mcdowell

Construction Management

This study examined the impact of the Women in Construction Leadership Course, paired with DISC training, on students transitioning into the construction industry. The DISC instrument classifies behaviors into four personality types (i.e., Dominant, Influencer, Steady, Conscientious) and the training helped students identify each personality type to improve their communication skills. Although technical skills are essential for completing daily tasks, effective leadership and communication are crucial to project success. This research explored how DISC training can improve new hires’ perceptions of their abilities to interact and communicate with their project team members. Through a survey of course participants, the study …

Skip The Grid: Energizing Navajo Nation, Eiley Q. Eichten

Construction Management

Skip the Grid is an interdisciplinary service project aimed at providing reliable and clean energy to families living in Navajo Nation. Cal Poly partnered with Heart of America, SOLV Energy, and Nextracker to help bring this plan to fruition. Twenty students were selected to contribute to the planning, coordinating, and fundraising for the project. After the preparation was completed, Cal Poly students joined representatives from Heart of America, SOLV Energy, and Nextracker. The trip commenced with a hands-on, productive five day visit to Chinle, Arizona. The first working day commenced with Cal Poly students attending a total of five schools …

2025 Annual Hackathon Redesigning Safety Fall Protection, Cole Lewis

Construction Management

The Verifying Everyone’s Safety Together (VEST) Hackathon is an annual event organized by construction management and social science students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Its purpose is to redesign a specific piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) to improve usability, comfort, and inclusivity, with a focus on providing equitable safety for all workers. This hackathon centered on fall protection, specifically safety harnesses, which are essential for protecting workers at height but often lack comfort and user-friendliness. Students, faculty, and industry guests gathered to examine current harness designs and develop practical, worker-informed improvements. The event space was outfitted …

Cal Poly Leaning Pine Arboretum Gazebo, Tyler Higgins

Construction Management

Located on the north end of California Polytechnic State University’s campus, the Leaning Pine Arboretum gazebo stands as a place of gathering, relaxation, and functionality. Taking the place of a smaller existing structure, this project transforms the area, creating new opportunities and laying a foundation for future growth over the coming years. Along the way, several challenges arose, including design complications, permitting issues, and time constraints. Through this process, it became clear that obstacles were inevitable, and overcoming them taught valuable lessons in teamwork, coordination between multiple parties, relationship building, and project management. From September to December 2024, work continued …

El Chorro Park Lumber Rack & Trailhead Kiosk Project, Nolan Christopher Gumm, Marvin Michael Garliepp

Construction Management

The EL Chorro Park Lumber Rack and Kiosk project was a collaboration with San Luis Obispo County Parks and Recreation. Located at El Chorro Regional Park in San Luis Obispo, California, the project involved building a 12-foot-long, 6-foot-wide, and 8-foot-tall lumber rack and reconstructing an outdated trailhead kiosk. The lumber rack addressed the need for organized storage of wood and metal pipes, while the kiosk was rebuilt to better serve park visitors. Recycled sheet metal from the client was used for the roof, and local suppliers were selected to support sustainability efforts. Funded entirely by a government entity, there were …

Designing Augmented Reality (Ar) Simulations For Construction Scheduling Education: A Process-Based Approach, Luke Sutherland

Construction Management

This paper presents the design and implementation of an augmented reality (AR) testing protocol developed to assess construction students' planning, sequencing, and real-time decision-making skills. Using Microsoft HoloLens, the simulation exposed students to realistic jobsite scenarios that required them to interpret plans, develop task sequences, and respond to evolving conditions in the field. The protocol was conducted with over 30 construction management students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and included three progressively complex scenarios focused on underground utilities, concrete formwork delays, and overhead MEP coordination issues. Data was captured through AR interaction logs, time tracking, instructor observation, …

Assessing The Impact Of The Women In Construction Leadership Course And Disc Training On The Construction Industry For Students And Recent Graduates, Amanda E. Mcdowell

Construction Management

This study examined the impact of the Women in Construction Leadership Course, paired with DISC training, on students transitioning into the construction industry. The DISC instrument classifies behaviors into four personality types (i.e., Dominant, Influencer, Steady, Conscientious) and the training helped students identify each personality type to improve their communication skills. Although technical skills are essential for completing daily tasks, effective leadership and communication are crucial to project success. This research explored how DISC training can improve new hires’ perceptions of their abilities to interact and communicate with their project team members. Through a survey of course participants, the study …

Case Study On Using Soil Nails In Unstable Substrates, Joseph Hass

Construction Management

Soil nailing is becoming a popular method in construction projects to anchor retaining walls into soil. To maximize installation success rates and minimize pullout failure during testing, this case study examines efficient techniques and installation protocols for soil nails in unstable substrates through research and studying an active construction site utilizing soil nails. In geotechnical engineering, unstable soil conditions present serious difficulties that frequently result in delays, cost overruns, and compromised structural integrity. This study determines the main elements affecting nail performance by carefully examining field data, installation trials, and performance testing. Using real life experience and in-depth research of …

Concrete Patio Demolition And Construction, Tyler Nielsen

Construction Management

A 6.25 cubic yard unreinforced concrete patio was constructed for the non-profit organization. This project included three phases: concrete slab demolition, grading and formwork, and concrete pouring. Each phase was estimated and then received owner approval prior to execution. The demolition phase involved obtaining city permits for a roll-off container for debris removal. This phase also included two days of work with over 10 demolition crew members, who were given the required training and equipment to ensure safety and productivity. The following weeks included grading and setting up formwork. Once the grade was complete, the formwork was laid out and …

Designing Augmented Reality (Ar) Simulations For Construction Scheduling Education: A Process-Based Approach, Spencer B. Gardner

Construction Management

Construction students often understand what’s being built, but not how it gets built. The process, which is timing, sequencing, adapting to real-world issues is harder to teach with traditional tools like plan sets and Gantt charts. To close that gap, this study explores how Augmented Reality (AR), using Microsoft HoloLens, can bring jobsite logic into the classroom. We developed three AR simulations, each with increasing complexity, to give students hands-on experience with real-world scheduling and coordination problems. The scenarios ranged from basic utility sequencing to adjusting for delays and correcting out-of-sequence installations. Students started with written planning, then moved into …

Skip The Grid 2025: Providing Power In The Navajo Nation, Daniel R. Lombardi

Construction Management

Skip the Grid is an interdisciplinary initiative aimed at supporting the Navajo Nation by providing access to off-grid power to improve quality of life. This year, the Skip the Grid team centered its efforts around the Chinle Unified School District in Chinle, Arizona. This collaborative effort was composed of an interdisciplinary team of California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) students, along with industry partners including SOLV Energy, Heart of America, Goal Zero, and Nextracker. Many families in the Navajo Nation still live without access to reliable electricity. Between March 23rd and March 27th, 2025, the Skip the Grid team successfully …

Skip The Grid: Solar Installation For Navajo Communities, Emilio Tiziano Cervantes

Construction Management

In March 2025, a group of 20 students from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo took part in Skip the Grid, a hands-on service initiative aimed at expanding access to reliable solar energy in the Navajo Nation. In partnership with SOLV Energy, NextTracker, and the non-profit Heart of America, the team traveled to Chinle, Arizona, where they installed off-grid solar systems in 40 homes across the Chinle School District. Each setup included solar panels, a battery with electrical outlets, lighting, and a refrigerator—providing essential power to families whose homes were previously without it. All of the households served kids …

Academic Senate - Agenda, 5/13/2025, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Academic Senate - Minutes, 5/13/2025, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

As-996-25 Resolution To Amend The Grading System To Include The A+ Grade, Academic Senate Instruction Committee

Academic Senate Resolutions

Resolves that the Academic Senate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo supports amending the grading system to include the A+ grade with the following caveats: the grading scale will continue to award 4.0 grade points to the grade of A or above; and the use of the A+ grade will go into effect with the Fall 2026 term.

Executive Committee - Agenda, 5/6/2025, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Temperature Acclimation On Swimming Performance And Metabolic Dynamics Of The Amargosa River Pupfish, Cyprinodon Nevadensis Amargosae, Teresa E. Guerre

Master's Theses

Climate change is leading to warmer atmospheric temperatures in many regions of the world, which in turn is raising the temperatures of aquatic habitats and simultaneously shifting the frequency and severity of extreme precipitation events. In fishes, metabolic demands are higher under warmer conditions, while dissolved oxygen levels typically decline in warmer water. This mismatch may limit the ability of fishes to cope with high water flow events like floods that can occur following extreme rainfall. A few species of pupfishes (genus Cyprinodon) in the Death Valley region of California and Nevada, USA, occupy stream or river habitats with …

Adjustable Dynamometer Motor Mount, Garrett Carson Ng, Elijah Siegel Reuven, Ethan Fong, Daniel Larimer

Mechanical Engineering

The Cal Poly Electrical Engineering Department and sponsor Dr. Dolan needs a manufacturable motor fixture that securely aligns motors of various sizes with dynamometers. Previous lab motor fixtures could not accommodate motors of different sizes, making precise alignment between motors and dynamometers time-consuming and unreliable. Our team developed a modular, manufacturable fixture capable of aligning various motor sizes quickly, accurately, and securely, enhancing lab consistency and usability.

Dr. Eve Hinman, A Pioneer In The Protective Design Industry, Ily Michi Nelson, Ellen Elizabeth Untalan, Lani Ku'ulei Alo

Architectural Engineering

This senior project carries on prior work to develop an educational material on the notable female protective design engineer Dr. Eve Hinman, initiated by Cal Poly Architectural Engineering students Michelle Dennin and Paulina Robles in collaboration with faculty member Dr. Anahid Behrouzi. To gain a deeper understanding of Dr. Eve Hinman’s impact on the industry, the project team conducted extensive research into her career including interviews with former employees of the firm that she founded and led, Hinman Consulting Engineers (HCE), and an analysis of the recently acquired collection of library material gifted by HCE to Cal Poly. After completing …

Design Of A Novel Low-Cost Hybrid V-Shape Spoke-Type Ferrite Ipm-Synrm For Ev Traction Using Fem Software, Kenghao Cai

Master's Theses

This paper presents a hybrid V-shape spoke type ferrite Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Reluctance Machine (PMA-SynRM) for electric vehicle traction application. Ferrite or ceramic IPM-SynRMs compared to Neodymium (NdFeB) based IPM-SynRMs typically have lower torque, power density, and efficiency overall. Motivated by rising costs and international policies making it increasingly more challenging to obtain rare-earth metals, alternatives should be explored. With the help of finite element method (FEM) software, Ansys Maxwell, this study probes into a novel three-phase ferrite-only hybrid Spoke-type V-shaped IPM-SynRM using Tesla Model 3's neodymium powered V-shape interior permanent magnet machine as a benchmark. The proposed motor …

Optimizing And Training An Svm-Based Breast Cancer Tumor Classifier, Kevin Lopatka

Master's Theses

With advancements in technology, turning to machine learning has become a popular choice for aiding clinicians in the diagnoses of breast cancer malignancies. While the neural networking approach has been vetted thoroughly, this work aims to take advantage of traditional machine learning techniques; mainly support vector machine learning and the optimizing of feature extraction. The discrete-wavelet transform is used in the feature extraction stage of machine learning. Previous works that use this feature extraction technique are analyzed and expanded upon by utilizing a variety of different wavelets as well as other color-spaces with the goal of achieving higher result metrics …

A Heuristic Approach To Portrait Segmentation And Its Application To Synthetic Bokeh Generation, Charles J. Snead

Master's Theses

Segmentation of portrait images is an important technique used to separate the foreground and background of an image. This separation of layers is useful for selectively applying post-processing techniques to enhance the quality of the image, such as blurring the background. Automatic portrait segmentation is a complex process that can be completed with a high degree of accuracy using deep learning with neural networks, but training and inference are often very computationally expensive. This thesis aims to take a heuristic approach to portrait segmentation by combining classical image processing and computer vision techniques into a solution that can be run …

Enhanced Post-Capture Automatic White Balance For Srgb Images, Eric Huang

Master's Theses

Automatic white balancing (AWB) aims to correct color casts caused by varying illumination conditions, typically assuming access to RAW sensor data. However, many real-world applications involve only sRGB images that have already been processed by in-camera pipelines. In these cases, traditional AWB algorithms often underperform due to the nonlinear transformations done by these pipelines.

This thesis builds upon a data-driven color correction framework introduced by Afifi et al. that relies on RGB-UV histograms and learned color transforms. A revised automatic white balancing (AWB) framework that improves both color accuracy and runtime efficiency is proposed. A fallback routine is implemented to …

Modeling And Analysis Of A Hybrid Ac/Dc Green Seaport Power System With Photovoltaic Generation And Battery Energy Storage Systems, Corey Zaas

Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the modeling, simulation, and analysis of a Green Seaport power system integrating photovoltaic (PV) generation, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and coordinated protection within a hybrid AC/DC framework. The work improves a previously established model, enhancing it with detailed protection studies and simultaneous AC/DC power flow analysis using EasyPower software. The system was evaluated under a wide range of operating conditions, including varying solar irradiance, battery charge and discharge states, and both full and zero load conditions. Key performance indicators included voltage regulation, power factor behavior, equipment loading, protection device coordination, and total system power losses. Simulation …

Cruising On The Beach (Cob), Juan Diego Molina Ii, Ashley Kianna Burga

Biomedical Engineering

This report details the design and development process of Cruising on the Beach (COB), a modular motorized wheelchair intended to improve beach accessibility for high school students with mobility impairments. The project aimed to create an affordable, portable, and sand-capable device using balloon wheels, an adjustable control panel, and a customizable base. Extensive background research, market analysis, design modeling, and test plans were completed. However, final fabrication was not achieved due to financial constraints and limited access to industrial machining tools needed for custom metal components. Despite these setbacks, the project delivered a robust conceptual design and a fully …

Skip The Grid: An Impactful Solar Installation Project In The Navajo Nation, John Ryan Strain

Construction Management

Over the past four years, a team of interdisciplinary students and faculty from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), Heart of America, and generous industry sponsors (SOLV, Goal Zero, NextTracker, Elite, and TCB Builders) have brought their time, effort, and resources together to complete a service trip, called Skip the Grid. The trip’s primary goal is to provide a reliable source of power, light, and refrigeration to families with school age children in the Navajo Nation where these resources are absent or unreliable otherwise. This year’s trip took place over Cal Poly’s academic break from March 23rd …

Conversations Before The Conversation: Readying Dissidence Through Norm-Setting, Ashley N. Watson

Feminist Pedagogy

How can educators speak truth to power in ways that decenter whiteness while supporting student learning across different levels of awareness? What does the right balance of challenge and support look like in today’s unpredictable college environment? These questions are drawn from my experience as a Black predoctoral fellow teaching “Intercultural Dialogue” at a traditionally white public liberal arts university in rural Minnesota. This paper—both a reflection and recommendations for practice—outlines my approach to co-constructing and scaffolding a conducive learning environment rooted in emancipatory pedagogy.

Helical Products Parts Display Stand, Binh Nguyen, Emily Yuan Mendyke, Zoe Porter

Mechanical Engineering

Helical Products needs a new product display stand that will demonstrate their custom springs, couplings, and u-joints. Their current display stand, a marble run contraption, is large, loud, and difficult to transport, so they would like the new stand to remedy these issues. The goal of this senior project is to create a display stand that captures the attention of their customers with dynamic product demonstrations while addressing the issues outlined above.

The new display stand is also a marble run contraption, but instead of being almost 4 feet tall and 3 feet long, it is 23” tall, 26.25” long, …

Detecting Software Anomalies In Microservices Using Spectrograms, Scalograms, And Convolutional Neural Networks, Snehith Jonnaikode

Master's Theses

The growing complexity of cloud-native microservices has intensified the need for robust anomaly detection mechanisms, particularly for misconfiguration-induced failures that often manifest subtly and propagate across service boundaries. This thesis proposes a comparative framework for runtime anomaly detection by transforming system metrics into frequency-domain representations—spectrograms using Short-Time Fourier Transform and scalograms using Continuous Wavelet Transform—and classifying them with Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Evaluated on DeathStarBench, a production-grade microservices benchmark with injected anomalies in the Reservation and Recommendation services, the framework also includes baseline Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models trained on raw time-series features. Stratified 5-fold cross-validation shows that CNNs trained …