Contact: Matt Lazier 
805-756-7109; mlazier@calpoly.edu  
  
SAN LUIS OBISPO, California — Cal Poly’s Office of Research announced 17 awards for the 2025-26 Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities (RSCA) grant program cycle.  

Supported by funds from the California State University Chancellor's Office and Cal Poly’s Office of the Provost, the RSCA grant program supports faculty in contributing new knowledge through robust programs of scholarship focused on strengthening California’s social, cultural and economic landscape. This program is one mechanism by which Cal Poly supports the Teacher-Scholar Model, in which faculty integrate excellence in teaching with research, scholarly and creative activities.

“The RSCA grant program bolsters Cal Poly's intellectual vibrancy and embodies our Learn by Doing ethos,” said Dean Wendt, Cal Poly’s interim associate vice provost of research. “Cal Poly is dedicated to supporting faculty in advancing their scholarship, fostering collaborations with colleagues and students, and driving continuous discovery. Congratulations to this year’s awardees!”  

This cycle, 73 proposals were received requesting a total of $1,252,000. Using the criteria outlined in the RSCA Request for Proposals and guided by the review and rankings of the Academic Senate Grants Review Committee, over $289,000 in funds have been awarded to 17 projects.
 
“The number and quality of RSCA applications continue to rise each year, demonstrating our faculty’s commitment to advancing knowledge and engaging students in meaningful research,” said Philip Costanzo, chair of the Grants Review Committee of the Cal Poly Academic Senate. “It’s exciting to see these projects come to life and expand Cal Poly’s research impact.”

Since its inception in 2014-15, the RSCA program at Cal Poly has provided over $4 million in grants to faculty members.

The 2025-26 awarded projects are listed on Cal Poly’s Office of Research website.