Caltech Magazine

22/12/2024

"Watching the Super Bowl on Mars (after having it beamed to us over a couple nights) was a great experience."

Alum Ross Brockwell has finished his yearlong mission on simulated Mars. What he's learned about isolation and space travel: https://magazine.caltech.edu/post/ross-brockwell-mars-part-3

20/12/2024

"My first exposure to suborbital rockets was during my second undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa—my first degree there was actually in business, and then I went back to school later for an astronomy and physics degree after taking some science classes on the side. I never really thought about doing experimental astronomy, and I didn't know what the career path looked like. But I really enjoyed building something that can do science that we otherwise can't really access.

"Today, the experiment side of astronomy still drives me. We build the instruments, and we do this from conception all the way to flight. We design them; we build them; we fly them. Staying in touch with that full life cycle, and staying in touch with the science, in our case the astronomy observations, is what I am most interested in.

"The Roman Technology Fellowships are really important for someone like me on the experimental side because they give us resources to help advance our career. When we try to apply to tenure track positions, we're competing against everyone that's doing astronomy, and we typically are not as productive in terms of publications and science output. The Roman Technology Fellowship was generated as a way to help us, the technology and experimental folks, with additional support and an avenue to go from a postdoc to a permanent position."

Drew Miles, a research assistant professor of physics, is working on the next FIREBall (the Faint Intergalactic-medium Redshifted Emission Balloon) suborbital mission to map ultraviolet light from the faint medium around nearby galaxies. He recently won a NASA Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship in astrophysics, and a grant to develop technology for future NASA missions through the NASA Strategic Astrophysics Technology program.

17/12/2024

"I recall being in the middle of a one-hour take-home closed-book exam at 4 a.m. in my apartment when a 4.0 earthquake began. I continued with the exam and did not leave the building, sticking with the Honor Code."—George Pashel (MS ’75), PITTSBURGH, PA

What doe the Caltech Honor Code mean to you? Read responses from more alumni here: https://magazine.caltech.edu/post/endnotes-what-does-the-caltech-honor-code-mean-to-you

13/12/2024

In the decades ahead, fragments of distant worlds will journey millions of miles through space to reach Earth. These precious pieces of planets, moons, asteroids, and comets have the potential to unlock the secrets of our solar system’s formation, offer clues regarding Earth’s future, and help answer one of the most profound scientific questions of all: Does extraterrestrial life exist?

“Either there is life elsewhere in the solar system, now or in the past, or there isn’t,” says John Eiler, the Robert P. Sharp Professor of Geology and Geochemistry and the Ted and Ginger Jenkins Leadership Chair of the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences (GPS). “These are historical events, and you won’t solve the question without physical evidence. You have to actually get samples that record what happened.”

Learn more about the promise of sample return:
https://magazine.caltech.edu/post/sample-return

10/12/2024

In an unassuming corner of the Charles Arms Laboratory of the Geological Sciences, a fanged feline snarls behind a glass cage. But this predator can no longer hurt you. The skeleton of a Smilodon fatalis, or saber-toothed cat, has been on display since 1997, when it was loaned to the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences (GPS) by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM).

The blackened Smilodon bones excavated from LA’s between 1913–15 come from multiple saber-toothed cats between 12,000 and 33,000 years old; the composite skeleton was assembled in the mid-20th century. Caltech paleontologist Chester Stock measured the skull for his 1932 publication, The Felidae of Rancho La Brea, and, in many ways, the Smilodon on display in Arms tells his story.

We tell his full story at the link in bio.

08/12/2024

In the American West, water is a sacred and scarce resource plagued by pollution, shortages, and contentious fights over legal rights, often between Indigenous peoples and business groups. At Caltech, Laura Taylor, a postdoctoral instructor in the Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences, conducts data-driven research that combines satellite imagery with historical and economic analysis to point to policy solutions for fairer resource allocation and cleaner water.

by Sabrina Pirzada

05/12/2024

“I see people in crisis, providing mental health services and counseling about a range of issues including domestic violence, alcohol and substance abuse, depression, and grief counseling. I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve counseled over the years. And I’ve done some organizational development, working with departments to reduce conflict and humanize the workplace. Sometimes, that involves some advocacy.

“About three months ago, I was having lunch at Browne Dining Hall and suddenly a staff member started yelling at the top of his lungs, ‘He's the man! He's the man!’ And I thought, ‘My goodness, what do we have here?’ And he started to say—about me—'He’s the man who helped my son [escape gang life].” He would have been dead by now, but he’s a dental technician, and here’s the man who set him straight.’ It was a little embarrassing, but I was very proud at that moment that I had an impact on his kid's life.

“What I would like the Caltech community to know is that the need for emotional health is as important as their intellectual health. Part of that process is, if you're not doing well, don’t hesitate to ask for help. We have so many resources here at Caltech—all totally confidential and provided for free—that people can take advantage of. People shouldn’t feel ashamed of seeking help: the earlier you get help, the better it is.”

Avi Leibovici, senior counselor at the Staff/Faculty Consultation Center, will retire on December 11 after 33 years of service to the Institute. During his tenure, he has helped hundreds of Caltech employees and their families, providing counseling in several languages he speaks fluently, including English, Spanish, Romanian, and Hebrew. A farewell party in his honor will be held on December 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dabney Hall. All are invited.

04/12/2024

When the vintage DC-8 airliner made one of its harrowing low passes over California’s Central Valley, things got a little bumpy for the undergraduates packed inside.

It was often hot and stuffy inside the flying atmospheric chemistry laboratory, which NASA had rebuilt in the 1980s and which gave students the chance to perform research, says Emily Schaller (PhD ’08), who ran the NASA internship program from 2011 to 2021. On any given research flight, the jet full of budding chemists and climate scientists, some of whom came from Caltech, might plow through the turbulent air at low altitudes to measure methane emissions from a large cattle ranch or study the health of kelp in the Santa Barbara Channel.

“A fair number of the students would end up losing their lunch,” Schaller says. “But that bonded them in a new way. We used the hashtag on social media and, one summer, they made a T-shirt to that effect. But they were all very proud of the data they collected.”

The trusty aircraft gave countless undergraduates a turbulent baptism as airborne scientists. Because it was based at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in the nearby California desert, the DC-8 also helped a generation of Caltech scientists conduct research on Earth’s atmosphere. Now its day is done: The DC-8 made its final science flight in April 2024.

Paul Wennberg, the R. Stanton Avery Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Environmental Science and Engineering, tweeted a photo of the DC-8 after it landed at Armstrong, which is near Palmdale, following its swan song. “This was the last science flight of the aircraft,” he wrote. “It is headed to a well-deserved retirement.”

https://magazine.caltech.edu/post/nasa-dc8

30/11/2024

In the decades ahead, fragments of distant worlds will journey millions of miles through space to reach Earth, passed between robotic couriers in carefully orchestrated feats of technological and scientific daring.

These precious pieces of planets, moons, asteroids, and comets have the potential to unlock the secrets of our solar system’s formation, offer clues regarding Earth’s future, and help answer one of the most profound scientific questions of all: Does extraterrestrial life exist?

Sample-return missions are vital for advancing our understanding of the solar system and to continue the search for life beyond Earth. They are also a chance for Caltech to extend its legacy of scientific leadership in planetary exploration. By Ker Than In the decades ahead, fragments of distan

27/11/2024

“It’s a fascinating physiological machine,” Mory Gharib said. “It is also a sensory organ that can detect changes in environment and respond to them in complex ways. It beats up to 2 billion times over our lifetime. We can’t find any mechanical machine that lasts that long. It is one of the most impressive autonomous systems in nature—as long as it is taken care of.”

Engineer Mory Gharib (PhD ’83) delves into the mechanics of the body’s most critical biological pump to reveal its secrets and develop lifesaving medical devices.   By Katie Neith The heart is an enigma that has mesmerized philosophers, physicians, and scientists for centuries. At its m

23/11/2024

“I grew up in Southern California and went to Upland High School where I had a teacher who encouraged my passion for filmmaking. I got introduced to Caltech in 2009 during the National History Day competition, when I made a documentary about longitude and the invention of the marine chronometer with a few classmates. We interviewed two faculty members who are still here— Jed Buchwald [the Doris and Henry Dreyfuss Professor of History] and Mordechai Feingold [the Kate Van Nuys Page Professor of the History of Science and the Humanities]. That was my first time on campus, and I didn’t realize that this high school assignment would be the first of many projects about Caltech faculty.

"In 2024, I joined Caltech as a senior video producer. As a member of the Academic Media Technologies team, we feature individuals and divisions across Caltech, whether we are capturing an event, celebrating research, or covering prize winners. We use all of the tools at our disposal to bring their stories to life."

—Brendan Bubion recently joined Caltech as a senior video producer with the Academic Media Technologies (AMT) team. On July 27, he received a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award for his work as the lead producer of the Weekly Arts series for KCET/PBS SoCal.

18/11/2024

New research builds upon a long history of Caltech scientists who have pushed the frontier of isotope geochemistry since the 1950s, using isotopic signatures to discover Earth’s age, analyze lunar samples obtained by the Apollo missions, and understand ancient climate records preserved in natural environments.

By Lori Dajose (BS ’15)   It was Thanksgiving Day 2015, and geochemist John Eiler was sitting alone in an airport in Bremen, Germany, eating goose—the closest thing he could find to the turkey he would have been having back home with his family in Sierra Madre. He had ventured to Bremen, a

13/11/2024

The Fall 2024 issue is coming soon! Look out for stories about Caltech's saber-tooth cat, what isotopes can do for you, the physics of the heart, the power of old lasers, and plenty more.

12/11/2024

Just past his 101st birthday, Nobel laureate Rudy Marcus talks about what keeps him curious:

By Katie Neith On July 22, 2024, Caltech announced a new research center established in honor of theoretical chemist and Nobel Laureate Rudy Marcus. It was a big week for Marcus: Just a day earlier, he had celebrated his 101st birthday. For nearly half of his life, Marcus has been on the Calte

11/11/2024

After seven years in the U.S. , Alex Johnson began to envision a program that could give currently enrolled in community college or university “a leg up and a little bit of a boost to help them understand what it really takes to build a career in STEM.”

By Judy Hill After seven years in the U.S. Navy, Alex Johnson was ready to pick up his education where he had left off. Johnson, who says he was a “mediocre” student at community college before enlisting in the Navy, felt motivated and ready to focus. He earned his associate’s and Bachelor of ...

07/11/2024

“I grew up in Highland Park. When I came back to Los Angeles in 2015, I saw businesses I’d frequented closing suddenly. Legacy Latino businesses were being forced out through drastic rent increases and other means.

“So, in 2016, when the neighborhood council was looking for a new board member, I said, ‘Let’s go.’ Highland Park should have the same access to beneficial places, cultural activities, and recreational facilities as any other city or neighborhood. For example, our pool is deteriorating and is not open year-round. Yet it’s across the street from a clinic that sees a massive number of patients with heart disease and diabetes. I’m working with the council office on this issue; after hearing about it, they secured $1 million toward renovating the pool and recreation facilities. Another example: I sing in a community band where people of all ages make music every week and am on the board of the nonprofit that runs it. When I was growing up, this activity wasn’t available. You need people to do the behind-the-scenes work to build up our community institutions.

“It’s easy to get involved, but it can be hard work. Community work and Caltech research have some common skillsets: They both require intrinsic motivation to manage your time, your workload, and all the working parts of a project and then see it through to completion. Whatever you’re interested in—sports, music, art—the first step is to show up.”

—In 2024, Caltech staff researcher Jamie Tijerina received both the Pioneer Woman of the Year Award from the Los Angeles City Council and Los Angeles Commission on the Status of Women/LA Civil Rights and the Excellence in Cytometry Award from the Southern California Flow Cytometry Association. Since 2016, she has conducted research in Caltech’s Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Facility while engaging in civic pursuits on evenings and weekends, including serving as President of the Highland Park Heritage Trust. In January 2025, she will begin a geology PhD at Southern Methodist University, exploring the intersections of human health and environmental economics.

is an occasional series celebrating the diverse individuals who give Caltech its spirit of excellence, ambition, and ingenuity. Know someone we should profile? Send nominations to [email protected].

27/10/2024

Invention and innovation are entwined in Caltech’s legacy, and a new generation of undergraduates is carrying forward that legacy through entrepreneurship. To support students’ interests, entrepreneurs-in-residence Jay Chiang and Julie Schoenfeld and colleagues from the Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships (OTTCP) have been leading efforts to offer programs attuned to their strengths and challenges.

Invention and innovation are entwined in Caltech’s legacy, and a new generation of undergraduates is carrying forward that legacy through entrepreneurship. To support students’ interests, entrepreneurs-in-residence Jay Chiang and Julie Schoenfeld and colleagues from the Office of Technology Tran...

24/10/2024

When mathematician Matilde Marcolli worked as a postdoc at MIT in the late 1990s, she used to sit in on classes taught by famed linguist Noam Chomsky. Thirty years later, Marcolli has written a forthcoming book with Chomsky and Bob Berwick, a professor of computer science and computational linguistics at MIT, that elucidates the math underlying Chomsky's models of language:

Using ideas from theoretical physics, Matilde Marcolli has created a new mathematical framework for Noam Chomsky's model of language. by Whitney Clavin When mathematician Matilde Marcolli worked as a postdoc at MIT in the late 1990s, she used to sit in on classes taught by famed linguist Noa