Embracing Hands-On Experiential Learning at Cal Poly

Dr. Jeong Woo is the Department Head for Construction Management at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he provides strategic leadership for one of the nation’s largest and most highly regarded undergraduate construction management programs. He leads a cohesive team of 20 full‑time faculty members and 600 construction management students, fostering a culture rooted in Cal Poly’s “Learn by Doing” philosophy, inclusive excellence, and a strong commitment to student success.

Dr. Woo has been teaching interdisciplinary design-build studios, building information modeling, construction estimating, construction scheduling, and project management courses. His scholarship focus on virtual design and construction (VDC), digital twins, construction automation, and emerging applications of artificial intelligence in the built environment. He has led multiple industry-supported interdisciplinary research projects that integrate advanced digital technologies into construction education and practice.

He is widely recognized for his collaborative leadership style and commitment to advancing student-centered, industry-engaged, and future-focused construction education. Under his leadership, Cal Poly has launched high-impact interdisciplinary programs including a Heavy Civil Minor with Civil Engineering, a Mass Timber interdisciplinary studio, and service-learning initiatives such as the Skip the Grid project in the Navajo Nation. He has also expanded co-op and extended internship opportunities, strengthened community college articulation pathways, and advanced nationally recognized student competition programs.

Dr. Woo He is passionate about serving our communities and supporting families in need. He serves on the Board of Directors of ACE Mentor California Capital and holds leadership roles with the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) and the American Council of Construction Education (ACCE).