The ATM formerly located at Winnett has been installed in its new location on the west side of Chandler, adjacent to the Red Door Café, and is open for business. Meanwhile, interior removals and demolition of Winnett continue through the end of this week, with exterior demolition to follow, pending inspections and issuance of City of Pasadena permits.

The audience inside the Beckman Institute auditorium was almost entirely female. That's rare, physics sophomore Alicia Tirone told the high school students gathered there as part of Caltech's annual Women in STEM Summer Preview event.

"Physics is pretty male-dominated," Tirone said, speaking on a panel of undergraduate women. "You go to a talk and look out into the room, and you can count the number of women on your fingers. That can be pretty daunting."

But at Caltech, she said, she has found a network of colleagues and mentors who are supporting her success.

Close to 450 prospective students and their family members—some from as far away as Beijing and London—attended the sixth-annual Women in STEM program, hosted by Caltech's undergraduate admissions office as part of its Summer Preview series. The series offers prospective applicants a chance to explore opportunities and learn about student life at the Institute.

Women in STEM participants toured labs; met female scientists from Caltech and JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech; and learned about internships with tech firms, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

"At Caltech, we care about creating the strongest and most talented pipeline of STEM applicants to the Institute," says Jarrid Whitney, executive director of admissions and financial aid.

Introducing the day's keynote speaker—Fiona Harrison, Caltech's Benjamin M. Rosen Professor of Physics and the Kent and Joyce Kresa Leadership Chair of the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy—he said he was eager for students to hear from some of the Institute's female scientists.

Harrison described her work as principal investigator of NASA's NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array) mission, and also told students and family members about research opportunities for undergrads.

Later in the afternoon, at a panel called "This is What a Scientist Looks Like," attendees heard from four current students who discussed their own research, and shared how they had found a supportive community at Caltech.

"I am one of two African-American women in the class of 2020," said junior Alyssa Poletti, a planetary science student who is interning at JPL for the summer. She said she had grown accustomed to being one of few women of color in STEM.

Nonetheless, she said, at Caltech she has had many opportunities to connect with other women and scientists of color, starting just before her first year with the Freshman Summer Research Institute, run by the Caltech Center for Diversity. The program offers underrepresented students a five-week summer research experience with a Caltech faculty member, postdoctoral scholar, or graduate student; as well as a four-week introduction to Caltech's first-year math course. "It gave me a community," Poletti said.

As the walls of the Bechtel Residence, Caltech's newest undergraduate housing facility, are being erected on the north end of campus, a committee of undergraduates is diligently working to help define its future.

The newly formed 16-student committee, which is known as the Committee on Undergraduate Caltech Housing (COUCH), has been asked by the administration to help explore how best to fill the 212-bed undergraduate residence when it opens in the fall of 2018. COUCH was formed following a series of town halls with the students in the winter and spring of 2017.

"This is something that we take seriously," says senior Timothy Liu, one of the COUCH members. Joining him are all ten members of Caltech's Interhouse Committee and six additional undergrads who were selected through an application process. "The housing system is central to our social life here and, as an upperclassman, I thought it was important to take a lead in helping to shape how this new residence adds to that experience."

The 95,000-square-foot Bechtel Residence, named for Caltech life trustee Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr., will be the first new undergraduate housing facility to open on campus in more than two decades. It will also provide the Institute with the opportunity to house all undergraduates on campus for the first time—a longtime goal of Caltech leaders.

"Whatever we do, it will change residential life at Caltech," Vice President for Student Affairs Joe Shepherd says, noting that the students are leading the charge in thinking through all aspects of the new residence, from how it will relate to the existing house system, to who will live there, to what the dining experience will be. "We should be thinking about how we do that, how we make that change, in the most positive way possible."

Bechtel was intentionally designed to provide the community with the greatest flexibility in maximizing space and determining its use. Drawing on input from hundreds of students, faculty, staff, and alumni throughout the planning and design phase, the administration ultimately decided that Bechtel would exist as a set of six distinct units of two to three stories in height, connected around a shared courtyard. Among those units would be a single dining facility that all the residents would share.

Now that construction on Bechtel is fully under way, the students of COUCH are taking the initiative and committing their free time—in between research projects, internships, work, and relaxation—to coming up with options and, ultimately, a suite of recommendations as to who should occupy the new residence.

"This is my opportunity to influence a decision being made that will have an impact on something that I care about," says junior Umesh Padia, who is also a member of COUCH. "I wanted to take part in the decision."

For their part, the students have approached this project much like they would any other research problem—with careful analysis, research, data, and a timeline.

Up first, they say, is researching living environments. Six of the members of COUCH are currently leading separate focus groups, each made up of five to 10 additional undergraduates who are not officially part of COUCH but are interested in evaluating different housing models for Bechtel. Some of Caltech's student leaders asked current undergraduates, in a survey last spring, about their interest in different options for the residence. The results of that survey led to the housing possibilities currently being considered by the focus groups. These include: a freshman residence; a sophomore residence; themed housing in which students are grouped by interests and affiliations; the creation of two to three new houses that would all reside within Bechtel; a system in which the existing eight houses have designated sections of the new facility that serve as offshoots of the houses themselves; or a residence that would not be directly affiliated with an existing house or theme.

As part of their research, the students in the focus groups are looking at other college and university campuses, and interviewing peers, resident associates, administrators, and staff about the pros and cons of their particular models. They have also met or plan to meet with faculty and staff to learn about their personal experiences and perspectives on the living environment they feel would best serve Caltech undergraduates. COUCH and student affairs are also inviting alumni to provide perspective through the Caltech Alumni Association.

"It's been super interesting to see everyone's perspectives," says COUCH committee member and sophomore Sarah Crucilla. "Our goal is to combine the voices of our peers and mentors with statistics to craft a residential experience that helps Caltech thrive."

This fall, the focus groups will be working with student affairs to compile their research into a single comprehensive written report that assesses the opportunities and limitations of various Bechtel options. COUCH has been actively working with student affairs team members to evaluate the practical aspects of various options for Bechtel and the implications for residential life. At the same time, staff in student affairs are also developing their own set of recommendations for how to define the new living and learning space.

Once complete, the students and leadership in student affairs plan to share their findings widely with the Caltech community; they will be leading discussions about the various proposals during campus meetings in the fall of 2017. These gatherings will provide an opportunity to refine the options for occupying Bechtel Residence and any associated changes in residential life at Caltech.  A final decision on Bechtel, which will take the recommendations of all parties into consideration, will be announced in the spring of 2018.

"It's not every day that college students can have the chance to create a living environment for themselves and their peers, so we're making sure that we account for every variable," Crucilla says.

Ongoing updates on the decision process for determining Bechtel's housing model with be provided on Caltech Today.

Demolition of the Winnett Student Center will begin on September 5, temporarily requiring the current fenced-in construction area to expand to the east. This means the area will abut Page House and restricting pedestrian access, says Greg Norden, Caltech Facilities' project manager for the Hameetman Center.

The expansion will prevent pedestrian access to the courtyard of Page, as well as access along that route from the Olive Walk to Chandler Dining Hall. A new walkway along this route will be constructed and is currently scheduled to open on September 20, Norden says. 

The Winnett demolition will continue through September and construction of the Hameetman Center—a 24,000-square-foot, two-story campus hub that is named in honor of Caltech trustee Fred Hameetman (BS '62) and his wife, Joyce, who provided the initial funding to initiate the design—will commence immediately thereafter. The center is scheduled to be completed in late 2018. 

In recognition of the role Winnett and its predecessors have played in campus life, Caltech magazine has created a retrospective of campus hubs throughout the Institute's history. You can also read about Caltech alumni memories of Winnett in the magazine's Endnotes column.

The 2011 Japanese earthquake was a defining moment for Mark Simons. The devastating 9.0-magnitude quake and its subsequent tsunami, which took nearly 16,000 lives, spurred efforts around the globe that will shape how nations predict and prepare for future natural disasters and motivated new approaches to basic earthquake science that are applicable to seismic events large and small.

Read more on the Break Through campaign website.

On Sunday, September 17, Caltech extended an official welcome to its new undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and their families and friends, at the 15th annual Convocation Ceremony held in Beckman Auditorium.

In a series of presentations by faculty, graduate students, and a current undergraduate student, Caltech's newest members were encouraged to embrace the Institute's small, diverse research community, and to take advantage of the myriad of opportunities that come with being part of Caltech. They were reminded that students here have the ability to become involved in the arts, athletics, student leadership, and outreach; to lead transformational research projects; and to energize and educate future generations and the broader community by sharing their personal passions for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

"Welcome to one of the great universities of the world," President Thomas F. Rosenbaum said in an opening address in which he provided the audience with a glimpse into the Institute overall as well as advice for getting the most out of their educational experiences.

As the kick-off for a week of orientation activities and events, convocation serves as an official introduction to Caltech and the school year, which begins on September 25. It is an opportunity for the newest members of the Caltech community to meet one another, to experience life at the Institute, and to "set the tone of their personal growth and intellectual journey," said Vice President of Student Affairs Joe Shepherd (PhD '81), emphasizing that these are at the core of the Caltech experience.

Among the undergraduate students joining the community this year are 235 freshmen, one transfer student, and two individuals who have enrolled at Caltech through the 3/2 program—a partnership that invites students at a select group of liberal arts colleges to apply to transfer to Caltech after the completion of their junior year and eventually earn a degree from both institutions. The new graduate student class comprises 247 students from around the world.

The focus of this year's convocation event was outreach—and the impact of such experiences in shaping one's time at Caltech.

In his address, Assistant Professor of Astronomy Evan Kirby, urged the students to take up their "duty of being a science ambassador."

"Science ambassadorship is worthwhile because there is a hunger out there; people really do want to hear about science," Kirby said, going on to highlight a number of different ways Caltech students can become involved with their community—everything from participating in stargazing lectures for the public to volunteering for science fairs and programs at local schools.

Geophysics graduate student Celeste Labedz emphasized the personal rewards of giving back.

"It's addicting to see these kids' minds blown by learning something new," Labedz said of the Science Night program—organized by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach—that brings faculty, staff, and students to local schools to share hands-on science and engineering activities. "There are lots of outreach programs that you can get involved with at Caltech to make a difference in STEM...Caltech provides us with some great opportunities to be able to do so."

Undergraduate Rachael Morton, a senior in computer science, and graduate student Manuel Razo Mejia both noted in their separate remarks the key role that others played in introducing them to science and ultimately inspiring their path to Caltech. Taking part in outreach activities now, they said, is a way to pay that mentoring forward.

"We are hoping to show that to be a scientist…you just have to have passion, you have to have a love of discovery, and you have to be willing to accept the challenges that come with it," Mejia said.

You might be surprised to hear what this year's incoming freshmen have been up to. Learn about the class of 2021 in Caltech magazine.

Caltech senior trustee John Bryson and his wife, Louise, have created the John E. Bryson Fellow endowment at Caltech, which will support 10 Caltech graduate students each year with a focus on sustainable energy research. The couple's $5 million gift to Break Through: The Caltech Campaign was supplemented with additional funds from the Gordon and Betty Moore Graduate Fellowship Match.

John Bryson co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) after graduating from Yale Law School in 1969. He then served as chair of the California Water Resources Board and as president of the California Public Utilities Commission. Bryson went on to champion clean energy at the helm of utility giant Edison International and served as U.S. secretary of commerce under the Obama administration.

Read more on the Break Through campaign website.

At the Overlake School in Redmond, Washington, Sakthi Vetrivel had a reputation for being shy and quiet. That changed when she arrived at Caltech.

During the fall term of her freshman year, Vetrivel was invited to help coordinate Techstock, the annual Caltech and JPL battle of the bands. "Very early on, I got the chance to jump in and organize a significant project," she says.

The experience helped her recognize the major role undergraduates play in leading events and programs on campus. "Students have a lot more influence than they might realize," says Vetrivel, now a junior and president of the Associated Students of Caltech (ASCIT).

Read more in Caltech magazine.

Peter Hung has seen Caltech from a variety of angles—as an undergraduate, a graduate student, an award-winning instructor, a research mentor, an alumnus, and a donor. His story is a case study in what Caltech gives to its community, and how that community gives back.

Read more on the Break Through campaign website.

This year, Caltech's freshman orientation took place on September 18 and 19 in Ventura, California. Over the two days, students from the class of 2021 attended talks about the Honor Code and academics, met deans and resident associates, and participated in elective activities such as a boat design contest and a geology hike.

Paul Asimow (MS '93, PhD '97), the Eleanor and John R. McMillan Professor of Geology and Geochemistry, has led the annual geology hike for 10 years, with increasing attendance each year. With panoramic views of the Channel Islands, the Ventura River Valley, and the Santa Clara River Valley—weather almost always permitting—the 1.5-mile trail is located in the hills above Ventura and passes through fossil-rich rocks and landforms testifying to the extremely rapid uplift of those hills and the nearly-as-rapid resulting erosion.

Learn more and view the slideshow here.

Wi-Fi access in more than a dozen buildings at Caltech has transitioned to two new networks—known as Caltech Secure and Caltech Visitor—with more buildings to come soon as part of a three-year upgrade of Wi-Fi across campus being rolled out by IMSS.

The project will triple the number of wireless access points and increase available bandwidth while phasing out the Caltech Beavernet network. The new system will replace equipment that is more than 10 years old with new technology that can better support the demands of wireless devices including smartphones, laptops, wireless printers, and AppleTVs, says Debra Anderson, IMSS wireless replacement project manager.

"We are excited to deliver more robust campus wireless networks to meet the needs of Caltech's faculty, students, and staff. The solution we are implementing will provide additional features and improve the overall user experience," says Dawn Boyd, director of networks and operations.

To date, Sherman Fairchild Library, Spalding Laboratory, and Gates-Thomas Laboratory, as well as most of undergraduate student housing, have transitioned to the new networks. Chandler Café is expected to switch over on October 6 and the remainder of the South Undergraduate Houses are expected to be completed by mid-October. Meanwhile, work has begun to upgrade the Arms and Watson buildings, which should be complete by the end of the month. Thereafter, academic buildings prioritized by the various divisions will follow. More information about Caltech Secure and the upgrade schedule can be found here.

To connect to the Secure network in areas where it is already active, select Secure and use your Access password. For more information, visit the Caltech Secure and Caltech Visitor information pages.

For help or more information about the project, contact the Help Desk at extension 3500, email help@caltech.edu, or visit Caltech Help at help.caltech.edu.  

Caltech magazine features a range of stories about the Institute, its people, and its impact on the world. In the current issue: learn how robotics at Caltech is taking off, with nature as its guide; why you should look up when you're walking around campus; and how the geobiology program is uncovering knowledge about the forces that created our world and continue to shape it.

Read the fall issue here.

On Tuesday, September 26, the Caltech community formally dedicated the Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering with a series of campus events. Thanks to a $30 million gift from the Cherngs, founders of Panda Express, this is the first endowed department at Caltech.

Read more on the Break Through campaign website.

The Office of the Provost is sponsoring this advance screening of Marshall. The film—produced by Caltech Trustee Donald Tang—follows a young Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases.

Tang will provide a brief intdroduction to the film and will also be available for a Q&A following the event.

Admission is free. No tickets are required.

The Caltech Recycling Center, currently located in parking lot 12 between S. Wilson and S. Michigan avenues, will permanently close on November 11 to accommodate the development of the north end of campus—including the construction of the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Neuroscience Research Building.

John Onderdonk, director of sustainability programs, says Caltech explored options to move the center to another area on campus, but space constraints and the evolving economics of the recycling industry made relocation unfeasible.

"While the recycling center served the local community at large, the recycling program on campus will continue as before in campus buildings with colored bins in common areas—blue for bottles and cans, brown for paper, and green for other recyclables—and in outdoor recycling bins found at various locations," he says. "Additionally, Caltech Sustainability is working with Faculty Housing and Student Services to expand the campus recycling program to all Caltech-owned off-campus housing."

For more information on the campus recycling program visit facilities.caltech.edu/links/recycling or, if you have questions, email sustainability@caltech.edu.

For more information on recycling in the City of Pasadena, visit the city's Department of Public Works website at www.cityofpasadena.net/publicworks.

All members of the Caltech community are invited to join in celebrating Caltech's most recent Nobel Laureates—Caltech's Barry Barish, the Ronald and Maxine Linde Professor of Physics, Emeritus and Kip S. Thorne (BS '62), the Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, Emeritus—who on October 3 were awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics with a longtime colleague, MIT's Rainer Weiss.

The three were recognized for their key contributions to the development and ultimate success of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). Through five separate detections of gravitational waves, LIGO has ushered in a new era of gravitational-wave astronomy.

Attendees will have an opportunity to meet the Laureates and other members of the LIGO Laboratory and the LIGO Scientfic Collaboration who have contributed to LIGO's success, and learn about the science and engineering behind the project.

A collection of sweet and savory snacks will be served.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017
3:00 pm
Olive Walk
Meet the Laureates

Graduate students Nathan Schoepp and Travis Schlappi have been named finalists in the Collegiate Inventors Competition, an annual contest that rewards innovations, discoveries, and research by college and university students and their faculty advisers.

Schoepp, who is studying chemistry, and Schlappi, studying chemical engineering, were selected for their work on a test that reveals antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 30 minutes instead of the usual three days, and could help reduce the spread of superbug bacteria. (Read more about their new test here.) Both Schoepp and Schlappi work in the lab of Rustem Ismagilov, Caltech's Ethel Wilson Bowles and Robert Bowles Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and director of the Jacobs Institute for Molecular Engineering for Medicine.

Ismagilov says the students' work "is a great example of why I enjoy being at Caltech: it is inspiring to see students form a truly interdisciplinary collaboration to target a societal grand challenge."

Schoepp and Schlappi will travel to Alexandria, Va., on November 3 to present their inventions to a panel of final-round judges, including National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees and United States Patent and Trademark Office experts.

The Graduate Student Council (GSC) will host an art gala on campus November 2, featuring dozens of photographs, paintings, digital art, and other works created by members of the Caltech community.

The GSC is holding the gala—part of a series of presentations on campus and around Pasadena—to promote the arts and showcase them as a way for Caltech to reach out to the larger community, says GSC Chair Alistair Hayden.

"While we explore the universe through our science, the arts give us a chance to explore what it means to be human in that universe—and to hone the creativity we use in everything else we do here," he says.

The gala follows recent presentations of Caltech artworks at city venues including the Armory Center for the Arts.

The event will be at Chandler Dining Hall on November 2, from 6–9 p.m.

The Caltech community gathered on October 31 to celebrate the Institute's most recent Nobel Laureates—Barry Barish, the Ronald and Maxine Linde Professor of Physics, Emeritus and Kip S. Thorne (BS '62), the Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, Emeritus—who on October 3 were awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics with a longtime colleague, MIT's Rainer Weiss.

Hundreds of people attended the celebration on the Olive Walk, which featured remarks from the honorees, LIGO-themed ice sculptures, and commemorative Nobel-Prize chocolate coins emblazoned with the likeness of Barish and Thorne.