Ryan ChartrandDepending on who you talk to, global warming is an inevitable human and environmental disaster, or a liberal conspiracy against the oil industry; and world oil supplies are dwindling to their last drops, or will continue to be discovered in vast quantities providing a steady supply.
Regardless of which perspective you believe, two things are strikingly clear: Energy is at the forefront of our progress or decline as a civilization, and advances in modern technology have enabled engineers and scientists to discover a frontier of technological advancement in energy. The opportunities within reach of the audacious and forward thinking engineers and scientists of today are endless. Fortunately, Cal Poly has top-tier programs in nearly every field of study related to this pursuit, and this is no coincidence that should be overlooked.
From its earliest days, California Polytechnic School prided itself in hands-on training of science, engineering and domestic technology. Today, 103 years later, we continue to embrace this tradition, yet are engaged in a collective struggle to define a cohesive direction for our university. Rapid advances in technology have created a student body more disassociated from their social and ecological environment than ever before, coupled with political budgetary tactics in Sacramento that often leave education in the squeeze, together have presented quite a challenge for the modern students and administration of Cal Poly.
Luckily for both, an organic momentum interested in nothing more than a healthy and prosperous future has emerged with a fierce inertia and has served to galvanize students, faculty and our administration around a common goal: Establishing Cal Poly as a leader and role model in sustainable operations and ecological literacy.
On the student side, Empower Poly made its official debut in spring 2006 as a powerhouse of student leaders representing several sizable clubs on campus including Renewable Energy Club, BioDiesel Club, Poly Greens, Hydrogen Energy Club, Society of Environmental Engineers and many more. This exciting and eclectic mix of students has united around the mission to:
“Unite a diversity of organizations in a multidisciplinary alliance to establish Cal Poly as a university leader in stewardship of environmental, social, and economic resources, (in an effort to) continuously improve student, staff, faculty, and administrative collaboration in leadership and action for a healthy future.”
Similarly, a faculty think tank, SURGE, modeled after this coalition has coalesced, for the purpose of uniting their collective interests toward parallel objectives as Empower Poly.
Even the San Luis Obispo community recently rallied around the call for a green energy future by planning and participating in the groundbreaking Smart Energy Solutions Summit. The summit was co-sponsored by the unlikely union of entities such as the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, Sierra Club and Cal Poly.
Finally, even the high office of Cal Poly President Warren Baker embraced the notion that we ought to mold Cal Poly into a breeding ground for new concepts and technologies in sustainability and green energy with his third biannual Baker Forum, which engaged his top advisors, the President’s Cabinet, in tackling the theme, Achieving Sustainable Solutions to the Global Energy and Environmental Challenge.
For once, it appears that all facets of the university are integrating, and combining their efforts to achieve a common goal: to establish Cal Poly as a university leader in stewardship of environmental, social, and economic resources. The only question remaining is how long it will take before you too, join the effort and pledge your support. In the meantime, we’ll surely continue our efforts to advocate for sweeping progress and bold advances towards a sustainable future.
Tylor Middlestadt is internal vice president for Empower Poly, served as ASI president in 2005-06, and can be reached at tmiddlestadt@gmail.com.