Watch Seventh Annual Joy of Learning During Wildcat Weekend

This weekend, the Division of Academic Affairs’ signature event, Joy of Learning, enters its seventh year showcasing extraordinary faculty doing what they do best: engaging, enlightening, and inspiring our campus community.

This event is proudly part of Wildcat Weekend and takes place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 5. Hosted by Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Leslie Cornick, Joy of Learning brings viewers into the amazing research, teaching, and service at Chico State as our faculty presenters give short presentations on their fields of expertise.

This year’s lineup of nine faculty presenters—one from each college, one from the Meriam Library, and one representing the office of the office of Undergraduate Education and Academic Success—stand tall in their respective fields as some of the best of the best here at Chico State.

Regenerative Agriculture: Saving the Planet One Acre at a Time

Professor Cindy Daley discusses how crucial regenerative agriculture is for the future of our planet, and the many strides Chico State has made with its Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems (CRARS). She is a faculty member in the College of Agriculture and director for CRARS. She has taught at Chico State since 1996.

Truth-Telling and California Indian History

Deserea Langley reveals the true history of California and the Native American population, a history that all too often gets brushed aside in examinations of California history, and shares how tribal communities are empowering themselves and their culture. She is a faculty member in the Multicultural and Gender Studies Department and has taught at Chico State since 2022.

Make Dollars Make Sense: Supporting Financial Literacy in Our Community

Jaycob Arbogast (Business Administration,’15; MA, Business Administration, ’19) will showcase the incredible student work at the Center for Excellence in Finance. He is a faculty member in the Information Systems, Finance, and Accounting Department and director for the Center for Excellence in Finance, and has taught at Chico State since 2021.

Skeletal Muscle Health: From Competing to Breathing

Andrew D’Lugos demonstrates the importance of our muscles for powering our every movement and contributing to overall health, highlighting the many hands-on opportunities available in the Kinesiology Department. D’Lugos is a faculty member in the Kinesiology Department and has taught at Chico State since 2022.

Using Sensor Fusion to Protect Endangered Elephants in South and West Africa

Sam Siewert dives into the fascinating world of computer sensors and how they can be used in unexpected ways, such as tracking and saving endangered elephants. He is a faculty member in the Computer Science Department and has taught at Chico State since 2020.

Kids@theTurner: Engage with Community Through Art Education

Sangmin Lee leads the Kids@theTurner program, an 11-week community-based art workshop for our local K-9th grade students. His talk showcases the amazing collaborations and engagement with art that the program has created. He has been a faculty member in the Art and Art History Department at Chico State since 2022.

Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve: The 7,835 Acre Lab

The Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER) is an outstanding education resource for Chico State, and Kristen Kaczynski will talk about its many opportunities for learning and research, and following the devastating Park Fire, how you can help restore and revitalize the BCCER. She is a faculty member in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department and has taught at Chico State since 2015.

AI, Digital Media, and Copyright: We’re Soaking in It

Patrick Newell will break down the world as seen through the lens of copyright, fair use, and artificial intelligence, and provide some pointers on how to navigate these tricky topics. Newell has served as our geography and engineering, computer science, and construction management librarian since 2021 and was dean of the Meriam Library from 2016–2021.

Learning Through the Intersections of Place, Connections, and Engagement

Amy Magnus will speak on the value that place, connection, and engagement can add to learning and the college experience, and how to bring those experiences to all aspects of your life. She is a faculty member in the Polital Science and Criminal Justice Department and serves as the director of the Office of Civic Engagement. She has taught at Chico State since 2020.

The Joy of Learning 2024 presentation will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 5 in the Ruth Rowland-Taylor Recital Hall, Performing Arts Center 134. We hope you can join us!

The full event will be archived on the Joy of Learning website.

If you missed previous Joy of Learning events, an archive of past presentations is available here.