25
March
2025
“A Place to Become By Doing”: Learn How Cal Poly Pomona’s Campus-Wide Strategy Redefines AI, GIS, and Cybersecurity in Higher Education
By Kenneth Lewis - Communications Specialist
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
A 2025 Internet2 Community Exchange Sneak Peek
A mission siloed lacks its actual potential, but one that has explored all its options has the greatest reach. Such is the case with Cal Poly Pomona in the session Emerging Technologies: A New Focus for Cal Poly Pomona at this year’s 2025 Internet2 Community Exchange (opens in a new window).
When John McGuthry, VP & chief information officer at Cal Poly Pomona (CPP), saw a need for AI, GIS, and cybersecurity outside the classroom, CPP created an Advanced Computing Department to expand these technologies. This effort expanded the trio beyond faculty and IT, allowing them to infiltrate student affairs.
This new department and its initiatives would:
- expand CPP’s cross-campus approach to technology adoption,
- bridge its interdisciplinary academics,
- escalate research initiatives and industry partnerships, and
- lead innovative advancements in campus operations.
This new approach sparked AI fairs, conferences, and hackathons, where students, faculty, and industry leaders collaborated on innovative solutions and showcased AI applications.
It birthed academic programs and community projects where students gain real-world experience applying geospatial technology to urban planning, environmental research, and public health challenges.
It also provided hands-on experience in cyber defense, network security, and threat mitigation, ensuring students graduate with practical expertise in one of the fastest-growing tech fields.
Together, these pillars of Cal Poly Ponoma’s strategy helped not only those attending CPP but also CPP’s community since the college leverages opportunities to invite and expose K-12 audiences to these emerging technologies in engaging and memorable ways.
“I’m excited to share how Cal Poly Pomona is integrating IT with academics, research, students, operations, and industry,” says Alex Harwood, presenter, AVP of advanced computing, and chief technology officer at CPP. “Our approach stands out from similar universities, and we believe it offers valuable insights for others looking to bridge technology and education.”
But as with all major undertakings, there are mishaps, challenges, victories, and roadmaps to pass on to others striving to infuse such impactful ideas into campus-wide programs and initiatives.
Explore the Use of Emerging Technologies on Your Own Campus
Take a deep dive into Cal Poly Pomona’s campus-wide approach to emerging technologies. Harwood will share real-world insights on CPP’s transformative strategy, providing a unique perspective on how AI shapes teaching, learning, and institutional decision-making. These insights are supported by examples of CPP’s implementation across academics, research, and operations and are applicable to your own campus.
You can expect to:
- Learn how to scale AI training, as Harwood explains CPP’s rollout for faculty, staff, and students.
- Gain insight into industry collaborations, while Hardwood discusses CPP’s robust technical foundation with partners such as Avanade, ESRI, Cisco, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and others.
- See the transformative power of AI, GIS, and cybersecurity as Hardwood unpacks how these technologies are enhancing all who step foot on CPP’s campus, continuing to make Cal Poly Pomona a place that learns by doing.
Emerging Technologies – New Focus for Cal Poly Pomona will take place on Wednesday, April 30th, from 1:40 to 2:30 p.m. PT at the 2025 Internet2 Community Exchange.
Check out this session and other related presentations in the Challenges & Opportunities with Emerging Technologies Track (opens in a new window), which highlights innovative uses for these new technologies and how they may shape the future of national and global collaborations, at the 2025 Internet2 Community Exchange held April 28-May 1 in Anaheim, Calif.
Visit the CommEX25 website (opens in a new window) to learn more about the event and register, and be sure to check out our Shaping an Unmissable CommEX25 series for insight from leaders behind this year’s program (opens in a new window).