Research

A raindrop landing on a tree branch may do more than just roll off or evaporate—it might be absorbed directly into the twig itself. That’s the surprising and significant finding of a new study led by Cal Poly Humboldt Botany Professor Alana Chin, recently published in the Journal of Experimental Botany.

For the final talk in this semester’s Climate and Clean Energy Series—“Scaling Our Energy Future: Insights from the Utility Sector”—PG&E Executive Vice President Carla J. Peterman will describe how the utility plans to scale the energy system to meet growing power demand, decarbonization, and resiliency goals, while ensuring that energy remains affordable.

Cal Poly Humboldt graduate student Eva Kotobuki Sideris was named a finalist for Best Short Video at the 2025 Planet Forward StoryFest Competition.

The next great earthquake isn’t the only threat to the Pacific Northwest.

From research presentations to live performances, the 12th annual ideaFest will once again transform the Library into a hub of innovation and creativity on Friday, May 2, at the Cal Poly Humboldt Library from 2-5 p.m.

The Humboldt-Emeritus & Retired Faculty & Staff Association (ERFSA) Executive Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 ERFSA Small Grant Awards.

For the first time in its 39-year history, the California State University (CSU) Student Research Competition will be held at Cal Poly Humboldt.

Cal Poly Humboldt has officially broken ground on the Energy Research + Sustainability Center (ER+SC)—a hub dedicated to cutting-edge research in sustainability and cultivating the next generation of environmental leaders.

For years, archaeologists believed the ruins in North Macedonia—first excavated more than 15 years ago—were the remains of a military outpost built to defend against Roman attacks. 

Humboldt's flying squirrel, recently identified as a distinct species in 2017 native to forests in the Pacific Northwest, the Sierra Nevada, and Southern California, has a unique way of communicating with ultrasonic vocalizations—sounds beyond human hearing. 

Cal Poly Humboldt welcomed its newest research vessel, the R/V North Wind, into Humboldt Bay. The R/V North Wind traveled approximately 550 miles from Bellingham Bay, Washington, where it underwent various tests and sea trials for fine-tuning.

As climate change accelerates, mature forests may struggle to survive. A recent study reveals that older trees retain a ‘memory’ of past water conditions, making it harder for them to adapt to drier environments.

Cal Poly Humboldt Sociology instructor Daniel Mar is playing a vital role in the future of sustainable cannabis farming in Humboldt and Mendocino counties. 

Cal Poly Humboldt has officially been recognized as a Research Colleges and Universities (RCU) institution by the prestigious Carnegie Classification, marking a significant milestone in the University’s growing research and innovation efforts.

The Rou Dalagurr: Food Sovereignty Lab & Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute at Cal Poly Humboldt is honored to announce that co-directors and Native American Studies professors Cutcha Risling Baldy and Kaitlin Reed received the 2025 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award.

In a campus lab, a whiteboard brims with equations as students from math, data science, and computer science collaborate to unravel the mysteries of microglia—powerful immune cells in the brain.

Research is often driven by curiosity, passion, or a deep personal connection to the subject. For psychology graduate student Matias Solorzano, his work is a blend of all three.

For the first time in 10 years, two Cal Poly Humboldt students, Journalism student Andres Felix and Psychology graduate student Shairy Jimenez Delgado, were selected to participate in the California State University’s Pre-Doctoral Program as Sally Casanova Scholars.

Together with NASA collaborator and Cal Poly Humboldt alum Holly Leopardi ('14, Physics), C.D. Hoyle of the Department of Physics & Astronomy was awarded a $243,627 grant from NASA’s MOSAICS program.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded Cal Poly Humboldt $4.4 million to establish a Shared Resources Lab (SRL) on campus, providing the facilities and equipment for regional researchers to utilize stem cell models for biomedical research and education.

With funds raised from the North Coast Otter Arts Initiatives, Cal Poly Humboldt graduate students are conducting vital research to reveal new insights into otter behavior, their diet, and the ecosystems they rely on.

Cal Poly Humboldt Forestry Professor Jeff Kane, along with graduate student Megan Joyce, is working in collaboration with Redwood National Park and the United States Geological Survey to study the effects of the 2023 Lost Fire in redwood forests that received restoration thinning treatments.

Cal Poly Humboldt graduate student Caleb Chen was awarded a $25,000 Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) NEXTGEN Fellowship to support his groundbreaking research on changes in cannabis genetics. 

Nearly 100 years after the Humboldt County logging community of Falk became a ghost town, the National Park Service announced its addition to the National Register of Historic Places this year.

The Tribal Energy Resilience and Sovereignty project (TERAS) will empower four tribes in Northern California to transform one of the state’s least reliable electrical circuits into a highly resilient renewable energy system.