Digital Commons Network^™

Academic Senate - Agenda, 03/10/2026, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Executive Committee - Agenda, 03/03/2026, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Foothill Boulevard Corridor Plan, Alexander Tassos

City and Regional Planning

This plan evaluates existing conditions, opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for bicycle mobility, accessibility, safety, and comfort along the Foothill Boulevard corridor in San Luis Obispo. The plan builds on the City of San Luis Obispo’s Complete Streets and Active Transportation policies, as well as the regional priorities outlined in the SLOCOG Active Transportation Plan. Findings from this plan will inform future Foothill Boulevard Corridor improvements, guide coordination with the City’s Vision Zero initiatives, and support updates to the City’s Active Transportation planning framework. In addition, the plan presents conceptual alternatives for corridor improvements with a focus on creating a safer …

The Impact Of Human Myoblasts On Macrophage Polarization In A Coculture Model, Elisabeth Ann Stodola

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is characterized by the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque in the lower extremities that occludes blood flow, and affects over 200 million people worldwide. Without effective treatment, PAD can lead to claudication, ischemia, ulcers, and gangrene. PAD causes more amputations in the United States than any other condition, and for severe cases that require revascularization, procedures benefit fewer than 50% of patients. This demonstrates a clear need for alternative therapies. Potential therapies for PAD target expansion of collateral blood vessels around the area of occlusion – a process called arteriogenesis to compensate for loss of blood flow …

Ymca Changes Lives: Social Media Campaign, Savannah Nicole Rivera

Communication Studies

This project examines how the YMCA of San Luis Obispo constructs its organizational identity through digital messaging by applying framing theory (Entman, 1993). Drawing from scholarship on framing, nonprofit organizational identity, dual-identity tensions, and nonprofit storytelling, I conduct an applied framing analysis of the YMCA’s website and Instagram content. Specifically, I analyze how the organization defines community problems, attributes causes to them, assigns moral values to them, and proposes solutions in its messaging. I argue that while the YMCA references its mission, its current digital communication often makes utilitarian identity elements, such as services, memberships, and facilities, more salient than …

Designing For Dementia: Lessons In Using Wayfinding, Design, And Policy To Retrofit Neighborhoods For People Living With Dementia, Kiaya Siu Ling Batkin

City and Regional Planning

With advancements of modern medicine, more people are living longer lives. However, cognitive decline has become a greater issue faced by a growing number of people. The amount of People Living With Dementia (PLWD) has increased substantially, almost 10 million a year, and as such need different living conditions than what used to serve them (Alzheimer’s Disease International, n.d.). The common solution in the western world is to care for elders in specific sites for them like nursing homes or to hire a live-in nurse to care for them. These services are costly, highly specialized, and tailored to care for …

Design And Validation Of A Wearable Respiratory Protection System For Wildland Firefighters, Oliver Pilon

Master's Theses

Wildland and Wildland–Urban Interface firefighters are routinely exposed to hazardous smoke with fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and other toxic combustion products. Existing protective gear has significant limitations and shortcomings for these conditions. Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces make it difficult to breathe and speak. On the other hand, self-contained breathing apparatuses are too heavy, have a limited duration of use, and do not work well with long wildland fire scenes, while smaller protective equipment like N-95’s and gaiters provide very little protection. These constraints contribute to low adoption rates and prolonged occupational exposure.

This thesis presents the …

Analysis Of City Planning For Autism Spectrum Disorder, Joshua Ericson, Ben Shane

City and Regional Planning

Whether formally diagnosed or self-diagnosed, autism spectrum disorder affects children and adults in every corner of the planet. Every city in the world likely has autistic residents who have difficulty living in navigating their city due to their unique sensory, social, and economic needs. Many of these needs affect autistic people’s abilities to comfortably and independently navigate public spaces, attain a reliable method of transportation, and find housing that suits their needs. These issues could all be addressed with city planning and neuro-inclusive public policies, but to date few cities have considered autistic people in their planning. Cities inadvertently exclude …

North Fair Oaks Specific Plan, Carlos Robinson

City and Regional Planning

The North Fair Oaks Specific Plan guides development of the North Fair Oaks Focus Area as defined in the City of Arroyo Grande General Plan by defining land uses, delineating a multimodal circulation system, and outlining ideal development standards in accordance with various local, regional, and state plans.

Mechanistic Framework Of Wood Decomposition In Post-Storm Vegetative Debris Piles Using Continuous Quality Theory, Thomas T. Lee

Master's Theses

Storm events generate significant quantities of vegetative debris composed of wood, branches, twigs, and other organic materials. Efficient post-storm resource recovery and carbon accounting depend on reliable predictions of decomposition within these large, heterogeneous debris piles. While small-scale wood decay is well studied, decomposition dynamics within multi-layer debris piles remain poorly characterized, limiting municipalities' ability to estimate material longevity and resource recovery potential.

To address this gap, this study develops the WOOD_DK (Wood Organic Oxidation and DegraDation Kinetics) model, a preliminary, exploratory one-dimensional multilayer decomposition framework simulating coupled temperature, moisture, oxygen, and carbon dynamics in MATLAB. Microbial decomposition follows Continuous …

The Dumbarton Flyer Initiative Study: A Conceptual Plan, Aaron Posternack

City and Regional Planning

The Dumbarton Flyer Initiative Study is a comprehensive and ambitious vision for a study corridor that stretches from Fremont on the East Bay to Redwood City on the Peninsula within the San Francisco Bay Area (Bay Area) of California. It advocates for significant changes to how localities and regions embrace transportation and land use planning. The literature asserts that these two aspects of planning should be inseparable from each other. This assertion particularly holds if the Bay Area seeks to construct additional rail transit lines and to maximize their benefits. Additionally, the transportation mode of “automated light metro”, which this …

Regulatory Cost Of Production In Napa County Vineyards, Lynn Hamilton, Michael Mccullough

Agribusiness

Regulatory costs are an increasing concern for California growers. Recent studies in Salinas Valley lettuce and San Joaquin Valley fruit, vegetable and row crops show that regulatory costs are growing at a much faster rate than costs of production. Napa County Farm Bureau contacted Cal Poly to conduct a case study of regulations accruing to Napa Valley vineyards. We interviewed one large (1000-acre) and one small (200-acre) vineyard in 2025 and documented the costs of complying with regulations in the following categories:

• Education and Training for Regulatory Compliance
• Air Quality
• Water Quality
• Surface and Groundwater Regulations …

Reimagining The Laguna Lake Driving Range, Audrey Bonifacio, Jessica Rice

City and Regional Planning

The Laguna Lake Municipal Golf Course is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and is operated by the city. Recently, the community, city staff, and the City Council have begun a conversation regarding the use of the golf course. To explore the different uses, this senior project presents four alternative developments for a selected area of the golf course. These four uses include enhancing the existing driving range, a sports facility, a children’s center, and a senior living community. To assess these alternatives, the project explores current urban planning theories, development trends, and case studies for each use. Through this …

Bonderson Workbench, Han Xu, Aidan Robleto, Sean Murphy, Victor Duran

Mechanical Engineering

This project redesigns the existing creative workbenches in Cal Poly's Bonderson High Bay to improve mobility and functionality for students and staff in the Mechanical Engineering Department.

Evaluating Carbon Risk And Benefit Under Improved Forest Management Prescriptions In A California Mixed Conifer Stand, Jonathan A. Garcia

Master's Theses

Improved forest management (IFM) prioritizes carbon accumulation through practices such as extended rotations and retention harvesting. These management strategies, increase fuel loads and elevate the potential fire intensity, may offset the benefits of carbon sequestration. Additionally, IFMs use spatially complex silvicultural treatments that may introduce prediction errors into the simulation processes used for long-term projections, and carbon accounting.

We evaluated the extent to which calibration in the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) reduces error in aboveground carbon stock predictions and tested whether modeling approaches and calibration influence the magnitude and direction of basal area increment (BAI) prediction error using generalized mixed-effects …

Ari Still: Developing Packaging Design And Branding To Overcome Saturated Market, Andrea De La Vega

Graphic Communication

The alcoholic beverage market in the United States is facing a period of transformation, affecting the success and longevity of new launches and existing brands. Shifting consumer values and behaviors, generational changes, and an increasingly oversaturated landscape emerged after the immediate effects of the pandemic. Understanding these changes, especially as more members of Generation Z enter the legal drinking age, is imperative so retailers and spirit providers learn what the new generation expects and adapt in response. In a highly competitive market, my project aims to address how a brand can establish itself and be competitively unique, on-trend, and long-standing. …

Creation Of The 2-Way Cross Laminated Timber Subroutine For Computing Dynamic Analysis Parameters, Joseph Freitas

Architectural Engineering

This document will describe the inputs, methodology, and outputs for the CLT 2-way subroutine for cases with and without openings recently added to a proprietary structural analysis software. For the sake of simplicity, most of the discussion will be focused on cases without openings from here on out, as the verification process for a novel method for cases with openings is still in progress. The CLT 2-way module calculates multi-point resistance functions for panels without openings by automating the procedure outlined in an industry-standard structural design manual. The subroutine also finds the appropriate dynamic response factors, kinetic load multipliers, mass, …

Nature-Based And Outdoor Learning In The K-12 Setting, Samantha Bertotti, Cecilia Dunbar, Julia Fazio

Psychology and Child Development

This literature review examines the impact of nature-based and outdoor learning on K–12 students’ academic achievement, socio-emotional development, and mental health. Drawing on a wide range of empirical studies and systematic reviews, the paper highlights how learning in natural environments enhances academic outcomes by improving self-efficacy, cognitive functioning, and student engagement. Evidence consistently shows that outdoor learning fosters critical thinking, collaboration, and deeper conceptual understanding compared to traditional classroom instruction.

In addition to academic benefits, nature-based learning supports socio-emotional development by strengthening peer relationships, promoting confidence, and encouraging prosocial behaviors such as cooperation and empathy. These environments provide opportunities for …

A Reflective Case Study: Mission Plaza Enhancement Project, Emma J. Roeller, Sheridan R. Green

City and Regional Planning

This reflective case study examines the purpose and process that has guided the Mission Plaza Enhancement Project. This leads us to our research question:

How do foundational theories of behavior in public space in tandem with evolving community needs shape the motivations and process behind the Mission Plaza Enhancement Project? What lessons can be drawn from observed behavioral patterns and planner perspectives to inform future phases of the plan?

To gain a deeper understanding of what makes a public space successful and how to record and analyze behavior in a public space, we will use foundational planning literature from the …

Riverbend Ranch Mixed-Use Development Project, Anthony James Sousa

City and Regional Planning

This senior project is a proposed mixed-use development project in the City of Visalia, California. The scope of work includes site analysis and site plan development formatted in a comprehensive development package. This project aims to set a precedent for future development in the City of Visalia by increasing density to meet housing requirements and incorporating various urban agricultural uses to reconnect the urban and rural relationship. Additionally, the project includes a literature review on urban agriculture to explain its role in planning practice.

An Analysis Of Injury And Fatality Trends In The U.S. Construction Industry, Ryan Dutt

Construction Management

Construction work is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States, with different trades and work types showing various risk levels for injuries and fatalities. This paper’s objective is to identify the safety trends in construction over the past 10 to 20 years and understand the trades, accident types, and construction sectors with the highest safety risks. All of the data was obtained from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Safety Council (NSC) databases, broken down by trade, accident …

Impact Of Regional Heat Differences On Construction Productivity: A Comparative Study Of California’S Central Valley And Central Coast, Berthalidia Acosta

Construction Management

Construction productivity is influenced by many environmental conditions, particularly extremely high temperatures. In regions where high temperatures are normal, workers experience increased fatigue, require additional safety controls, and can even lead to scheduling conflicts. This senior project evaluates how heat differences in two parts of California affect productivity by comparing two projects managed by the same general contractor: one located in California’s Central Valley (Sacramento) and one located on the Central Coast (San Luis Obispo). Throughout the study, there will be two data sources seen: weekly labor recap reports focusing on a particular task (Concrete) and semi-structured interviews with industry …

Factors Impacting Wildland-Urban Interface (Wui) Fires: A Systematic Literature Review, Albert Jimenez

Construction Management

Fires in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) pose a significant danger to communities. The WUI refers to the space where development meets vegetation. Significant research has been conducted into wildfire and WUI vulnerability across the world to help combat vulnerability. These include the identification of factors of vulnerability to create indices that quantify vulnerability, and address scope gaps and inconsistencies within literature. However, existing research seems to be fragmented in finding the WUI vulnerability factors and often it focuses on wildfires and not WUI fires. The objective of this systematic literature review is to synthesize wildfire vulnerability factors identified in the …

Drainage And Pedestrian Access Improvements At City Farms Slo, Benjamin Marc Kocher, Jacob Anthony Booker

Construction Management

This senior project focused on planning, designing, and constructing drainage and pedestrian access improvements at City Farms SLO, a nonprofit in San Luis Obispo that promotes sustainable agriculture and youth education. Prior to construction, the site experienced significant stormwater pooling and erosion in a central area of the farm, making daily operations and visitor access difficult during wet weather. The team excavated an 80-foot trench drain with appropriate slopes, installed a 15-foot corrugated HDPE culvert with proper bedding and backfill, built a seven-foot pedestrian bridge over the trench, and created a 17-foot gravel pathway connecting the bridge to an existing …

The Impact Of Bilingual Superintendents On A Multilingual Job Site, Cesar Barajas

Construction Management

Language barriers are frequently encountered on construction job sites. Construction crews can often be limited in their proficiency when speaking English and in states like California, construction superintendents oversee a lot of Spanish-speaking crews. This study aims to identify if bilingual superintendents lead to better performing projects. Communication impacts major metrics of project performance including schedule, rework costs, safety performance, and coordination across trades. This qualitative study includes superintendents, project managers, and field crew semi structured interviews backed by survey answers. Interview participants discuss specific examples of how communication can affect jobsite performance both negatively and positively. Subjects are asked …

Time-Dependent Amplification Of Growth Rates In A Plankton-Oxygen Model, Rapha Coutin

Master's Theses

Near-bottom hypoxia occurs when dissolved oxygen levels drop to a level that is harmful to marine biology, creating biological dead zones along the ocean floor. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the percentage of coastal, near-bottom, hypoxic water, with the average in 2021 nearly double that of the average from 2009 to 2018 and about twenty-eight times the average from 1950 to 1980. Recent literature has linked this increase in oceanic hypoxia to the increase in upwelling-favorable winds caused by climate change. Upwelling brings low-oxygen, nutrient-rich water up to the surface, leading to plankton blooms and mass consumption …

Sustainabake, Kevin Kunta Swanson Ii

Electrical Engineering

This senior project outlines the development of an oven that utilizes renewable energy to operate safely and effectively. It aims to test building an oven using mostly basic hardware students acquired during their time at Cal Poly and provide a starting point for those interested in creating a solar-powered oven. As our society continues to innovate and increasingly relies on electricity, it is important to place more emphasis on how we can make our lives sustainable to take care of our environment without introducing excessive pollutants. Food preparation is a daily activity that typically involves significant energy consumption, making this …

Evolving U.S. And Chinese International Development Policy: Institutions, Strategies, And Global Impact, Julian Kai Lehto

Social Sciences

This paper is inspired by, and meant to understand, recent changes in global policy towards foreign aid and international development. 2025 saw one of the biggest changes to international development in decades, when President Donald Trump’s new administration made the decision to effectively shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). At the same time, China has been taking on a growing role in foreign aid and development over the last decade. Chinese projects like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have become globally significant. This paper will explore the changing impacts and influence of both the U.S. …

Exploring The Mental Health Impacts Of Dating Experiences For Racial And Ethnic Minorities At A Predominantly White Institution, Maya Sánchez, Mylina Garza, Emma Chung

Communication Studies

The present study examined the mental health implications of racial and ethnic minorities’ dating experiences at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). The authors conducted retrospective interviews with 20 minority-identifying college students that attend California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Three primary themes emerged from the conducted research. 1) Feeling excluded from racialized beauty standards threatens self-worth, 2) struggling to find romantic belonging limits emotional safety in relationships and navigating cultural differences in dating produces identity hyperawareness. This study also offers interesting theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, findings display the communication maintenance of identity to how romantic involvement impacts …

Pollinators Exhibit For Paso Robles Children’S Museum, Isabelle Moll, Matthew Moore, Joseph Hovanesian, Evan Stock, Matthew Wiecking

Mechanical Engineering

This report documents the design and development of an interactive pollination exhibit created for the Paso Robles Children’s Museum as part of the Mechanical Engineering Senior Project program. The goal of the project was to design a durable, safe, and engaging educational exhibit that introduces children to the role of pollinators in local ecosystems and agriculture through hands-on play. The final design features a triple-track system with rolling bee elements and a central pollen ball pathway that demonstrates how pollinators move between flowers and return resources to the hive. The exhibit incorporates visual feedback and locally inspired design elements to …