Summer Springboard
Energy for a Sustainable Society
ON THE CAMPUS OF CAL POLY SLO
FROM WASTE TO WATTS - HOW ENERGY, FOOD, AND WASTE ARE INTERCONNECTED IN BUILDING A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
THIS IS A TWO-WEEK PROGRAM WHERE YOU’LL FOCUS ON ONE COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION.
Energy for a Sustainable Society @ Cal Poly SLO
- Understand basic concepts of energy, sustainability, and systems thinking.
- Identify renewable energy sources and explain the role of bioenergy in sustainable systems.
- Design, build, and monitor a small-scale anaerobic digester.
- Describe the food–energy–waste nexus and strategies for waste reduction and resource recovery.
- Conduct and interpret simple bioenergy experiments (biodiesel and ethanol mini-labs).
Summer Springboard
Energy for a Sustainable Society
About This Course
Students will examine sources of energy, how it is used, and how food and agricultural waste can be repurposed or transformed into renewable energy. Through engaging lessons, daily energy-awareness activities, and guided field experiences, participants will connect global sustainability challenges to personal choices and community action.
Mini-labs introduce students to other renewable energy pathways, including ethanol fermentation and biodiesel production, providing a broad view of bioenergy systems.
TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE
Hands-on Learning
Working in teams, students design and build a small-scale biogas bucket system that converts organic waste into usable biogas, while tracking their own daily energy consumption in a reflective Energy Diary.
Career Exploration
Students will learn firsthand how overstocked food is rescued and provided to the public. As well as visiting a local company that produces biogas and compost from green bin waste and food waste.
RESOURCES
Course Infosheet
Click here to view or download the printable infosheet for this course.
Program Catalog
Click here to request our catalog to learn more about our summer programs and courses.
Campus Page
Click here to view the website page for this campus and learn more.
“Summer Springboard was such a great time and I believe I have met some lifelong friends here. I really got to know the career path I want to pursue.”
– Sophia W. | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Energy for a Sustainable Society
Meet Your Instructor
Dr. Kuwahara is an Assistant Professor in the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department. Her research integrates environmental microbiology, bioenergy, and controlled environment systems to advance sustainable agriculture and renewable energy production. She has conducted extensive work on microalgae photobioreactors for biodiesel and on ultrafine bubble oxygenation to improve plant and microbial processes. She served as a Visiting Plant Scientist at NASA Kennedy Space Center, contributing to crop system design for future space missions.
DR. SUSAN KUWAHARA
“The Summer Springboard program is a great chance to learn more about different fields of education and the college experience, while also meeting new people.”
– E. Watanabe | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Energy for a Sustainable Society
Dates & Tuition
| 2026 Dates |
|---|
| Session 2: July 19 – July 31, 2026 |
Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.
| Tuition |
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| Residential Tuition: $5,398 |
| Commuter Tuition: $2,998 |
Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.
| Location |
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| City: San Luis Obispo |
| State: California |
| Campus: Cal Poly SLO |
Summer Springboard programs are not run by our campus partners (with the exception of Cal Poly, UW Foster and NYSID which are run in partnership with SSB). Universities and their affiliated departments and partners do not control and are not responsible or liable in any manner for any part of the Summer Springboard program.