Creativity onstage and the stories behind it.

• Award-Winning Innovation November 4, 2024

  

  In 1949, a group of students decided to build their own float and participate in Pasadena’s Tournament of Roses® Parade.

  Ever since, Cal Poly Universities Rose Float have been coming up with new ways to wow parade goers–and winning awards for their work.

  As one of only six independent noncommercial floatbuilders, called “self-builts”, in the parade, Cal Poly Universities’ entry is unique for several reasons.

  First of all, they’re the only student-built float in the Rose Parade®,

  Secondly, the float, built from the frame up, is constructed by two student groups. At the start of the building process, these groups are working from campuses more than two hundred miles apart!

  Two teams become one

  

  Annually, the students at Cal Poly Pomona build the front half of their float’s chassis, while the students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo build the back half.

  Then, in October, the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo students bring their half down to the Pomona campus. The two halves are joined–and from then on, the groups work as one, crafting their Rose Parade® entry.

  So far, the Cal Poly Universities students’ entries have won more than 60 awards–which brings up the third reason their float is unique.

  As students, Cal Poly Universities Rose Float participants have room to “play” and experiment with new methods and technologies.

  And frequently, the results are Rose Parade® “firsts”.

  Brooke Handschin is President of Cal Poly Universities Rose Float in Pomona, while Collin Marfia is President of Cal Poly Universities Rose Float, San Luis Obispo.

  Brooke and Collin talked about their experiences with Cal Poly Universities Rose Float, what it’s like to create and drive their innovative entries and, of course, Cal Poly Universities Rose Float’s 2025 entry, “Nessie’s Lakeside Laughs”, which will be their 76th Rose Parade® float.

  On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:

  • How Brooke and Collin first became involved with Cal Poly Universities Rose Float;

  • How each of them developed their specific creative talents and gifts as a result of working on the floats;

  • Some of the ways they did troubleshooting in the past, as co-hydraulics leads;

  • One particular issue they found “frustrating but fun”, as their team navigated a construction challenge;

  • What it’s like to operate a Rose Parade® float on New Year’s Day;

  • The story of Cal Poly Universities Rose Float’s 2025 design, “Nessie’s Lakeside Laughs”;

  • How the teams from the two universities collaborate;

  • One major logistics problem they’ve been working on solving, for “Nessie’s Lakeside Laughs”;

  • Some of the considerations involved in decorating the float;

  • A look at some of the past innovations which the Cal Poly Universities entries have introduced to the Rose Parade® (and a hint at what we may see on their float in the 136th Rose Parade® on New Year’s Day, 2025!);

  • What Brooke, a mechanical-engineering major, will enjoy most about the decorating process;

  • What’s planned for the animation;

  • Where to see the team’s progress on their social media;

  • The next milestones to be completed;

  • How to support the students as they create Cal Poly Universities’ Rose Float’s 76th float, “Nessie’s Lakeside Laughs”.

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• “Scary Creative” for Halloween October 31, 2024

  An Over Coffee® special-edition podcast!

  

  “There’s so much more to haunting than just getting a startle,” says legendary haunter Shar Mayer.

  “I want you to scream. I want you to cry. But I’m going to respect you as a human…I’m not into torturing people. I just want them to scream, and be scared.”

  In this 2018 interview, recorded onsite at ScareLA, Shar, who is a haunt consultant, producer, scare actor and all-round “scary creative” (she mentors and teaches aspiring haunters and workshops) shares some of her favorite insights on creating an effective and fun Halloween “scare”.

  And she even offers some low-cost tips on ghoulish makeup that could work for you today–and which uses ingredients you may have in your kitchen!

  Happy Halloween, be safe and stay innovative!

  On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

  • How haunting became Shar’s passion;

  • Why she sees scaring someone as a “relationship” of sorts;

  • A “how-to” mini-lesson on horror makeup–and some easy scary looks to create this Halloween;

  • The techniques behind successful haunting;

  • Shar’s advice to scare actors as they prepare to work in a haunt (including the number-one thing to do, to succeed!);

  • The psychology and boundaries of professionalism in haunting;

  • How to stay safe, as a haunter;

  • The ways Shar has seen the haunt industry change, over her four decades as a haunter

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• STEAM and You June 10, 2024

  Over Coffee® is on one-week summer hiatus. Please enjoy this reposting of our special-edition podcast, which explores what we’re all about!

  

  As a creative person, how might you use S.T.E.A.M.?

  There are numerous opportunities.

  Most creative work involves some blend of the elements of science, technology, engineering, art and math.

  In this special-edition episode, we explore the various aspects of S.T.E.A.M. in a wide range of creative and innovative projects.

  On this edition of Over Coffee®:

  Sociologist, author, educator and haunt consultant Dr. Margee Kerr explains some of the science of our enjoyment of a good Halloween scare.;

  Fairchild Botanic Garden Director of Education Amy Padolf discusses the citizen-science classroom program, Growing Beyond Earth, which she developed in partnership with NASA.

  University of Chicago doctoral student and Calico robot developer Anup Sathya offers a look at the tiny wearable robot he and his colleagues developed.

  La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Director of Float Development Pam Wiedenbeck explains the engineering elements behind award-winning float creativity.

  Meow Wolf Senior Creative Director Spencer Olsen explores the ways science, technology, engineering and math serve as vehicles for the creativity of local and international artists in Meow Wolf’s second permanent installation, Omega Mart.

  CSULB Director of Educator Preparation Dr. Fred Uy offers a math lesson for artists! (Want more? Dr. Uy previously served as a member of the Steering Committee of the California STEAM Symposium–the eleventh annual edition of which is happening February 9-10 in Long Beach!)

  And thank you, to all the talented musicians whose royalty-free music we’ve used as transitional elements in this special-edition podcast! You’ll find them all on Pixabay’s music section–and they’re available to be hired for independent work!

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