Past Luncheon Presentations & Grant Recipient Recordings

Grant Recipient Recordings

Jennifer Marlow's Thank you for the 2023 ERFSA Grant

Spring 2025 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

February 13, 2025: Connie Stewart: Executive Director of Initiatives, University Advancement
“Health Initiatives in Rural Areas”
Connie has the honor of hosting the North Coast Health Leadership Team, a group of Health and Human Services Chief Executive Officers from Humboldt and Del Norte. She will give an update on some of the projects happening in the region, plus recruitment and retention of health care providers efforts in the community. 
We can also have a brief discussion of some of the challenges health care is facing and ways to engage in advocacy to help. Connie can also touch on some of the other projects she's working on including Broadband access and Blue/Green workforce.
https://giving.humboldt.edu/content/forever-giving-feature-me-mini/living-learning-and-leaving-legacy-humboldt
https://president.humboldt.edu/content/college-matters-cal-poly-cr-work-address-nursing-shortage 

March 13, 2025: Lisa E. Feldman, U.S. Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office, Assistant United States Attorney’s Office, Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section
”Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Feldman will be speaking about the latest sophisticated cybercrimes and how to avoid them. She will also discuss cases involving intellectual property crime.

April 10, 2025: Sarah Lasley, Cal Poly Humboldt Art & Film Professor
“No-budget Independent Filmmaking for Change”
Grant recipient Professor Sarah Lasley will discuss her latest no-budget film "Welcome to the Enclave", an experimental short that screened at 27 international film festivals, 4 of them Oscar-qualifying, won multiple awards, and was reviewed in major media publications. She will also present her upcoming film "Climate Control" which was created in close collaboration with her Cal Poly Humboldt Film students. Two of these students traveled to Germany with her, with the generous support of her 2023 ERFSA grant, to shoot the documentary portion of the film.
https://now.humboldt.edu/news/slamdance-film-festival-gives-professor-lessons-share-students
https://now.humboldt.edu/news/humboldt-film-tool-advocacy

May 8, 2025: Maxwell Schnurer: Communication Department Chair and Transformative Restorative Education Center (TREC); Mark Taylor, MSW, Project Rebound; Steve Ladwig, TREC; Sidney Asfrzadeh, TREC
“Cal Poly Humboldt BA at Pelican Bay State Prison”
Cal Poly Humboldt currently offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication at Pelican Bay State Prison. The presenters will discuss what is it like to teach university level courses to students at the highest security prison in California.
https://www.ijpr.org/show/the-jefferson-exchange/2024-11-25/tues-9-25-california-colleges-provide-pathways-for-inmates-to-earn-college-degrees
https://now.humboldt.edu/news/ba-program-pelican-bay-state-prison-first-its-kind-california

Fall 2024 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

September 12, 2024: Cyril Oberlander, Dean of the University Library, Cal Poly Humboldt
"The University Library SimTable & Hall of Simulation"
Cyril Oberlander, Dean of the University Library, will highlight the SimTable, an augmented reality 3D interactive simulator in the library showing wildland fires, emergency management, evacuation and floods. Dean Oberlander will also provide updates on the Hall of Simulation, which includes the new FAA Flight Simulator, digital wall, and 3D Digital Herbarium - which won the American Library Association's Best Emerging Technology Award 2024.
https://library.humboldt.edu/3d-digital-herbarium
https://now.humboldt.edu/news/3d-digital-herbarium-recognized-innovation

October 10, 2024: Jennifer Marlow, Environmental Science and Management
"Managing Risk from Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Hazards to Humboldt Bay’s Spent Nuclear Fuel Site"
In this talk, Associate Professor Jennifer Marlow (JD) will discuss plausible future scenarios for Humboldt Bay's spent nuclear fuel site and share recommendations for assuring public and environmental safety. Read Jennifer’s faculty profile and learn more about her work on Humboldt Now. Project information is available at 44feetproject.com. Also see Brown, A., Marlow, J., and Sorfleet, J. (2024). Crafting Effective Oversight for the Long-Term Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel on Sites at Risk of Climate and Coastal Hazards. Frontiers in Climate: Climate Law and Policy. Vol. 6. doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2024.1356724

November 14, 2024: Cliff VanCott, McKinleyville Emergency Response Team Leader 
Cliff VanCott (Team Leader for McKinleyville CERT) will discuss the history and organization of CERT in the Humboldt County, describe the various activities CERT members have accomplished in the past and also explore how we can be better prepared for disasters which may occur here. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. CERT offers a nationwide approach to the organization and training of local volunteers, your friends and neighbors, that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks. Their skills and knowledge will assist professional First Responders in times of overwhelming need.

December 12, 2024: Jacqueline Dandeneau, Executive/Artistic Director - Playhouse Arts
"The Arts and Wellness in Rural Spaces"
Playhouse Arts as the Local Arts Agency for the City of Arcata, provides art engagement opportunities for all ages. Playhouse Arts provides youth programming in partnership with the Humboldt County Office of Education. We support a community arts center, Our Space, for the houseless and housing insecure. The Agency also provides The Wonder Wagon to rural communities and events, runs the Arcata Playhouse, as well as engages in advocacy for our rural community.
https://www.playhousearts.org/

Spring 2024 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

February 15, 2024: Aldaron Laird, Retired Sea Level Rise Planner
"Sea Level Rise and the Humboldt Bay Region”
Our area has the highest rate of relative sea level rise on the west coast of the U.S., tides are rising faster here. Due to a historical legacy or two sea level rise will have a significant and possibly a devastating impacts to our Humboldt Bay region. We explore the past, present, and future of Humboldt Bay region.
https://arcata1.com/aldaron-laird-sea-level-rise-consequences-mind-boggling-mru/, https://www.madriverunion.com/articles/understanding-climate-change-means-seeing-the-world-with-new-eyes/

March 14, 2024: Tiana Williams-Claussen, Director, Yurok Tribe Wildlife Department
"Releasing California Condors into the Wild”
California Condors, known as the “Prey-go-neesh” in the Yurok language, are being released as part of the Northern California Condor Restoration Program. Director Tiana Williams-Claussen will explain the nature of release management and give us an update on the current success of the program.
https://www.times-standard.com/2023/07/29/prey-go-neesh-returns-1-year-since-california-condors-reintroduced-in-northern-california
https://www.northcoastjournal.com/news/reclaiming-their-ancestral-lands-28124204

 April 11, 2024: Alison O’Dowd, Environmental Science & Management at Cal Poly Humboldt
"River Undammed: Exploring biological responses to Klamath dam removal" 
The removal of four large hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River will be the largest dam removal project in history.  Dr. O'Dowd will provide information about the Klamath dams and her research project that is exploring the impacts of dam removal on downstream ecosystems.
https://now.humboldt.edu/magazine/fall2023/2-1_klamath-dam-removal.html

May 9, 2024: Canceled

Fall 2023 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

September 12, 2023: Honoring Rowing Coach Weise, Assistant Coaches Hyland & Donnell & crew students
"Journey to the National Rowing Championship and Invitation to the White House's Inaugural College Athlete Day"
Humboldt earned its invitation to this year’s White House's Inaugural College Athlete Day, which seeks to celebrate the NCAA's national champions across all divisions and sports after winning the NCAA Division II title on May 27 at Cooper River Park in New Jersey, where the Jacks snagged gold in both the Fours and Eights grand finals. The victory brings the third national title in program history back to the North Coast.
https://humboldtathletics.com/sports/womens-rowing

October 10, 2023: AVP Michael Fisher, Facilities Management & CNRS Dean Eric Riggs
"Status of Cal Poly Humboldt’s New and Projected Physical Facilities"
Updates on Cal Poly’s new and projected physical facilities: housing project at Craftsman Mall, engineering and technology learning community building, Eureka research lab (offshore wind lab) and Marine facilities and sustainability and microgrid center.
https://www.humboldt.edu/about/polytechnic/infrastructure-projectsExi

November 14, 2023: Cal Poly Professor Emerita Betsy Watson & UC Davis Retired Professor Mark Thurmond
"Humboldt Cannabis Reform Initiative"
Discussion of the controversial Humboldt Cannabis Reform Initiative to amend the Humboldt County General Plan to protect residents, landowners,  and our beautiful natural environment from harm caused by large-scale industrial cannabis cultivation.
https://cannabisinitiative.org/

December 12, 2023: Executive Director Emma Breacain
"Humboldt Literacy Project"
Humboldt County has an estimated 13,800 adults who are functionally illiterate—reading below a fifth grade level. Another 23,000 people in our county read below eighth-grade level. Since 1981, Humboldt Literacy Project has been working to raise the level of literacy in Humboldt County and improve the quality of life in our community.
https://www.humboldtliteracy.org/

Spring 2023 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

Fall 2022 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

Spring 2022 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

Fall 2021 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

Spring 2021 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

Fall 2020 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

Spring 2020 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations

Fall 2019 ERFSA Luncheon Presentations