Pascal Biwole: new professor at Cal Poly Humboldt’s School of Engineering

Coming all the way from the University of Clermont Auvergne located in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Pascal Biwole is a new engineering Professor at the Cal Poly Humboldt School of Engineering.

Professor Biwole graduated form St Cyr Special Military Academy as an undergraduate studying mathematics, and soon after worked in the Corp of Engineers for three years as a commissioner officer. After his service in the army he had gotten bored and wanted to do more intellectual work, Biwole’s path wasn’t so straightforward. He went back to school for his master’s in Mechanical Engineering along with a PhD in Civil and Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Applied Sciences in Lyon, France.

“Engineering is about making the life of other people easier by finding solutions, solutions to move, solutions to see; for example, the lighting of a building to make it very efficient for people to see. For people to be able to play, engineering is about making life easier for everybody,“ Biwole said.

Biwole came to Cal Poly Humboldt for a challenge, he could see his future layed out for him in 10 years and decided he wanted more. What drew him in was the approach of the social justice environment, along with the research that is applied at Cal Poly Humboldt.

He started off as a teachers assistant in 2006 but soon after became a professor between 2009 and 2010. Biwole has taught courses in heat and mass transfer, fluid dynamics, building acoustics and other related courses.

As for Professor Biwole’s goals for the school year, he wants to have his course material ready for students. Hopefully, by next year have a good idea of research tha he would like to partake in as well as start writing grants. Biwole encourages students to be open to the experiences the engineering major has to offer.

“Be curious, because there are lots of new technologies and new opportunities in engineering system majors and to work hard would be my advice it’s a very rewarding major,” Biwole said. “When I go to work every morning I think I will help people helping the planet and when you are in the field it’s rewarding to tell yourself I’m trying to reduce carbon emissions, to make things more efficient.”

Eileen M. Cashman, professor and department chair for the School of Engineering at Cal Poly Humboldt feels Biwole is an important asset.

“He brings a lot of important expertise to our energy systems program, he’s coming in at a senior level. Because energy systems is a new program, we’re really fortunate to be able to bring in someone with a lot of expertise already. He has a great background in building energy analysis and energy systems so he comes with all that expertise and knowledge. And he’s also just a wonderful person, he really connected well with our students,” Cashman said.

Biwole hopes to be a resource on campus and support students on their academic journey.

“I’m here first for students, I want students to know I’m here for them first and that my door will always be open for my students if they need advising, some additional resources, office hours, to go over course material again,” Biwole said. “I really want them to be successful, they will never be a bother.”