Sustainability Faculty Fellow

Cal Poly is currently striving to reach STARS platinum rating. One-time funds have been allocated to Facilities Management and Development (FMD) to recruit a two-year sustainability faculty fellow as part of a pilot program to improve Cal Poly’s STARS scores by focusing on sustainability teaching and learning in academic areas. These 2022-2023 fiscal year funds are earmarked for the stipend of a 2-year Sustainability Faculty Fellow, stipends for other faculty collaborators on the faculty fellow’s projects, stipends for instructors to participate in faculty development, and workshop fees for instructors to attend special sustainability events outside of Cal Poly, and possible Sustainability teaching and learning events.   

A stipend faculty fellow will support all areas of sustainability in the curriculum to improve STARS points allotted for academics-associated areas and sit on the Academic Senate Sustainability Committee (ASSC) as a non-voting member. The new Course Inventory Management system work-stop for sustainability relatedness or focus will allow higher visibility into courses that have the potential to be recorded and tagged as part of the Sustainability Catalog (SUSCAT), and the dedicated faculty fellow will support the new courses we expect as a result. 

Dr. Vidya Schalk is currently serving as the Sustainability Faculty Fellow and is a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Cal Poly. Her journey at the university began in 2021, following a significant period in Singapore where she engaged in research and educational efforts, particularly in the integration of sustainable practices, materials and biophilic design integration within award-winning healthcare facilities. 

With a career that spans both academia and industry, Dr. Schalk brings a versatile and multidisciplinary perspective to her work. She has taught a variety of courses, with topics ranging from sustainable energy and climate resilience to the exploration of new materials for a more sustainable future. 

Dr. Schalk is passionately dedicated to her role at Cal Poly as the first Sustainability Faculty Fellow, actively engaging with the campus community and partners to weave various aspects of sustainability into the fabric of academic scholarship. Her commitment extends to the practice of teaching, research collaboration, and fostering community connections, all aimed at enhancing the multidimensional approach to sustainability in higher education.