Vibrations

The Newsletter for the EAS Community

Message from the Chair

EAS Community,

I am writing to connect with all of you via this special issue of Vibrations, in this trying time for all of us, in the wake of the Eaton, Palisades, Hurst, and Sunset fires. Some of us have lost homes, others have been evacuated, and all of us are experiencing the impacts of air pollution and anxiety. I and others among the Institute leadership currently know only anecdotal information about individuals in our community. I’ve heard reports from some of you, but I have few quantitative facts so far. So, most of what I pass on to you here is subject to change.   

I would like to extend a sincere wish for your safety and security to all of you who have been impacted by the fires. Please know that our thoughts are with you as you navigate these challenging circumstances. The Institute is doing its best to assess the magnitude of the impacts; one important thing you can do to support this process is to respond to the Caltech Community Member Status Survey if you have not done so already. Your participation will help us evaluate the extent of the dislocation for EAS faculty, students, postdocs and staff. 

First, and most important, I am not aware of anyone in the broader Caltech-JPL community or their families who was killed or seriously injured.  There will be effects on our wellbeing that play out over the coming weeks or months, but the fact that we all appear to be alive and relatively unharmed after the events of the last day and a half is remarkable and should be celebrated. 

However, I am aware that some of us, including faculty, students, and staff, have just lost our homes — something we all can understand is a life changing disaster. The Institute leadership also estimates, based on personnel records, that about 1200 members of the Caltech community, or ~1/3 overall, have been subject to mandatory evacuation from their homes since Tuesday night. This is the primary reason why basic campus functions (teaching, seminars, routine research activities) have been suspended for the last two days; the Provost has also just confirmed that the Institute will be closed on Friday for classes, with instruction slated to resume on Monday.

You may also be thinking about how to help. If you wish to help, or if you need such help, either reach out to the people you know or inform me by email at eas.chair@caltech.edu, and I'll see what I can do to match you up with each other. For those who are able to help not only our Caltech community but also our friends and neighbors — see, for example, this Google Doc that lists some opportunities (from this, you can see for example there is a need to foster many stranded pets).

I wish for your safety, comfort, and resilience, as we do our best to take care of each other during this difficult time.

With best regards,

Harry Atwater
Otis Booth Leadership Chair, Division of Engineering and Applied Science

Follow the Latest Emergency Updates

Caltech is not under direct threat from local fires at the time of this email, but gusty winds and smoky air continue to impact the campus. Hundreds of Caltech staff, faculty, and non-resident students have been affected. For more information, visit Caltech's Emergency Updates page at www.caltech.edu/emergency.

Division of Engineering and Applied Science