Recent News

CLA event - Dream Interrupted Exhibit Event, 5/30

May 27, 2026

Exhibition Information: Open through Summer 2026

 

From 1928 to 1942, Tomoichi and Kikuno Yoshida lived with their 10 children and Tomoichi’s father, Yaemon, as tenant farmers on the Pecho Coast of San Luis Obispo County before they were incarcerated at the onset of WWII. While they were forcibly incarcerated in Jerome, Arkansas, the owner of their property sold the family’s farm equipment, preventing the Yoshidas from ever returning to their way of life on the coast—unjustly and shamefully stalling their pursuit of the American dream. 

 

This display is a collaborative Senior Project presents findings from the archaeological project, designed by students Gaia Gray, Meredith Richards, and Madeleine Rubendall, advised by Dr. Elizabeth Minor. It is based on the first project exhibition at the San Luis Obispo History Center produced by Rachel Burgess (CSU Chico), Emma Bowman, Jesse Horsley, Collin Marfia, Lacey May, and Annie Pagel, and Dr. Terry Jones. Artifacts recovered from the dig offer insights into the daily life of this hard-working Japanese American family, including their foodways, dress, personal hygiene, work, and recreational pursuits. Combined with oral history from the descendants, the objects paint a picture of a challenging yet idyllic life on this coastal farm in the midst of the Great Depression. The artifacts and food waste from a trash pit reflect elements of the family’s traditional Japanese roots combined with American culture and lifestyle. 

 

Tomoichi Kikuno Yoshida and their large family thrived on San Luis Obispo’s Pecho Coast, only to have their livelihood suddenly taken from them and endure a very dark chapter in United States history. Nonetheless, their descendants are a living testament to the ultimate perseverance of the Yoshidas. This display is intended to celebrate the lives of this Japanese-American family, just one of tens of thousands who suffered the same fate, and to recognize and honor their Gaman. 

 

Gaman - A Japanese term of Zen Buddhist origin, which means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.”

Breaking: Cal Poly Alumnus A.J. Nicholson Awarded Prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Apr 15, 2026

Cal Poly Anthropology and Geography alumnus A.J. Nicholson has been awarded the highly prestigious and nationally competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP) for 2026.  This is one of the most selective honors for graduate students in the United States. A.J. is a former Human Evolutionary Ecology (H.E.E.) student lab manager working under Drs. Stacey L. Rucas and Timothy McHale, and also served as a lab researcher with Sociologist Dr. Martine Lappé.  A.J. is currently pursuing graduate study in medical anthropology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

The NSF GRFP recognizes only a small fraction of applicants nationwide and supports individuals with exceptional promise as future scientific leaders. AJ's award highlights both his academic excellence and the strength of Cal Poly’s Social Sciences Department and our unique learn-by-doing research training.

Notably, Mr. Nicholson follows in the footsteps of fellow alumnus Sophie Klitgaard, also a former Anthropology and Geography graduate and H.E.E. Lab Manager, who previously received the coveted NSF GRFP in 2023, and is now pursuing her Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of California Los Angeles.  

Please join us in celebrating these outstanding alumni and their remarkable national achievements.

Dr. Nikhil Deb interviewed live on WION News

Feb 12, 2026

Dr. Nikhil Deb appeared live this on WION News, an international news channel based in India, to discuss the ongoing national election in Bangladesh. During the interview, he shared his perspective on the importance of electing leaders who uphold and reflect Bangladesh’s longstanding pluralistic tradition. You can watch the full segment here.

Dr. Deb’s appearance begins at the 4:40 mark and continues through the end of the program.

Dr. Martine Lappé interviewed by NPR on Tylenol/autism claims

Sep 29, 2025

Sociology faculty member Dr. Martine Lappé was interviewed this past week by NPR on the White House’s claims regarding the purported connection between mothers’ Tylenol consumption and autism. The story (linked below) describes the history and social context of those claims, and their impact on pregnant people, mothers, and the autism community.

NPR 9/26/25: “‘Long history of blaming mothers’: Trump’s Tylenol warning echoes past misconceptions”

Archaeology Club Last Field Trip of the Year: The Salinan Echo Rock

May 20, 2025

On May 10, 2025, the Archaeology Club took their third and final field trip of the year to Fort Hunter Liggett and the Los Padres National Forest to see Echo Rock and the San Antonio Mission!! After driving through the scenic landscape, the club stopped at the trailhead for the Echo Rock, an Indigenous place known to the Salinan as the Khoye. The Echo Rock is not known to most people, but luckily Dr. Terry Jones, the club advisor, had a copy of the field notes written by J.P Harrington in the 1930s that described the site and its location. Although Harrington’s writing was hard to decipher, Jones re-located Khoye about 30 years ago, and was able to lead the club back to it where the club tested it out. Hearing  the echo reverberate back from the club’s shouting was well worth the hike!! After hiking back to the trailhead, the club took a short lunch break while hearing about the history of the San Antonio mission before driving back to see it. Once there, the club took a walk outside to see the old agricultural sites, as well as the cemetery, both of which still have well preserved adobe walls. Inside of the mission was a recently updated museum that contained lots of information and artifacts pertaining to both the Salinan and the missionaries. Overall, it was a very fun and educational day for the Cal Poly Archaeology Club!! If you are interested in joining in on our next club meeting or field trip, please reach out to our club president, Sophie Fioravanti, at sfiorava@calpoly.edu!!!

Opening of Display by Anthropology-Geography Students May 30, 2025, San Luis Obispo History Center 6:30 pm

May 19, 2025

Cal Poly team unearths artifacts from family forced into Japanese internment camp

Read more: The Tribune

View this story on KSBY!

Archaeology Club Guest Lecture April 17: Dr. Kristina M. Gill

Apr 14, 2025

Archaeology Students Present at Society for California Archaeology Annual Meeting in San Francisco

Apr 14, 2025

Archaeology students Emma Bowman, Jesse Horseley, Lacey May, and Annie Pagel presented a poster at the 2025 Society for California Archaeology Annual Meeting in San Francisco in March. Titled " Investigating the Pre-WWII Yoshida Farmstead Site on the Pecho Coast, San Luis Obispo County, CA," the poster presented preliminary findings from the archaeological investigation of a pre-Incarceration Japanese-American farmstead site located on PGE's Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant property. Materials recovered from the dig which took place last spring with participation of 25 descendants of the original farm family, included beautiful Japanese ceramics, glass bottles, shells and bones from meals, and other items of everyday life, including game pieces, parts of a comb, and a harmonica. These and other artifacts will be put on display at the San Luis Obispo History Center May 30, 2025.

Dr. Nikhil Deb Published an Edited Book - Social Justice in the Global South

Apr 10, 2025

Archaeology Club Winter Quarter Field Trip

Mar 25, 2025

On Friday, March 7th, the Cal Poly Archaeology took their winter quarter field trip to Hearst Castle! Upon arrival, the club was greeted by the museum director, Cara O’Brien, and a museum curator, Jenny Daly. From there, we were able to drive up to the castle while enjoying the beautiful views of San Simeon and the animals that roamed the hillside. It was a gorgeous and sunny day so the scenery was spectacular! Once everyone made it to the top, the club was taken on a behind the scenes tour of the castle. Members were still able to see all of the grand rooms that are included on a typical tour, such as the famous infinity pool and the movie theatre, but were also able to see some of the back rooms, including a hidden terrace that dated to one of the earlier versions of the castle. One of the club favorites was the Roman Pool - with gold laced tiles and changing rooms for all the Hollywood stars that came to visit. Afterwards, members were taken into the museum archives where all of the artifacts are kept, and we  were shown original sketches by Julia Morgan, the famous architect that designed the castle, as well as one of the original guest books and even a suitcase for William Hearst’s dog. Overall, the Archaeology Club enjoyed a great day of learning history, museum collections management, and seeing Hearst Castle in all its glory!