What Made Trees Possible? New Research Points to Drought Survival
A newly published study in Current Biology is reframing a fundamental question in plant evolution: What made trees possible?
Latest News
Humboldt Economic Index: Gas Prices Surged in May 2026
With summer travel in full swing, high gas prices continue across the nation–particularly in Humboldt County, a coastal rural town in far Northern California.
Cal Poly Humboldt Matches Highest Finish in Department History with Fourth-Place Commissioner's Cup Finish
Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics achieved one of the most successful years in department history, finishing fourth in the 2025-26 CCAA Robert J. Hiegert Commissioner's Cup standings.
Humboldt Finishes as National Runner-Up at NCAA Division II Rowing Championships
Cal Poly Humboldt Rowing capped off a historic 2026 season Friday afternoon, earning a national runner-up finish at the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships at Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, Georgia.
Research Enhances Understanding of River Otters and Wetland Conservation on the North Coast
As communities around the globe celebrate World Otter Day on May 27, Cal Poly Humboldt graduate students, now alumni, helped expand scientific understanding of North American river otters and the coastal wetland ecosystems they call home through four research projects.
Alumni & Donor Stories
A Life Outdoors, Rooted at Humboldt
Terry Bowyer (‘70, Wildlife, ‘76, M.S. Wildlife) has spent much of his life watching animals closely enough to see what most people never will: moose bulls battling in the Alaska wilderness, grizzly bears and wolves hunting, cow moose caring for calves, and the subtle ways animals communicate, compete, and survive.
For Our Future: Why Humboldt Parent Keith Berman Is Investing in Humboldt Students
Cal Poly Humboldt parent Keith Berman had a very straightforward reason to establish a new Cal Poly Humboldt scholarship in 2022: to invest in students who can shape a better future for all of us.
Alumni Couple Creates Lasting Impact: Minches Charitable Gift Supports Future Generations at Humboldt
Through a charitable remainder unitrust, a generous planned gift from alumni Mike and Carmen Minch will create lasting support for students in Environmental Resources Engineering and Wildlife, the two programs that helped shape their lives and careers.
A Gift Rooted in Curiosity and Care for the Coast
Michael Thacher’s $26,000 gift to Cal Poly Humboldt established the Michael Thacher and Rhonda Rundle Experiential Learning Marine Lab Endowment, providing lasting support for student hands-on learning experiences at the Telonicher Marine Lab—including field trips, conference fees, travel, supplies, equipment, services, and field gear.
Campus Achievements
Maria I. Iturbide, Amy E. Sprowles, Kimberly Vincent-Layton, Seth Bradley, and Steven T. Margell recently co-authored the peer-reviewed article A Culturally Responsive Campus Learning…
Dr. Matt Johnson has received funding to support long-term bird monitoring, undergraduate training opportunities, and the launch of the Humboldt Ornithology Collective (HOC), a…
A proud mother of six and a Social Work major at Cal Poly Humboldt, Veronica Zaragoza has faced the challenges of balancing parenthood, education, and community advocacy with resilience…
Cal Poly Humboldt Social Work alum, Mark Taylor, says that his work at Pelican Bay in California is his way of “making amends”.
Read the…
Dr. Alison Holmes (Politics) and Loren Collins (Director, Advising) presented "Career Curriculum: From Destinations to Pathways" based on their years of working together on campus career…
Humboldt in the News
Recognizing the expertise and achievements our faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Know of a story we should consider for Humboldt in the News? Email us at news@humboldt.edu.
Cal Poly Humboldt study highlights river otters’ reliance on Arcata Marsh »
A decades long study of river otters on the North Coast is coming to a close, offering new insight into how the animals live alongside people.
MSN - Jun 2026
Brightscape Networks, in partnership with Cal Poly Humboldt, today announced the launch of the Redwood Rural Reach (R3) project, a $1 million broadband technical assistance initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) program.
AZ Central - Jun 2026
Cal State’s Newest Polytechnic Campus Hopes a Rebranding Will Bring Enrollment Gains »
Jonathan Juarez was working in Los Angeles to help support his parents and brother when he decided it was time to finish his bachelor’s degree. Rather than stay local, the 30-year-old enrolled at the California State University’s northernmost campus roughly 700 miles away, drawn by a brand-new major at a university in the midst of reinvention.
EdSource - Jun 2026
Taiwan’s tallest tree found with help of citizen science »
Deep in Taiwan’s misty mountains, researchers have confirmed the tallest tree in the country: a thousand-year-old fir tree higher than a 20-story building, which they’ve named “the heaven sword of the Da’an River.”
Mongabay - Jun 2026
US Drought Tests Trump Strategy of Logging to Fight Wildfire »
Extreme drought and rising temperatures in the US are poised to overwhelm the Trump administration’s plans to control wildfire by logging federal forests, scientists say.
Bloomberg Government - Jun 2026
