SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department celebrated a successful 2014 International Printing Week program Jan. 27-31.

The event, held annually at Cal Poly since 1984, celebrates Benjamin Franklin and his contributions to print communication, science and technology. The Graphic Communication Department at Cal Poly commemorated the week with a lecture series and related events centered on the theme, “The Future of Graphic Communication.”

The week in summary by numbers:

• 400 students and industry members
• 151 attendees at sold-out banquet
• 32 presenters
• 21 Career Day exhibitors
• 14 states represented, including Washington, D.C.
• 11 industry sponsors
• 5 nations
• 5 winery sponsors

Expanded to five days this year from four, each day focused on a particular industry topic addressed by prominent speakers from around the nation and world.

Monday focused on business, management and printing technology. Tuesday addressed issues of design and web, and digital media. Developments in packaging and printed electronics, and functional imaging were covered Wednesday.

Thursday brought notable Cal Poly graphic communication alumni to campus to interact with students and industry guests on what to expect when entering the industry. The day culminated with the International Printing Week banquet held at the Madonna Inn.

The sold-out banquet featured Michelle Sordi, executive vice president of SAGE Publications. Sordi addressed the issues faced by the traditional educational and scientific book publishing industry and what SAGE is doing to integrate non-print digital publications with print publishing. Calling it the conversion from the “P word” to the “H word,” Sordi pointed out that “print” is not going away but “hybrid” (print and digital) defines the future of publishing.

Friday featured a graphic communication career fair with companies representing all areas of the industry to recruit full-time employees and interns. 

The Graphic Communication Department’s advisory board also met Thursday and Friday.

Examples of the week’s 32 presentations include:

Jim Niemiec, New Page: “The Power of Digital Print”

Jimmy Vainstein, World Bank: “Leaping Ahead with High Speed Inkjet Printing”

Gyoujin Cho, Sunchon National University in South Korea: “Printing Technology for the Next Advanced Manufacturing Technology — Printed Electronics”

Tim Luong, Cera Drop MGI Group, Grenoble, France: “Ink Jet Technology and Solutions for Printed Electronics”

Other talks covered substrates, ink, toner, packaging, new media, historical transitions, workflow, design, marketing, sales, government and corporate in-plants, and related topics.

Two industry leaders were honored for their contributions to the Cal Poly Graphic Communication Department. Kodak was recognized for its donation of Prinergy Workflow Solutions and Xanté for the donation of a high-speed wide-format Excelagraphix inkjet printer.

Program sponsors included Adobe, Digital Technology Associates, EFI, Esko, Kodak, Konica Minolta, Ricoh, RockTenn, RR Donnelley, SAGE Publications, and Utah Paperbox. Five Central California wineries also provided sponsorships.

The department declared the week a success and a benefit to industry and students alike. “This week was incredible. The stellar sessions, interaction and networking provided substantial proof that our industry is alive, healthy and extremely innovative, ready to tackle the paradigm shifts that are upon us,” said Ken Macro, chair of the Graphic Communication Department. “Additionally, the experience of the International Printing Week has shown our students that the future can be abundant, challenging, prosperous and vast, and that there is definitely a place for them there.”

Links

Graphic Communication Department: http://www.grc.calpoly.edu/

College of Liberal Arts: www.cla.calpoly.edu