Progress 08/15/20 to 04/10/25
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience focuses on 151 students at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona that engaged in project throughout the duration. Fifty-six undergraduate students in Apparel Merchandising & Management (AMM), and ninety-five undergraduate students in Civil Engineering (CE) research courses gained research experiences with direct guidance of tenure-track faculty. Faculty (Co-PI) met with students weekly to support research progress and respond to questions. Consistent with our IRB protocol, a voluntary survey was given to students at the end of each semester during 2020 to 2024. Overall, 37 Apparel students responded to surveys and 66 Civil Engineering students. The following are the response rates for students enrolled in the courses: a 97% response rate from Apparel students and a 69% response rate among Civil Engineering students. The following includes students who responded to both the pre-and post-surveys: Fall 2023 - a total of 28 students AMM 4630 (n=7/7) and CE 4241 (n=18/21); Fall 2022 - a total of 24 students AMM 4630 (n=7/7) and CE 4241 / CE 5241, co-listed courses (n=27/28); Fall 2021- a total of 20 students AMM 4630 (n=11/11) and CE 4241 / CE 5241, co-listed courses (n=9/28). In the first year, Fall 2020 only the post-survey was collected with 24 respondents AMM 4630 (n=12/13) and EGR 4820 (n=12/18). The course was not offered during the originally anticipated date of Fall 2024 and is being offered in Spring 2025. Data is currently being collected with Apparel students enrolled in the Spring 2025 AMM 4630 course (n=18). Based on survey responses, students in both courses were primarily seniors and juniors. Thirty students identified as first in their family to attend college. Another audience served includes 26 undergraduate research assistants: 15 in AMM and 11 CE undergraduate students. The AMM assistants helped with campus and community presentations, especially with extensive textile engagement with youth and prospective undergraduate students. The CE research assistants worked on reviewing recent publications about the production and performance of biochar for water treatment and assisted in preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications. Research assistants in both groups assisted in updating learning materials for the research courses. They also aided to prepare content for academic research conferences (ITAA, ACS), and were presenters. Thirteen alumni were also contacted through the FAEIS survey that was distributed in summer after taking the research courses during Year 1 (2020-2021). Three alumni responded; two from Apparel and one from Civil Engineering. Within 1 year of graduating, they indicated that they were in diverse fields of employment: Production - Merchandise Admin for Intimates; Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media- Fashion Manager Assistant; and Architecture & Engineering- Civil Analyst positions. Responses were shared with the broader FAEIS survey portal. Three alumni were also contacted through the FAEIS survey that was distributed in summer 2023 after taking the research courses during Year 2 (2021-2022). There were no alumni responses to the survey. Cal Poly Pomona is currently preparing to launch an alumni survey and this data can be used in the future to assess student career paths. The students enrolled and research assistants collectively reached 4,192 community members during the grant period. This includes presentations during 6 different department-campus events including: end of semester presentations, Open House/ Explore Days, Fall Field Trips, Claremont High School Career Days, Fashion Tech Camp. There was also extensive engagement during the LA County Fair during 2021-2024 with in person activities after the pandemic. Communities reached include fellow undergraduate students, prospective students, parents, high school teachers, high school students ages 14-17, youth ages 7 - 16, faculty, community members interested in textiles. Direct engagement included: reaching 43 Cal Poly Pomona faculty/ students with student research presentations, reaching 699 prospective students and their parents, engaging with 1,105 youth and teachers during field trips/ career days, presenting to 65 textile community members, and reaching 2,280 general community members during the annual LA County fair with a mix of families, students, and educators. Changes/Problems:Based on the pandemic issues and restrictions during 2020, activities-labs were developed for remote learning. With re-opening of in-person activities in Fall 2021, the project activities were shifted to in person, with more fully in person modes of instruction after Spring 2022. It is anticipated the courses will remain in person in the future to effectively engage students. There were no major problems during the period of extension (September 2024- April 2025). The primary update is that the AMM 4630 course is currently being offered in Spring 2025, rather than the original anticipated date of Fall 2024. Eighteen Apparel students are currently engaged in the USDA research activities. Pre-survey data was collected in the beginning of the semester with plans to collect post-survey data at the end of the semester. Students are also planned to continue community engaged activities such as an upcoming department open house and LA County Fair to share project activities. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Student Development Opportunities: During the project period, 45 Apparel and Civil Engineering students participated in an extra credit AMM and CE collaborative professional development discussion event. It included an overview of the USDA project goals and students shared their research activities with each other. The PI also presented USDA opportunities with a focus on pathways internships, tips for effective resumes, and USDA aspiring leaders competencies with time for students to share their experiences. Twenty-six research assistants participated in research activities with direct mentorship provided by faculty. Other opportunities included student presentations at academic conferences in the campus community (RSCA, SCCUR), Claremont High School Career Fair participation, CPP campus events, in the respective departments, and outreach demonstrations at the Los Angeles County Fair. Several Apparel students were recognized for their achievements in project activities. This includes publishing their research in the Cal Poly Pomona Bronco ScholarWorks Library repository. Four student research papers were successfully submitted, and one won 1st place in the Library Research Award for Best Undergraduate Project. In 2023, a student was recognized as the undergraduate agriculture student leader of the year based on her academic work on the project and community engagement. A research assistant student further won a Cal Poly Pomona Common Read Writing Contest during 2023-2024 where she wrote a critical essay on the book "The Sum of US" and discussed how it related to her experiences working on the USDA project. Another research assistant was also recognized with an "Outstanding Student Award" from the Surface Design Association for yarns she developed as part of the outreach activities. Additionally, three research assistants displayed their U.S. hand-spun yarns and a hand-woven in the LA County Fair Home Arts Competition. They received 2nd and 3rd place ribbons, and their creative work was on display during May 2024 for broad public viewing. During Spring 2023, two guest speakers from the Golden State Water Company were invited to deliver professional/technical presentations for CE students. A total of 26 CE undergraduate students attended these presentations. In Spring 2021, two research assistants attended the Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE) conference and the Hispanic-Serving Institute's "Student Leadership Institute." All students were actively encouraged to attend a virtual info webinar from the CSU Agricultural Research Institute to continue and expand their projects. Faculty PI Opportunities: For professional development, the Apparel Department faculty participated in a CPP Faculty Learning Community focused on high impact experiential learning (2022-2024). The course is part of the Cal Poly Pomona PolyX Hub repository. The PI faculty served as a reviewer for PolyX courses to learn more about experiential learning efforts on campus. She also attended the Cal Poly Pomona "Learn through Discovery Faculty and Staff Summer Conference: Inclusive Excellence in PolyX" with a focus on Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences. This influenced the development of a new USDA HSI grant that was successfully awarded in September 2024 with 5 Cal Poly Pomona faculty members. Attendance at HSI NIFA Grantees Annual Meetings (Fall 2020, 2022, Spring 2023, 2024) and the AHSIE conference (2021, 2024). The Apparel faculty attended the AHSIE "HSI First Year Experience & Emerging Leaders Institute" and the Civil Engineering faculty attended the "NSF-HSI Grantsmanship Institute." This provided more insight into best practices, emerging academic literature, efforts at different universities, and future opportunities for funding. The PI and Co-PI also participated in CPP Faculty Peer Coaching facilitated by Victoria Bhavsar (CAFÉ) to improve inclusivity of diverse students in courses (Fall 2023-Spring 2024). The PI also participated in professional development including USC's Equity Institute (Fall 2023), ACUE Promoting Active Learning micro-credential program, and a Green Chemistry conference (Spring 2023) to stay updated on best practices. The co-PI attended career development workshops organized by Cal Poly Pomona to enhance anti-racism curriculum design and to create a more equitable learning community. Both faculty also attended Cal Poly Pomona's assessment training focused on critical thinking in Summer 2022. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Since 2020, the results were disseminated on campus as well as regionally and nationally via several academic conferences (International Textile & Apparel Association, American Chemical Society, Textile Society of America). This includes 13 peer reviewed abstracts and presentations with the following organizations: International Textile & Apparel Association (3 oral, 1 poster); American Chemical Society (1 oral, 4 posters); Textile Society of America (1 oral); Cal Poly Pomona Student RSCA Conference/ SCCUR (1 oral, 2 posters), and Cal Poly Pomona Bronco ScholarWorks library repository (4 student papers). Additionally, 5 peer reviewed manuscripts were successfully published in various journals (Journal of Carbon Research, Water, etc.). Two additional manuscripts are being prepared for academic research publications based on the pre- and post- survey data collected over the past years (2020-present), and community engaged practices. The students collectively reached 4,192 community members during the grant period. This includes presentations during 6 different department-campus events including: end of semester presentations, Open House/ Explore Days, Fall Field Trips, Claremont High School Career Days, Fashion Tech Camp. There was also extensive engagement during the LA County Fair during 2021-2024 with in person activities after the pandemic. Communities reached include fellow undergraduate students, prospective students, parents, high school teachers, high school students ages 14-17, youth ages 7 - 16, faculty, community members interested in textiles. Direct engagement included reaching 43 Cal Poly Pomona faculty/ students with student research presentations, reaching 699 prospective students and their parents, engaging with 1,105 youth and teachers during field trips/ career days, presenting to 65 textile community members, and reaching 2,280 general community members during the LA county fair with a mix of families, students, and educators. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Project Problem: This work aims to align Cal Poly Pomona instructional and community outreach based onUSDA and education priorities. The primary problem this project seeks to improve is curricula design, materials development, undergraduate student use of library resources, and to provide experiential learning opportunities with research. Students' research aimed to support USDA Strategic Goal 4 to facilitate rural prosperity and economic development. Audience and others impacted: The intended audience was AMM and CE undergraduate students at Cal Poly Pomona and we reached 151 students in the courses. A total of 56 undergraduate students in Apparel Merchandising & Management (AMM), and 95 undergraduate students in Civil Engineering (CE) research courses gained research experiences with direct guidance by tenure-track faculty. Survey data was collected to assess student perspectives and learning. Outreach activities led to sharing project activities with over 4,192 community members in Southern California including prospective university students, their families, teachers, and K-12 youth. In addition to in-depth research skill development of students, student experiences were disseminated via the Los Angeles County Fair demonstration, Claremont High School, and Open House presentations. This involved presentations about the project activities, respective departments, and hands-on demonstrations to help increase awareness and recruitment of Cal Poly Pomona students for the future. Progress toward Goals and Objectives: The AMM 4630 Apparel Research Project course was a 1-unit lecture with a 2-unit activity. A senior-level co-listed course, CE 4241 Environmental Remediation, was implemented as an alternative approach. This course involved both undergraduate and graduate students, creating a unique peer and near-peer learning environment. During Fall 2020-Fall 2021, courses were virtual, and in Spring 2022-present, the classes were conducted in person, allowing for more effective communication and interaction among the students and faculty members than occurred during the virtual instruction mandated during the pandemic. 3a. Major Activities completed this year: The Apparel course achieved all objectives. The course reached 56 students who worked collaboratively in teams of 2 to 3 individuals. Students collectively developed a database of 340 sheep and wool farms throughout the US, which includes research from previous years. The database was developed in Excel based on publicly available information. Students conducted data analysis on Excel and visualization with geographic information systems (ArcGIS Online) software. While developing the Excel database, students identified the type of sheep and wool on each farm. They identified several different sheep breeds in the US, some of which are threatened to be endangered. The US Census County income data was also used to help students gain more contextual and complex information about their county, state or regional focus. Students developed graphs to compare the counties in which sheep farms were identified and income data. Students used ArcGIS Online software to develop maps of their state or region of focus with sheep farm, and county income. The maps were used for final student presentations. Students worked in small groups to develop surveys for sheep farmers depending on their state or region of focus. Groups also developed consumer surveys to learn about consumer interest in local wool products, including a focus on the campus. Students completed 4 major assignments related to developing the surveys, including IRB training. Students used the maps and database to identify 3 farms to source wool from. Based on the semester timespan of the course and responses from farmers via email, wool from 4 farms, including the Cal Poly Pomona sheep unit, was successfully received. This was used for outreach activities and will continue to be used in future courses beyond the grant. Students did visual and tactile observations of raw wool from the wool sourced by noting key characteristics of the wool (i.e., color, length, crimp, lanolin, etc.). Hands-on activities with wool processing tools were added (hand carding, drum carding, hand-spinning, textile weaving) to help students understand wool processing techniques they were reading about. Exploration of Interdisciplinary Topics: Apparel students read a peer-reviewed research paper about biochar as an approach for wastewater treatment and provided reflections. All students successfully completed their research papers in groups. Students completed 3 research paper drafts and their final papers. There were 18 unique groups. At the end of each semester, all students presented to Apparel research assistants and/or a community member to extend their research experiences. Outreach and Knowledge Sharing: there was an optional extra credit assignment for Apparel students to participate in outreach at Claremont High School. This site is a public high school ranked in the top 15% in California, has a minority enrollment is 67%, and 25% of students are economically disadvantaged. This was off campus and considered a field trip. Three students enrolled in the courses and one research assistant attended. Apparel research assistants also did outreach demonstrations during the LA County Fair by using wool sourced from previous years the Apparel course was offered (2020-2022). The work of current students was also showcased in the LA County Home Arts Competition. Efforts to connect with CPP Agriscapes and the CPP Sheep Unit were successful for local wool use, yarn spinning, and weaving demonstrations. The Civil Engineering course successfully achieved Research Course Objectives 1 to 5. The course reached 95 students who worked collaboratively in teams of 4 to 6 individuals. Additionally, two graduate students were enrolled in the course to provide near-peer mentorship to the undergraduate students. Students conducted an extensive literature study on the effects of feedstock and pyrolysis conditions on biochar properties and applications. Furthermore, students worked together in groups to explore various water reclamation technologies for water reuse and groundwater conservation. Students also conducted experiments to test and analyze the performance of different biochar materials for nitrate adsorption and soil nutrient retention, utilizing isotherm models. To foster continuous learning and knowledge sharing, weekly presentations and discussions were organized to allow students to share their discoveries and provide updates on their progress. Specific accomplishments of the students included repeating activities from the previous years. Summary: Throughout both courses, students demonstrated a commitment to research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community engagement, making significant contributions to the fields of Apparel and Civil Engineering.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Trejo, H.X. & Andrade, I. (2024, Nov 21). Towards equity: Creating capacity for continuous student engagement with slow fashion. [Oral Presentation]. ITAA Making Waves Toward a Sustainable and Equitable Future, Long Beach CA. https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.18714
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Trejo, H.X. & Becerril, A. (2024, Nov 12). Solidarity dividend with US wool and community engagement to address socioeconomic inequities. [Oral Presentation]. Textile Society of America Symposium Making Waves Toward a Sustainable and Equitable Future, Long Beach CA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Li, S., Galoustian, T., & Trejo, H. (2023, Aug 13-17). Biochar pyrolyzed with concentrated solar radiation for enhanced nitrate adsorption. American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Andrade, I. (2025). Creating crochet textiles with wool fibers as a sustainable option for footwear. Bronco ScholarWorks, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona CA. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12680/bg257r15k
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Sanchez, J. & Sanchez, H. (2024, August 8). An initial evaluation of wool and water in Colorado. [Poster Presentation]. Creative Activities & Research Symposium. Bronco ScholarWorks, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona CA. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12680/jh344118s
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Progress 08/15/23 to 08/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience focuses on 28 students at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, which is a Hispanic-Serving Institution. This work aims to contribute to efforts of "servingness" at HSI's based on USDA and HSI priorities. Seven undergraduate students in Apparel Merchandising & Management (AMM), and 21 undergraduate students in Civil Engineering (CE) research courses gained research experiences with direct guidance by tenure-track faculty. Faculty (Co-PI) met with students weekly to support research progress and respond to questions. Consistent with our IRB protocol, a voluntary survey was given to students at the end of the semester. A total of 28 students responded to the pre-and post-survey administered in Fall 2023 for AMM 4630 (n= 7/7) and CE 4241 (n=18/21). Based on survey responses, students in both courses were primarily seniors, and two juniors. Eleven of the respondents were female and fourteen were male, and two students identified as non-binary. Many identified as Asian (n=12), Hispanic (n=9), of two or more races (n=5, such as White, Hispanic/American Indian, and Asian/ White), Black non-Hispanic (n= 1) and American Indian/Alaskan Native (n=1). Many respondents were between the ages of 20 to 23 (n=19). Eleven students identified as first in their family to attend college. Another audience served includes 8 undergraduate research assistants: 6 in AMM and 2 CE undergraduate students. All research assistants were female students; 4 Hispanic and 4 Asian backgrounds. The AMM assistants helped during Fall 2023 to Summer 2024 to present their creative research activities on campus, and with extensive textile engagement with youth and prospective students. The CE research assistants worked on reviewing recent publications about the production and performance of biochar for water treatment and assisted in preparing manuscripts for 2 peer-reviewed publications. Research assistants in both groups assisted in updating learning materials for the research courses. Three alumni were also contacted through the FAEIS survey that was distributed in summer after taking the research courses during Year 2 (2021-2022). There were no alumni responses to the survey. Cal Poly Pomona is currently preparing to launch an alumni survey and this data can be used in the future to assess student career paths. Over 740 community members were reached with outreach activities with greater focus on youth (ages 9-15) and prospective students. Changes/Problems:There were no unexpected issues during Year 4. With more face-to-face opportunities, the project team took advantage of outreach opportuniites with youth to help the enrollment for future years. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Student Development Opportunities: Fall 2023: Twenty-eight students participated (7 in the Apparel Research course and 21 in the Civil Engineering course) with faculty at Cal Poly Pomona during Fall 2023. During Fall 2023, 9 Apparel and Civil Engineering students participated in an extra credit AMM and CE professional development discussion event. It included an overview of the USDA project goals and students shared their research activities with each other. The PI also presented USDA opportunities with a focus on pathways internships, tips for effective resumes, and USDA aspiring leaders competencies with time for students to share their experiences. 2023-2024: All students were actively encouraged to attend a virtual info webinar from the CSU Agricultural Research Institute to continue and expand their projects. Eight research assistants participated in research activities with direct mentorship provided by faculty throughout Fall 2022-Spring 2023. Other opportunities included student presentations at academic conferences in the campus community (RSCA, SCCUR), Claremont High School Career Fair participation, CPP campus events, in the respective departments, and outreach demonstrations at the Los Angeles County Fair. Several Apparel students were recognized for their achievements in project activities. A research assistant student won a Cal Poly Pomona Common Read Writing Contest where she wrote a critical essay on the book "The Sum of Us - What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together" and discussed how it related to her experiences working on the USDA project. Another research assistant was also recognized with an "Outstanding Student Award" from the Surface Design Association for yarns she developed as part of the outreach activities. Additionally, three research assistants displayed their U.S. hand-spun yarns and a hand-woven in the LA County Fair Home Arts Competition. They received 2nd and 3rd place ribbons, and their creative work was on display during May 2024 for broad public viewing. Faculty PI Opportunities: For professional development, the Apparel Department faculty participated in a CPP Faculty Learning Community focused on assessment of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience/ Alternative Learning Experiences. This influenced the development of a new USDA HSI grant that was submitted in early 2024 with additional Cal Poly Pomona faculty members. Attendance at HSI NIFA FY 2023 Grantees Annual Meeting (March 2024) and the AHSIE conference. Prepared abstract for the International Textile & Apparel Association, and Textile Society of America, which was accepted for oral presentations in Fall 2024. The PI and Co-PI also participated in CPP Faculty Peer Coaching to improve inclusivity of diverse students in courses (Fall 2023-Spring 2024). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Faculty and students prepared presentations for the campus and broader community. Campus & Community Presentations Undergraduate Students Apparel Research Students. (2023, December 18). Group Project 1 - A Study of Sustainable Wool Processing and Water Usage within Southern California Sheep Farms; Group Project 2 - Navigating Consumer Demand: A study on the appeal of sustainable wool from Cal Poly Pomona and local sheep farms; Group Project 3 - New York consumer interest in the production of locally sourced wool. AMM 4630 Final Presentations. Presented to 3 AMM undergrad research assistants. 3 oral presentations from 7 students. Los Angeles community including youth, parents and prospective students: Andrade, I., Wong, S., Becerril, A., Lay, L., & Zamarripa Venegas, K. (2024, June & July). Outreach & Engagement. Cal Poly Pomona Discovery Camp- Fashion Tech, Pomona CA. Oral Presentation and Demonstrations. (Reached approximately 39 youth during a summer camp) Andrade, I., Lay, L., Becerril, A. & Zamarripa Venegas, K. (2024, May 10 & 17). US Wool Outreach with Yarn Spinning & Textile Weaving. LA County Fair, Pomona CA. Oral Presentation and Demonstrations. (Reached approximately 507 attendees including teachers and youth during field trips) Chang, M., Lemar, A., & Becerril, A. (2024, Feb 26 and April 13). Creating wool yarns from US sheep farms. [Poster Presentation]. AMM Open House - Huntley College Expo, Pomona, CA. (Reached approximately 50 prospective students and their parents) Becerril, A. (2023, Nov 3). Textile Weaving Demonstration. Cal Poly Pomona Explore Day with prospective students. Pomona, CA. (Reached approximately 50 students and their parents) Wong, S., Chang, M. & Becerril, A. (2023, October). Textile Weaving Demonstration. Cal Poly Pomona Fall Field Trips with Agriscapes. Pomona, CA. (Reached approximately 40 K-12students and teachers) Trejo, H.X., Chang, M., & Barajas, X. (2023, October 11). Apparel Department & Student Perspectives. Claremont High School Career Day. Oral Presentations. (Reached approximately 58 students) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Classes were fully face-to-face in Fall 2023, which helped create continuity in the work that AMM and CE students completed in the previous year. Access to university resources, including computers, classroom, and lab space improved students' capabilities to succeed in the courses and meet the objectives. Additional outreach and engagement opportunities were available in Year 4 to address the persistent challenges of a lower amount of undergraduate students reached in the courses. If an extension is permitted, more focused attention will be placed on: Integrating the project activities into the broader campus community. This includes consistent activities with the sheep unit and their wool, weaving demonstrations, and highlighting the wool and water reuse aspects with a physical prototype. Outreach and community engagement will continue to improve enrollment in the respective courses. Due to scheduling for Fall 2024, the Apparel course is not scheduled to be taught. It will ideally be taught in Spring 2024, which may allow additional pre-and post - survey data collection for an additional year; however, this isn't guaranteed. Career pathways can be explored further with research assistants. The AMM CE USDA Professional Development experience for students can be enhanced with resources available from Cal Poly Pomona, such as Digital Badging of key competencies gained. Outreach components will continue with student participation in Cal Poly Pomona Open Houses, local high school outreach, and/or the LA County Fair that reaches students, youth, and their families. More consistent communication with the university Sheep Unit and Agriscapes will also enhance project objectives. This will help us consistently meet Apparel course objective 10, and Civil Engineering course objective 6 with outreach, which were previously limited due to the pandemic in Years 1 and 2.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Project Problem: This work aims to contribute to efforts of "servingness" at Cal Poly Pomona based on USDA and Hispanic-Serving Institution priorities. The primary problem this project seeks to improve is curricula design, materials development, student use of library resources, and to provide experiential learning opportunities with research. Students' research aimed to support USDA Strategic Goal 4 to facilitate rural prosperity and economic development. Audience and others impacted: The intended audience is AMM and CE undergraduate students at Cal Poly Pomona. Based on Year 4 student survey responses, the student backgrounds included: Asian (n=12), Hispanic (n=9), of two or more races (n=5, such as White, Hispanic/American Indian, and Asian/ White), Black non-Hispanic (n= 1) and American Indian/Alaskan Native (n=1). Eleven students identified as first in their family to attend college. Outreach activities led to sharing project activities with over 740+ community members in Southern California including prospective university students, their families, teachers, and K-12 youth. In addition to in-depth research skill development of students, student experiences were disseminated via the Los Angeles County Fair demonstration, Claremont High School, and Open House presentations. This involved presentations about the project activities, respective departments, and hands-on demonstrations to help increase awareness and recruitment of Cal Poly Pomona students for the future. Progress toward Goals and Objectives: In Fall 2023, the AMM 4630 Apparel Research Project course was a 1-unit lecture with a 2-unit activity. A senior-level co-listed course, CE 4241Environmental Remediation, was implemented as an alternative approach. This course involved both undergraduate and graduate students, creating a unique learning environment. All class sessions and activities were conducted in person, allowing for more effective communication and interaction among the students and faculty members than occurred during the virtual instruction mandated during the pandemic. 3a. Major Activities completed this year: In the Apparel course, all objectives were met during Fall 2023. Seven students worked in teams of 2 to 3. Students collectively developed a database of 255 sheep and wool farms throughout the US, which includes research from previous years. The database was developed in Excel based on publicly available information. Students conducted data analysis on Excel and visualization with geographic information systems (ArcGIS Online) software. While developing the Excel database, students identified the type of sheep and wool on each farm. They identified several different sheep breeds in the US, some of which are threatened to be endangered. The US Census County income data was also used to help students gain more contextual and complex information about their county, state or regional focus. Students developed graphs to compare the counties in which sheep farms were identified and income data. Students used ArcGIS Online software to develop maps of their state or region of focus with sheep farm, and county income. The maps were used for final student presentations. Students worked in small groups to develop 1 survey for sheep farmers depending on their state or region of focus. Two groups developed consumer surveys to learn about consumer interest in local wool products, including a focus on the campus. Students completed 4 major assignments related to developing the surveys, including IRB training. Students used the maps and database to identify 3 farms to source wool from. Based on the semester timespan of the course and responses from farmers via email, wool from 4 farms, including the Cal Poly Pomona sheep unit, was successfully received. This was used for outreach activities and will be used in future courses. Students did visual and tactile observations of raw wool from the wool sourced by noting key characteristics of the wool (i.e., color, length, crimp, lanolin, etc.). Hands-on activities with wool processing tools was added (hand carding, drum carding, hand-spinning, textile weaving) to help students understand wool processing techniques they were reading about. Exploration of Interdisciplinary Topics: Apparel students read a peer-reviewed research paper about biochar as an approach for wastewater treatment and provided a reflection. All students successfully completed their research papers in groups. Students completed 3 research paper drafts and their final papers. At the end of Fall 2023, all students presented to 3 undergrad Apparel research assistants to extend their research experiences. Outreach and Knowledge Sharing: there was an optional extra credit assignment for Apparel students to participate in outreach at Claremont High School, a public high school ranked in the top 15% in California, has a minority enrollment is 67%, and 25% of students are economically disadvantaged. This was off campus and considered a field trip. One student (1/7) and research assistant attended. Apparel research assistants also did outreach demonstrations during the LA County Fair by using wool that was sourced from previous years the Apparel course was offered (2020-2022). The work of current students was also showcased in the LA County Home Arts Competition. Efforts to connect with CPP Agriscapes and the CPP Sheep Unit were successful for local wool use, yarn spinning, and weaving demonstrations. During the Academic Year 2023-2024, the Civil Engineering course successfully achieved Research Course Objectives 1 to 5. The course consisted of twenty-six students who worked collaboratively in teams of 4 to 6 individuals. Additionally, two graduate students were enrolled in the course to provide near-peer mentorship to the undergraduate students. In Fall 2023, students conducted an extensive literature study on the effects of feedstock and pyrolysis conditions on biochar properties and applications. Furthermore, students worked together in groups to explore various water reclamation technologies for water reuse and groundwater conservation. Students also conducted experiments to test and analyze the performance of different biochar materials for nitrate adsorption and soil nutrient retention, utilizing isotherm models. To foster continuous learning and knowledge sharing, weekly presentations and discussions were organized to allow students to share their discoveries and provide updates on their progress. Specific accomplishments of the students included repeating activities from the previous years. Summary: Throughout both courses, students demonstrated a commitment to research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community engagement, making significant contributions to the fields of Apparel and Civil Engineering.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Li, S., Galoustian, T., Trejo, H. (2023). Biochar pyrolyzed with concentrated solar radiation for enhanced nitrate adsorption. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 174, 106131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2023.106131
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Li, S., Tasnady, D., Skelley, S., Calderon, B., Jiang, S. (2024). Enhancing organic contaminant removal from wool scouring wastewater using chemically modified biochars. Journal of Carbon Research, 10(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/c10010006
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Li, S., Tasnady, D., Skelley, S., Calderon, B., & Jiang, S. (2024, March 17). Enhancing sustainability in wool scouring wastewater treatment: A biochar-based approach for efficient COD reduction. [Oral Presentation]. American Chemical Society Spring 2024 National Meeting, New Orleans LA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Becerril, A., Lemar, A., Lay, L., Andrade, I., Chang, M., & Wong, S. (2024, March 2). Creating wool yarns from US sheep farms. [Poster Presentation]. Student RSCA Conference, Creative Arts & Design, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona CA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Tasnady, D. & Skelley, S. (2023, Nov 18). Enhancing wool scouring wastewater treatment efficiency with potassium hydroxide-modified biochar. Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR), California State Polytechnic University, Pomona CA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Trejo, H.X. & Li, S. (2023, Nov 9). Developing wool Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences in apparel and civil engineering at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. [Oral Presentation]. ITAA Bridging the Divide, Baltimore MD. https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/itaa/article/id/17532/
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Progress 08/15/22 to 08/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience focuses on 35 students at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, which is a Hispanic-Serving Institution. This work aims to contribute to efforts of "servingness" at HSI's based on USDA and HSI priorities. Seven students in Apparel Merchandising & Management (AMM) (7 undergraduates), and 28 students in Civil Engineering (CE) research courses (26 undergraduates and 2 graduate students) gained research experiences with direct guidance by tenure-track faculty. Faculty (Co-PI) met with students weekly to support research progress and respond to questions. Two colleagues from the CE department attended several sessions and offered constructive feedback for continuous improvement. Consistent with our IRB protocol, a voluntary survey was given to students at the end of the semester. A total of 34 students responded to the pre-and post survey administered in Fall 2022 for AMM 4630 (n= 7/7) and CE 4241 / CE 5241, co-listed courses (n=27/28). Based on survey responses, students in both courses were primarily seniors, and one junior. Half of the respondents were female and half male (n=17 in each group). Many identified as Hispanic (n=15), Asian (n=9), White non-Hispanic (n=8), Black non-Hispanic (n= 1), and of two or more races (n=1). Many respondents were between the ages of 20 to 23 (n=31). Twelve students identified as first in their family to attend college. Another audience served includes 11 undergraduate research assistants: 5 in AMM and 4 CE undergraduate students and 2 CE graduate students. All research assistants were female students of Hispanic and Asian backgrounds. An AMM research assistant helped during Fall 2022 to prepare and present for the ITAA academic conference. Five AMM assistants helped during Spring and Summer 2023 to conduct wool outreach activities which expanded wool sourcing research implemented from previous years from the AMM research course (AMM 4630). The CE research assistants worked on reviewing recent publications about the production and performance of biochar for water treatment, developed experimental designs, tested biochar-based water treatment processes on a bench scale in the CE lab, published 1 peer-reviewed article in Sustainability, presented a research poster at ACS National Conference, and updated learning materials using the research findings for the CE course. Thirteen alumni were also contacted through the FAEIS survey that was distributed in summer after taking the research courses during Year 1 (2020-2021). Three alumni responded; two from Apparel and one from Civil Engineering. Within 1 year of graduating, they indicated that they were in diverse fields of employment: Production - Merchandise Admin for Intimates; Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media- Fashion Manager Assistant; and Architecture & Engineering- Civil Analyst positions. Two of the participants were Hispanic and female, and one Asian-American male respondent between the ages of 22 to 23. Responses were shared with the broader FAEIS survey portal. The career path of alumni can also be analyzed through faculty's personal connections with the students. Over 1,750 community members were reached with outreach activities, and specifically 480 high school students. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Student Development Opportunities: Fall 2022: Thirty-five students participated (7 in the Apparel Research course and 28 in the Civil Engineering course) with faculty at Cal Poly Pomona during Fall 2022. During Fall 2022, 24 Apparel and Civil Engineering students participated in an extra credit AMM and CE professional development discussion event. It included an overview of the USDA project goals and students shared their research activities with each other. The PI also presented USDA opportunities with a focus on pathways internships, tips for effective resumes, and USDA aspiring leaders competencies with time for students to share their experiences. Spring 2023: Two guest speakers from the Golden State Water Company were invited to deliver professional/technical presentations for CE students. A total of 26 CE undergraduate students attended these presentations. 2022-2023: Nine research assistants participated in research activities with direct mentorship provided by faculty throughout Fall 2022-Spring 2023. Other opportunities included student presentations at academic conferences (ITAA, ACS), Claremont High School Career Fair participation, CPP Open Houses, and outreach demonstrations at the Los Angeles County Fair. Faculty PI Opportunities: Attendance at HSI NIFA FY 2022 Grantees Welcome Meeting that was virtual and attendance of the USDA- NIFA Grants Support Technical Assistance Workshop - Teaching, Research and Outreach (Fall 2022, Spring 2023) Prepared as an abstract for the International Textile & Apparel Association and American Chemical Society, which was accepted for presentation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Faculty and students prepared presentations for the campus and broader community. Campus & Community Presentations Undergraduate Student Majors in Apparel and Civil Engineering: Apparel Research Final Presentations. (2022, December 12). Group Project 1 - An Exploration of Wool Processing Opportunities and Sustainability Practices at Cal Poly Pomona; Group Project 2 - An Initial Evaluation of Wool and Water Usage in Colorado; Group Project 3 - A Preliminary Study of Wool, Water, and Sustainability in Michigan. Presented to AMM undergrad research assistant. 3 oral presentations from 7 students. Civil Engineering Final Presentations. (2022, December 8). Group Project - Remediation Strategies for Soils Contaminated by Wool Scouring Wastewater. CE 4241/5241 Term Project Presentations. Presented to 31 CE undergraduate research assistants and 3 invited faculty members. 5 oral presentations from 26 undergraduate students and 2 graduate students. High school students: Trejo, H.X., Chang, M., & Castro, A. (2022, October 12). Apparel Department & Student Perspectives. Claremont High School Career Day. Oral and: Poster Presentations. (Reached approximately 160 students) Civil Engineering Students. (2022, October 15). Joined Engineering Day event with an oral presentation sharing research updates on wool-scouring wastewater treatment processes. Reached approximately 250 visitors to campus. Civil Engineering Students. (2023, April 8). Joined the Engineering Open House event with an oral presentation sharing research updates on the development of a solar-pyrolysis apparatus for biochar production. Reached approximately 200 visitors to campus. Los Angeles community including parents and prospective students: Trejo, H.X., Chang, M., Andrade, I., Lay, L., Becerril, A. & Wong, S. (2023, May 26-30). US Wool Outreach with Yarn Spinning & Textile Weaving. LA County Fair, Pomona CA. Oral Presentation and Demonstrations. (Reached approximately 1,780+ attendees including students, families, and youth) https://helenxtrejo.com/2023/06/20/us-wool-outreach-with-fiber-spinning-textile-weaving/ Chang, M., Trejo, H.X., & Quiroz, K. (2023, March 4 and April 15). Scaling Slow Fashion and Community Engaged Practices. [Poster Presentation]. AMM Open House - Huntley College Expo, Pomona, CA. (Reached approximately 80 prospective students and their parents) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The full transition to face-to-face courses in Fall 2022 helped resolve many challenges, especially regarding hands-on experiential learning objectives and interdisciplinary AMM and CE student work in Year 3. Access to university resources, including computers, classroom, and lab space improved students' capabilities to succeed in the courses and meet the objectives. In Year 4, more focused attention will be placed on: Connecting Apparel and Civil Engineering students during the semester to share their work. Major challenges have included the courses being taught on different days, times, and limited student availability during alternative times due to working part-time, or extensive time to commute. Discussions are also developing of how to integrate the project activities into the broader campus community. This includes consistent activities with the sheep unit and their wool, weaving demonstrations, and highlighting the wool and water reuse aspects with a physical prototype. For the Y4 reporting period, both project funded courses are anticipated to be taught in person at Cal Poly Pomona. Data collection will continue with pre- and post-surveys in each course, and with the follow-up Food & Agricultural Education Information System (FAEIS) survey via email to learn about students' job placement one year after taking the courses. Research assistants will help with outreach to alumni to learn about their career paths to gain more in-depth knowledge of how the research experience impacted their professional development. Outreach components will continue with student participation in Cal Poly Pomona Open Houses, local high school outreach, and/or the LA County Fair that reaches students, youth, and their families. More consistent communication with the university Sheep Unit and Agriscapes will also enhance project objectives. This will help us consistently meet Apparel course objective 10, and Civil Engineering course objective 6 with outreach, which were previously limited due to the pandemic in Years 1 and 2.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Project Problem: This work aims to contribute to efforts of "servingness" at Cal Poly Pomona based on USDA and Hispanic-Serving Institution priorities. The primary problem this project seeks to improve is curricula design, materials development, student use of library resources, and to provide experiential learning opportunities with research. Students' research aimed to support USDA Strategic Goal 4 to facilitate rural prosperity and economic development. Audience and others impacted: The intended audience is AMM and CE undergraduate students at Cal Poly Pomona. Based on Year 3 student survey responses, the students were of Hispanic (n=15), Asian (n=9), White non-Hispanic (n=8), Black non-Hispanic (n=1), and of two or more races (n=1). Twelve students identified as the first in their family to attend college. Eleven research assistants were also engaged in project activities. Five in Apparel, and 4 CE undergraduate students and 2 CE graduate students. All research assistants were female students of Hispanic and Asian backgrounds. Outreach activities led to sharing the project with 2,400+ community members in Southern California including prospective university students, their families, CPP faculty, wool industry representatives, water/wastewater industry professionals, and K-12 youth. Project activities were shared via the Los Angeles County Fair, Claremont High School, and Open House presentations. Progress toward Goals and Objectives: In Fall 2022, the AMM 4630 Apparel Research Project course was a 1-unit lecture with a 2-unit activity. A senior-level co-listed course, CE 4241/5241 Environmental Remediation, was implemented as an alternative approach. This course involved both undergraduate and graduate students, creating a unique learning environment. Through the co-listed course mode, CE 4241/5241, students were able to benefit from near-peer mentoring and research support. Throughout the semester, students were tasked with developing remediation strategies specifically for soils contaminated by wool scouring wastewater and other types of wastewaters. To facilitate their progress and address any queries, the faculty advisor held weekly meetings with the students. Student survey results as fostering a collaborative learning environment (17/21), enabling students to engage in meaningful discussions (16/21) and gain practical exposure to environmental remediation concepts (19/21). 3a. Major Activities completed this year: In the Apparel course, all objectives were met during Fall 2022. Seven students worked in teams of 2 to 3. Students collectively developed a database of 95 sheep and wool farms in the West and Mid-Western states. The database was developed in Excel based on publicly available information. Students conducted data analysis on Excel and visualization with geographic information systems (QGIS) software. While developing the Excel database, students identified the type of sheep and wool on each farm. They identified several different sheep breeds in the US, some of which are threatened to be endangered. The US Census County income data was also used to help students gain more contextual and complex information about their county, state or regional focus. Students developed graphs to compare the counties in which sheep farms were identified and income data. Students used QGIS opensource software to develop maps of their state or region of focus with sheep farm, and county income. The maps were used for final student presentations. Students worked in small groups to develop 3 surveys for sheep farmers depending on their state or region of focus. Two groups also developed consumer surveys based on limited response rates from farmers. Students completed 4 major assignments related to developing the surveys, including IRB training. Students used the maps and database to identify 3 farms to source wool from. Based on the semester timespan of the course and responses from farmers via email, wool from 4 farms, including the Cal Poly Pomona sheep unit, was successfully received. This was used for outreach activities and will be used in future courses. Students did visual and tactile observations of raw wool from the wool sourced by noting key characteristics of the wool (i.e., color, length, crimp, lanolin, etc.). More comprehensive research is planned with a wool database of materials for the upcoming year. Apparel students read a peer-reviewed research paper about biochar as an approach for wastewater treatment and provided a reflection. All students successfully completed their research papers in groups. Students completed 3 research paper drafts and their final papers. At the end of Fall 2022, all students presented to an undergrad Apparel research assistant. A local sustainability professional was invited, but was unable to attend the in-person scheduled presentation during finals week. There was an optional extra credit assignment for Apparel students to participate in outreach at Claremont High School, a public high school ranked in the top 15% in California, has a minority enrollment is 67%, and 25% of students are economically disadvantaged. This was off campus and considered a field trip. One student (1/7) and research assistant attended. Apparel research assistants also did wool outreach demonstrations during the LA County Fair by using wool that was sourced from previous years the Apparel course was offered (2020-2022). Efforts to connect with CPP Agriscapes and the CPP Sheep Unit were successful for local wool use, yarn spinning, and weaving demonstrations. The Civil Engineering course successfully achieved Research Course Objectives 1, 2, 3, and 4. The course consisted of twenty-six students who worked collaboratively in teams of 4 to 6. Additionally, two graduate students were enrolled in the course and provided near-peer mentorship to undergraduate students. In Fall 2022, students conducted an extensive literature study on the effects of feedstock and pyrolysis conditions on biochar properties and applications. Furthermore, students worked together in groups to explore various water reclamation technologies for water reuse and groundwater conservation. Students also conducted experiments to test and analyze the performance of different biochar materials for nitrate adsorption and soil nutrient retention, utilizing isotherm models. Students presented weekly to discusstheir discoveries and progress. Specific accomplishments of the students include: (5.1) Students successfully developed AutoCAD drawings that meet industrial standards, detailed design parameters, and operation instructions for a low-cost biochar solar-pyrolysis apparatus. They constructed a bench-scale apparatus using yard trimmings, food waste, and other organic materials. Through various tests utilizing concentrated solar radiation, students produced solar-pyrolysis biochar and analyzed its nitrogen adsorption and surface characteristics. This work was submitted to a peer reviewed journal.(5.2) Students utilized isotherm models such as the Freundlich and Langmuir models to simulate the performance of biochar in removing contaminants from wastewater. They compared the simulated performance of biochar produced through different pyrolysis technologies, including the solar pyrolysis method. (5.3) Students delved into interdisciplinary subjects, including different biochar production technologies, wastewater treatment technologies, and water reclamation/reuse technologies. Studentsintegrated tools and skills such as ArcGIS and Google Earth, the DNDC model for evaluating greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils, the InVEST model for simulating socioeconomic impacts, life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) for assessing cost-effectiveness and sustainability, and AutoCAD for developing engineering design graphics. (5.4) Students engaged with high school students and community members during Engineering Day and Open House events.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Trejo, H.X., Chang, M., & Quiroz, K. (2022, Oct 27). Scaling Slow Fashion and Community Engaged Practices. [Poster Presentation]. ITAA Innovate to Elevate, Denver CO.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Galoustian, T., Li, S., Calderon, B. (2022, August 23). Nitrate adsorption on low-cost biochar pyrolyzed by concentrated solar radiation. [Poster Presentation]. ACS Fall 2022 National Meeting, Chicago, IL.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Castro, A., Ko, C., & Trejo, H.X. (2023, March 4). A Preliminary Study of Wool, Water, and Sustainability. [Poster Presentation]. Student RSCA Conference, Creative Arts & Design, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona CA. Submitted for Research Distinction. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12680/4j03d5959
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Li, S. & Chen, C. (2022) Will biochar suppress or stimulate greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural fields? Unveiling the dice game through data syntheses. Soil Systems, 6(4), 73. DOI: 10.3390/soilsystems6040073.
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Progress 08/15/21 to 08/14/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience focuses on 39 students at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, which is a Hispanic-Serving Institution. This work aims to contribute to efforts of "servingness" at HSI's based on USDA and HSI priorities. Eleven students in Apparel Merchandising & Management (AMM), and 28 students in Civil Engineering (CE) research courses (26 undergraduates and 2 graduate students) gained research experiences with direct guidance by tenure-track faculty. Faculty met with students weekly to help them make research progress and respond to questions. All class sessions were virtual due to university requirements during the pandemic. Consistent with our IRB protocol, a voluntary survey was given to students at the end of the semester. A total of 20 students responded to the survey administered in Fall 2021 for AMM 4630 (n= 11/11) and CE CE 4241 / CE 5241, co-listed courses (n=9/28). Based on survey responses, students in both courses were primarily seniors, one junior, and one graduate student. There were slightly more female respondents (n=14) compared to male respondents (n=6). Most students identified as Hispanic (n=10), Asian (n=4), of two or more races (n=3), Black non-Hispanic (n=2), and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (n=1). Many respondents were between the ages of 20 to 23 (n=13). Seven students identified as the first in their family to attend college. Another audience served includes three research assistants in AMM and CE. The research assistants were a male and two female students of Hispanic and Asian backgrounds. An AMM research assistant helped during Fall 2021 to prepare and present for an academic conference and provided mentorship to students in the Fall AMM research course. Another AMM research assistant helped during Spring and Summer 2022 to identify reading materials related to sustainable development, created discussion prompts based on multi-media sources, assisted with preparing a conference abstract, presentations, outreach with wool activities, and preparation of a website based on Fall 2021 student research. The CE research assistant worked on reviewing recent publications about the production and performance of biochar for water treatment, developed experimental designs, and updated learning materials for the CE course. Changes/Problems:Impact of the Pandemic: Based on the university restrictions during the pandemic issues, hands-on activities and labs associated with experiential learning were developed for remote learning. This impacted all students' ability to get hands on experience with wool, get approval to visit the Cal Poly Pomona Sheep Unit, and collaborate with originally planned outreach partners. As alternatives, apparel students worked on discussion-based activities that prompted their reflection about a topic discussed in class such as on-farm wool scouring, reviewing Fibershed resources for climate beneficial wool, and their US mill inventory. Although the originally planned CE course was cancelled, the course CE 4241/5241 was used an alternative. It involved discussion of biochar as a wastewater-water reclamation technology, impacts of wastewater contaminants in the environment, such as soil and groundwater systems. Many of these contaminants were also found in wool wastewater by the students in the previous class. In the coming Y3 of this grant, modules will be incorporated to focus on wool wastewater reuse more specifically in CE 4241/5241. The anticipated full transition to face-to-face courses in Fall 2022 is anticipated to help resolve challenges, especially regarding hands-on experiential learning objectives and interdisciplinary AMM and CE student work in Year 3. Access to university resources, including computers, classroom, and lab space will improve students' capabilities to succeed in the courses and meet the objectives. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Student Development Opportunities: Thirty-nine students participated in project activitieswith 11 in the Apparel Research course and 28 in the Civil Engineering course with faculty at Cal Poly Pomona during Fall 2020 to Spring 2021. Three student research assistants presented at academic conferences and during outreach activities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Faculty and students prepared presentations for the campus and broader community. Campus & Community Presentations Apparel Research Students. (2021, December 6). Group Project 1 - An Study in Wool and Economic Development in Southern California Farms; Group Project 2 - Wool, Water, and Its Impact in Colorado; Group Project 3 - An Evaluation of Wool and Economic Developments in Oregon Sheep Farms; Group Project 4 - Wool and Water Research in Texas; Group Project 5 - The Relationship and Influence of Wyoming Wool and Economic Development. AMM 4630 Final Presentations. Presented to Director of the Southern California Fibershed, Virtual. 5 oral presentations from 11 students. Quiroz, K. & Trejo, H.X. (2022, April 9). A study in wool and economic development in Southern California Farms. Cal Poly Pomona Apparel Merchandising & Management Open House. Oral Presentation. (Reached approximately 30 attendees) Trejo, H.X. & Quiroz, K. (2022, May 26-30). Exploring local wool and textile development in Southern California. LA County Fair, Pomona CA. Oral Presentation and Wool Demonstrations. (Reached approximately community 500 attendees including students, families, and youth) https://helenxtrejo.com/2022/06/15/community-outreach-with-us-wool-textiles-demonstrations/? Civil Engineering Students (2021, October 16) Joined Engineering Day events with demonstrations of biochar-based filtration apparatus for visitors. (Reached approximately 200 attendees including high school students, families, and interested public) Civil Engineering Students (2022, April 9) Engineering Open House presentations by CE 4241/5241 students, focusing on water treatment and reclamation processes. (Reached approximately 140 attendees including high school students, families, and interested public) Civil Engineering Students and Faculty (2022, April 22) Earth Day event with ACS San Gorgonio Section. Focused on water reuse technologies in food and agriculture (Reached approximately 300 attendees including younger students, families, children, and interested public) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?For the Y3 reporting period, both courses are anticipated to be taught in person at Cal Poly Pomona. Data collection will occur with pre- and post-surveys in each course. Data collection will also be implemented in a follow-up Food & Agricultural Education Information System (FAEIS) to students via email to learn about their job placement one year after taking the courses. To further develop the outreach components and the transition post-pandemic in the coming year, we are planning opportunities with in-person Cal Poly Pomona Open Houses and the LA County Fair that reaches students, youth, and their families. This will help us consistently meet Apparel course objective 10, and Civil Engineering course objective 6 with outreach.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Project Problem: This work aims to contribute to efforts of "servingness" at Cal Poly Pomona based on USDA and Hispanic-Serving Institution priorities. The primary problem this project seeks to improve is curricula design, materials development, student use of library resources, and to provide experiential learning opportunities with research. Students' research aimed to support USDA Strategic Goal 4 to facilitate rural prosperity and economic development. Audience and others impacted: The intended audience is AMM and CE undergraduate students at Cal Poly Pomona. The students were of Hispanic (n=10), Asian (n=4), of two or more races (n=3), Black non-Hispanic (n=2), and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (n=1) backgrounds. Seven students identified as the first in their family to attend college. Progress toward Goals and Objectives: In Fall 2021, the AMM 4630 Apparel Research Project course was a 1-unit lecture with a 2-unit activity. The originally planned CE course was cancelled and the course CE4241/5241 was used as an alternative. CE 4241 / CE 5241 Environmental Remediation is a co-listed course that involves both undergraduate and graduate students. The co-listed course mode (CE 4241/5241) provided a unique opportunity for near-peer mentoring and support. The faculty met with students weekly to help them make research progress and respond to questions. All class sessions were virtual due to our university's requirements during the pandemic. 3a. Major Activities completed this year: In the Apparel course, research course objectives 1 to 6 and 8 to 9 were met during Fall 2021. Eleven students worked in teams of 2 to 3. Objective 7 was not met due to restrictions during the pandemic. Objective 10 was met with alternative outreach in-person opportunities in the university and Pomona CA. Students collectively developed a database of 125 sheep and wool farms in the West and Mid-Western states. The database was developed in Excel based on publicly available information. Students conducted data analysis on Excel and visualization with geographic information systems (QGIS) software. While developing the Excel database, students identified the type of sheep and wool on each farm. They identified over 10 different sheep breeds in the US, some of which are threatened to be endangered. The US Census county income data was also used to help students gain more information about their state or regional focus. Students developed graphs to compare the counties in which sheep farms were identified and income data. Students used QGIS opensource software to develop maps of their state or region of focus with sheep farm, and county income. The maps were used for final student presentations. Students worked in small groups to develop 6 surveys for sheep farmers depending on their state or region of focus. Students completed 4 major assignments related to developing the surveys, including IRB training. Students used the maps and database to identify 5 farms to source wool from. Based on the semester timespan of the course and responses from farmers via email, wool from 4 farms was successfully received. This was used for outreach activities and will be used in future courses. Since Year 2 courses in Fall were virtual due to institutional restrictions in response to the pandemic, this resulted in curtailing some planned activities. In revisiting the logic model, we did not have adequate university inputs (i.e., access to the department building, classroom due to pandemic). This is a future planned activity for Y3 when we have access to the appropriate resources which are being developed in summer 2022. This objective reflects the interdisciplinary nature of our project. Apparel students read a peer-reviewed research paper about biochar as an approach for wastewater treatment and provided a reflection. All students successfully completed their research papers in groups. Students completed 3 research paper drafts and their final papers. At the end of Fall 2021, all students presented to the Director of the Southern California Fibershed who responded favorably to the presentations Since courses were virtual, there were several restrictions. Alternative outreach methods were identified during Spring 2022 such as departmental Open Houses that reach prospective Cal Poly Pomona students in our respective departments, and the LA County Fair, which made several changes for its in-person re-opening in 2022 (i.e., hosted in May, broader inclusion of the College of Agriculture). The project activities were shared through the Apparel Merchandising & Management booth. Both the Open House and LA County Fair outreach activities were in person and are feasible to continue in the future. Efforts are also being made to connect with CPP Agriscapes and the Sheep Unit to support local wool use, yarn spinning, and weaving demonstrations, which can provide opportunities for on-campus student jobs. In the Civil Engineering course, research course Objectives 1, 2, 3, and 4 were met during the Academic Year 2021-2022. Twenty-six students worked in teams of 4 to 6 each. Due to the restrictions during the pandemic and virtual instruction, Objective 5 was not met and 6 was met with alternative outreach. In Fall 2021, students conducted a comprehensive literature study on the pyrolysis conditions for biochar production and the impacts on biochar properties. In addition, students worked in group to identify various water reclamation technologies for water reuse and groundwater conservation. Weekly presentations and discussions were organized to share discoveries and updates. Students were able to design a low-cost biochar solar-pyrolysis apparatus based on their literature study. They developed the AutoCAD drawings for the design and provided detailed design parameters and operation instructions for the apparatus. With restrictive access to laboratories loosened up in Spring 2022, two student assistants started working on building the designed apparatus. A bench-scale apparatus was constructed with daily materials. Several tests were implemented to produce biochar using concentrated solar radiation. The produced solar-pyrolysis biochar was analyzed for its nitrogen adsorption and surface characteristics. Students were able to use isotherm models (i.e., Freundlich and Langmuir models) to simulate the performance of biochar in removing contaminants from wastewater. Students compared the simulated performance of biochar produced via various pyrolysis technologies, including the solar pyrolysis method. Students were able to explore interdisciplinary topics over the academic year, including different biochar production technologies, wastewater treatment technologies, and water reclamation/reuse technologies. Students were encouraged develop interdisciplinary solutions to address the issue of treating and recovering wastewater in a cost-effective manner. In their research projects, students were able to combine the use of ArcGIS and Google Earth to characterize treatment site, the use of DNDC model to evaluate the emissions of greenhouse gases from agricultural soils, the use of InVEST model to simulate socioeconomic impacts of the applications of different technologieneeds, the use of LCCA to analyze the cost-effectiveness and sustainability, and the use of AutoCAD to develop engineering design graphics. Students identified various environmental issues in agriculture and interdisciplinary tools/skills to address these issues. This was not directly met and will be attempted in Year 3. Since courses were virtual, there were several restrictions. Alternative outreach methods were identified during Spring 2022, such as departmental Open Houses and college Engineering Day. These outreach activities were in person and are feasible to continue in the future.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Trejo, H.X., Lopez, A.M, Vargas, J., & Li, S. (2021, Nov 3). Engaging students with a US sheep and wool Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. ITAA Breaking Boundaries Conference, Virtual. Oral Presentation.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Chen, C.Y., Li, S. (2022, March 4). Evaluating biochars impacts on greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural fields. RSCA Conference at Cal Poly Pomona. Poster Presentation.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Chen, C.Y., Li, S. (2022, March 25). Certain biochar may stimulate greenhouse gas emissions. American Chemical Society, National/International Meeting (San Diego, CA). Poster Presentation.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Apparel Website of Student Projects:
https://arcg.is/0ejnu5
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Progress 08/15/20 to 08/14/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached include31 Apparel Merchandising & Management (AMM), and Civil Engineering (CE) senior students at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, which is a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Thirteen students were enrolled in the Apparel course and 18 in the Civil Engineering courseto gain research experiences with direct guidance by tenure-track faculty. Faculty met with students weekly to help them make research progress and respond to questions. All class sessions were virtual due to our university's requirements during the pandemic. In Fall 2020, the AMM 4630 Apparel Research Project course was a 1-unit lecture with a 2-unit activity. The EGR 4820 Senior Project Civil Engineering course was 1-unit in Fall 2020 and 2-units in Spring 2021. Providing students with an undergraduate research experience aligns with Cal Poly Pomona's "learn by doing" approach and their vision for all students to gain a signature experience before graduation. Consistent with our IRB protocol, a voluntary survey was given to students at the end of the semester. A total of 24 students responded to the survey administered in Fall 2020 for AMM 4630 (n= 12/13), and in the survey administered in Spring 2021 for EGR 4820 (n=12/18). Students in both courses were seniors. There were slightly more female respondents (n=14) compared to male respondents (n=10). Most students identified as Hispanic (n=14), Asian (n=4), White non-Hispanic (n=3), Black non-Hispanic (n=1), or of two or more races (n=1). Many respondents were between the ages of 20 to 26+, with 12 students being 22 to 23 years old. Another audience servedincludes two senior research assistants, one in Apparel and one in Civil Engineering. Both research assistants were female students; one was of a Hispanic background and one was of an Asian background. They worked on the project during Fall 2020 to Summer 2021. The AMM research assistant worked on editing and revising a research paper focused on California wool and processing, presented at an academic conference and community presentation, conducted research on the impact of COVID-19 on the US wool industry, and prepared learning materialsfor the upcoming AMM course. The CE research assistant reviewed recent publications about the production and performance of biochar for water treatment, developed experimental designs, and updated learning materials for the CE course. During the first year of the grant, a peer-reviewed article was published in Water (Volume 12, Issue 10). Changes/Problems:Impact of the Pandemic: Based on the university restrictions during the pandemic issues, hands-on activities and labs associated with experiential learning were developed for remote learning. This impacted all students' ability to get hands on experience with wool, visit the Cal Poly Pomona Sheep Unit, and implement outreach events with a local high school. As alternatives, apparel students worked on discussion-based activities that prompted them to think further about a topic discussed in class such as on-farm wool scouring, reviewing Fibershed resources for climate beneficial wool, and Fibershed'sUS mill inventory. Civil Engineering students focused on learning how to use water treatment and quality models important for professionals inindustry and academia. For example, CE students learned to use the WAVE model to simulate the performance of reverse-osmosis desalination; they also learned to use adsorption isotherm models for the design of biochar-based wastewater treatment process and unit. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Other Student Development Opportunities: Thirty-one students took an Apparel Research course (13 students) or Civil Engineering course (18 students) with faculty at Cal Poly Pomona during Fall 2020 to Spring 2021. Additionally, the two faculty hosted one professional development virtual workshop in Fall 2020 with Apparel and Civil Engineering students (12 student attendees). The workshop included an overview of the USDA project and main goals, provided an opportunity for AMM and CE students to interact with each other, and included a discussion about USDA internship opportunities. USDA internship and job opportunities were shared with students via email during the year. To support Apparel students' interest in graduate school, they were invited to an apparel graduate seminar in Fall 2020. To support CE students' interest in research, they attended the CE department's research symposium. In Spring 2021, two research assistants (one from Apparel and one from Civil Engineering) attended the virtual Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE) conference and the Hispanic-Serving Institute's "Student Leadership Institute" to learn about broader education and research efforts at HSI's and gain professional development in leadership. Faculty PI Opportunities: For professional development, the Apparel and Civil Engineering faculty attended the Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE) conference. The Apparel faculty attended the "HSI First Year Experience & Emerging Leaders Institute" and the Civil Engineering faculty attended the "NSF-HSI Grantsmanship Institute" in Spring 2021. This provided more insight into best practices, emerging academic literature, efforts at different universities, and future opportunities for funding. Additionally, the Apparel and Civil Engineering faculty attended the NIFA HSI Project Director meetings in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 to obtain updates and learn about shared experiences from other grantees. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Faculty and students prepared presentations for the campus and broader community. The websites developed from Year 1 will be expanded based on updates from Year 2. Campus & Community Presentations Apparel Research Students. (2020, December 7). Group Project 1 - An Evaluation of Wool, Water Usage, and Economic Aspects in California Sheep Farms; Group Project 2 - A Comparison between Wool Farms in Texas: Wool Economic Development and Sustainable Practices; Group Project 3 - Wool in the Midwest; Group Project 4 - Sustainable Economic Development in the Wool Industry: Focusing on Farms in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah; Group Project 5 - Wool & Water: Exploring Opportunities for Sustainability with Wool in the Midwest; Group Project 6 - Wool Production & Water Use in New York Farms. AMM 4630 Final Presentations. 6 Virtual Oral Presentations from 14 students to a Cornell Cooperative Extension representative. Civil Engineering Students. (2021, April 30). Designing a Semi-Portable Wool Scouring Wastewater Reclamation Facility for Water Reuse. Civil Engineering Senior Project Symposium (Session 2). 1 Oral Virtual Presentation from 18 students to CE faculty members, industry representatives, and interested public. Lopez, A. & Morales-Leon, J. (2021, March 7). An initial evaluation of wool, water usage, and economic aspects in California sheep farms. Cal Poly Pomona Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities conference. 1 Virtual Oral Presentation to 20 students, faculty, and staff. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12680/cv43p2543 Trejo, H.X. & Lopez, A.M. (2021, June 29). Exploring opportunities for development & growth in the So Cal Fibershed, Southern California Fibershed. 1 Virtual Oral Presentation to 64 fiber artisans, researchers, and business owners. Trejo, H.X. (2020, November 6). U.S. sheep farms, rare wool and undergraduate student engagement, College of Agriculture Research Lecture Series, Cal Poly Pomona. 1 Virtual Oral Presentation to 40 faculty, staff, and students. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The anticipated full transition to face-to-face courses after Spring 2022 will help us properly resolve challenges in meeting experiential learning objectives in Year 1. Access to university resources, including computers, classroom, and lab space will improvecapabilities tomeet the stated objectives. For the next reporting period, course content will be transitioned from Blackboard to Canvas with the goal of becoming a more effective Learning Management System to Cal Poly Pomona. The IRB for the project will be revised to include a pre- and post-survey for students in the courses. Based on survey responses from Fall 2020 to Spring 2021, a follow-up Food & Agricultural Education Information System (FAEIS) survey will be sent to students via email to learn about students' job placement. Apparel and Civil Engineering students are currently enrolled in two unique yet interdisciplinary research courses related to the project (AMM 4630, EGR 4820) that will help them meet graduation requirements. To create stronger interdisciplinary connections between students in AMM 4630 and EGR 4820 courses, students will be invited to lectures by the PI and Co-PI to deepen their research skills and understanding of interdisciplinary ways to facilitate rural prosperity and economic development, such as US sheep farming, geographic contexts, wool production, and engineering challenges to sustainability. To further develop the outreach component and the transition post-pandemic in the coming year, we are exploring new opportunities. One promising resourceinvolves Cal Poly Pomona's Center for Community Engagement and their help in networking for student outreach opportunities. We want to further develop our relationship with the Southern California Fibershed and a high school with existing university partnerships. This will help us meet Apparel course objective 10, and Civil Engineering course objective 6 with outreach to a local high school.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Project Course Design: Cal Poly Pomona faculty in Apparel and Civil Engineering (PI and Co-PI) collaborated to address educational priorities identified by the USDA for Hispanic-Serving Institutions. This includes development of curricula, materials development, expanding students' use of library resources, and experiential learning opportunities. In undergraduate research courses, students worked on research to support USDA strategic goal 4 to facilitate rural prosperity and economic development. Students learned about the US sheep and wool industry, economic development, and wastewater treatment solutions for wool washing as a sustainable approach. This project aims to provide a research experience for undergraduate students prior to their graduation. Project Course Delivery: Both courses were taught virtually due to the university regulations regarding the pandemic. In Fall 2020, the AMM 4630 Apparel Research Project course was a 1-unit lecture with a 2-unit activity. The EGR 4820 Senior Project Civil Engineering course was 1-unit in Fall 2020 and 2-units in Spring 2021. These courses helped students meet their graduation requirements. In the Apparel course, research course objectives 1 to 6 and 8 to 9 were met during Fall 2020. Thirteen students worked in teams of 2 to 3. Objectives 7 and 10 were not met due to restrictions during the pandemic. Students collectively developed a database of over 100 sheep and wool farms in the West, Mid-West, and Northeast. The database was developed in Excel based on publicly available information. Students conducted data analysis on Excel and visualization with geographic information systems (QGIS) software. While developing the Excel database, students identified the type of sheep and wool on each farm. They identified over 10 different sheep breeds in the US, some of which are threatened to be endangered. The US Census county income data was also used to help students gain more information about their state or regional focus. Students developed graphs to compare the counties in which sheep farms were identified and income data. Students used QGIS opensource software to develop maps of their state or region of focus with sheep farm, and county income data. The maps were used for final student presentations. Students worked in small groups to develop 6 surveys for sheep farmers depending on their state or region of focus. Students completed 4 major assignments related to developing the surveys, including IRB training. Students used the maps and database to identify 6 farms to source wool from. Based on the semester timespan of the course and responses from farmers via email, wool from 4 farms was successfully received. This will be used for future courses. Since Year 1 courses were 100% virtual due to institutional restrictions in response to the pandemic, this restrictedplanned activities. In revisiting the logic model, we did not have adequate university inputs (i.e., access to the department building, classroom). This is a future planned activity when we have access to the appropriate resources. This objective reflects the interdisciplinary nature of our project. Apparel students read a peer-reviewed research paper about biochar as an approach for wastewater treatment, provided a reflection, and attended a discussion with Civil Engineering students. All students successfully completed their research papers in groups. Students completed 3 research paper drafts and their final papers. By the final draft, approximately 85% of students received above 80% on their final papers. At the end of Fall 2020, all students presented to a community member from Cornell Cooperative Extension. Additionally, a student team presented during the Cal Poly Pomona Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Conference in Spring 2021. The two students won 1st place in the CPP Library Research Awards for Best Undergraduate Project (1 Apparel and 1 Environmental Biology student). The full paper will be available through the Cal Poly Pomona library repository. Since courses were virtual, there were several restrictions. We are currently seeking other opportunities for outreach through the Cal Poly Pomona Center for Community Engagement. This will help ensure we are meeting campus and community expectations based on the most updated guidelines at the university level. This is a future planned activity when we can meet in person. In the Civil Engineering course, research course Objectives 1, 3, 4, and 5 were met during the Academic Year 2020-2021. Eighteen students worked in teams of 3 to 5. Due to the restrictions during the pandemic, Objective 2 was partially met, and 6 was not met. In Fall 2020, students conducted a comprehensive literature review onpyrolysis conditions for biochar production and the impacts on biochar properties. Weekly presentations and discussions were organized to share discoveries and updates. Studentsdesigned a low-cost biochar production apparatus based on their literature review. They developed AutoCAD drawings for the design and provided detailed design parameters and operation instructions for the apparatus. The design was included in their senior project report. However, due to restrictions for on-campus activities during the pandemic, students were not able to construct the apparatus. In revisiting the logic model, we did not have adequate university inputs (i.e., access to the department building, classroom, lab equipment). This is a future planned activity when we have access to the appropriate resources. Students were able to use isotherm models (i.e., Freundlich and Langmuir models) to simulate the performance of biochar in treating wool wastewater. Students compared the simulated performance of biochar produced via various pyrolysis conditions to identify the optimal conditions. A peer-reviewed article was published in Water (Volume 12, Issue 10). Students were able to explore interdisciplinary topics over the academic year, ranging from wool scouring processes (agriculture) to biochar production (material science) to wastewater treatment (environmental engineering). Students were encouraged to develop interdisciplinary solutions to address the issue of treating wool scouring wastewater in a cost-effective manner. In their research project, studentscombined the use of ArcGIS and Google Earth to characterize the treatment site,used a ASIM model to evaluate the performance of activated sludge process (ASP), used aWAVE model to simulate the desalination, used OpenLCA to analyze the cost-effectiveness and sustainability, and usedAutoCAD to develop engineering design graphics. Students identified various environmental issues in agriculture and implemented several interdisciplinary tools and skills to address these issues. Students reviewed AMM wool survey data collected, consulted with wastewater reclamation engineers, and discussed interdisciplinary solutions with professors from both the College of Agriculture and the College of Engineering. Students also attended a career-focused meeting organized by the PIs. This increased student awareness of career opportunities in different fields relevant to agriculture. Thiswas reflected in their exit survey responses and reflective papers. See Apparel Objective 10.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lopez, A.M. & Morales-Leon, J. (2021). An initial evaluation of wool, water usage, and economic aspects in California sheep farms. Received 1st Place 2021 Library Research Award for Best Undergraduate Project, Cal Poly Pomona Bronco Scholar Library Repository.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Li, S., Chan, C.Y., Sharbatmaleki, M., Trejo, H., & Delagah, S. (2020). Engineered biochar production and its potential benefits in a closed-loop water-reuse agriculture system. Water, 12(10), 2847. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12102847
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lopez, A. & Morales-Leon, J. (2021, March 7). An initial evaluation of wool, water usage, and economic aspects in California sheep farms. Cal Poly Pomona Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities conference, Virtual. Oral Presentation. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12680/cv43p2543
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