Physics Professor Jodi Christiansen studies gamma rays from the most extreme environments in the universe — the areas around black holes. These environments can teach us what the early universe might have been like. Cal Poly Magazine sat down with Christiansen to find out what inspires her to pursue knowledge about our very distant past. Cal Poly Magazine: What can the history of the cosmos tell us about today’s universe? Christiansen: We know that the molecules on Earth, the atoms themselves, had to come out of a supernova in the past. So the fact is, we are made of stardust. Can…

My passion in life has always been animals, so when I received the exciting news that I had been accepted into Cal Poly, it seemed only natural that I would take the animal science pre-vet path. However, it didn’t take long to realize that becoming a vet wasn’t my dream. So now what? What career path would involve the animals I loved without requiring a doctorate in veterinary medicine? The answer to my question: the Cal Poly Foaling Enterprise. The Foaling Enterprise is a specialized program for students who are interested in learning all aspects of foaling in the equine…

Clint Bryson, technical director for the Cal Poly Theatre and Dance Department, inhabits a world rarely seen by the average performing arts fan, where the artistry of the theater takes form under hammer, saw and paintbrush. We visited him in the department scene shop during the brief respite between the department’s winter production of “The Crucible” and spring production of “Black Comedy.” Photos by Jennifer Olson