Contact: AnnMarie Cornejo
805-756-2427; ancornej@calpoly.edu

Experience Neuroinclusion in Action Thursdays This Spring

SAN LUIS OBISPO, California — Cal Poly’s Experience Industry Management (EIM) Department is launching a new research initiative aimed at fostering greater inclusion in public spaces. For five consecutive Thursdays this spring, visitors to the Downtown SLO Farmers Market can experience the Pop-Up Resilience Room — a calming, neuroinclusive environment located at the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at 872 Higuera St. in San Luis Obispo.

The project is specifically designed to support individuals who experience sensory overwhelm or sensory overstimulation, including those who may have avoided community events like the farmers market in the past. The space features low lighting, minimal noise, cozy seating, fidget tools and noise-reducing headphones in a welcoming, judgment-free environment.

“This project brings neuroinclusive experience design to life in a way our whole community can see, feel and benefit from,” said Amber Karson, Cal Poly lecturer and founder and CEO of Karson Butler Events. “As one of three faculty members working alongside a talented team of students, I’m proud to bring the initiatives we're working on in the industry at large to Cal Poly and the local market. We hope this space, and the academic research we're conducting, helps more individuals — and their families — feel comfortable attending and enjoying the market.”

The Resilience Room will be open from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on April 3, 10, 17, 24 and May 1. Visitors can stop by when needed — for a brief moment of quiet or to stay as long as desired.

“This project has the potential to have a huge impact on the agricultural tourism field by measuring outcomes and benefits for individuals who experience the use of a resilience room at the Downtown SLO Farmers Market,” Professor Marni Goldenberg said. “It’s important to provide space for all guests and visitors at our public markets and shared activities,” added Associate Professor Keri Schwab. “We’re excited to offer that space this spring.”

This project is supported in part by the city of San Luis Obispo’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) High Impact Grant and made possible through collaboration with Downtown SLO Farmers Market, the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the city of San Luis Obispo.

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About Cal Poly’s Experience Industry Management Department
The Experience Industry Management (EIM) Department at Cal Poly prepares students to design and manage meaningful experiences across tourism, hospitality, event planning, outdoor and community recreation, and sport management sectors. As part of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, the department is grounded in Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy and offers hands-on, interdisciplinary projects, industry partnerships, and real-world experience. Its mission is to cultivate future professionals who promote healthy lifestyles, protect memorable places, and deliver life-enhancing experiences for individuals and communities.

About Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, comprehensive polytechnic university. The university’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (cafes.calpoly.edu) comprises expert faculty members who take pride in their ability to transform academically motivated students into innovative professionals ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, including ranchland, orchards, vineyards and forests, all of which provide the basis for Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing methodology. It is the fifth-largest college of agriculture in the country, with 4,000 undergraduate students.