Paving the Way for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

At the center of Cal Poly’s polytechnic identity is the desire to infuse every department with the tools needed to stay true to the university’s Learn by Doing philosophy. In an increasingly technology-oriented world, the manner in which students learn and apply new skills is through the very use of technology.

Consistently working to bridge the divide between science, technology and the liberal arts disciplines, the CLA is closing the gap, offering the technological world new avenues of relevant and successful innovation through the integration of creativity and humanistic approach — cultural relevance, social acceptability, policy issues and limitations, attitude formation, communication, etc.

The Cal Poly Center for Expressive Technologies (CET) is a site where faculty, staff and students research and develop new ways of incorporating technology into artistic expression across the arts.

CET initiatives require interdisciplinary collaboration, uniting students and faculty on projects from inception through completion. CLA’s own dedication to fostering the center’s growth results from the desire to encourage collaboration across campus. Starting with the college’s own cross-section of programs, the goal is to make the CET a center where the various talents across campus are brought together.

As CET becomes a permanent part of the Cal Poly campus, the center will serve as an informative tool that explores new ways of looking at technology and its connection to the arts. The focus is not only about how technology can improve creative expression, but how the liberal arts can inspire the future of technology 

CET’s goal of converging technical innovation with creative expression and entertainment is possible because of Cal Poly’s polytechnic identity and experience with engineering, mechatronics, commercial design and imaging. But CET also utilizes the CLA’s expertise in literature, music, theatre, dance and the visual arts.