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Vibrations
The Newsletter for the EAS Community
Message from the Chair
EAS Community,
Despite the rainy and somewhat gloomy weather, I am thrilled to share some uplifting news. Professor Adam Wierman has been recognized as a Distinguished Member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). This prestigious acknowledgment is a testament to his exceptional work in advancing online algorithms and their applications to sustainable computing.
On the humanitarian front, I am encouraged to see the progress of Caltech’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB). In collaboration with local partners, they have finalized the design for a water system project aimed at benefiting a rural community in Ecuador. This initiative exemplifies our commitment to applying scientific expertise to address real-world challenges and make a positive impact on communities in need.
Lastly, I extend best wishes and moral support to all those taking midterms this week.
Harry Atwater
Otis Booth Leadership Chair, Division of Engineering and Applied Science
Selected Upcoming Events
Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Watson Lecture - Illuminating the Dynamic Night Sky: Discoveries from the Zwicky Transient Facility, Shri Kulkarni, George Ellery Hale Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Science
Location: Beckman Auditorium
Friday, February 9, 2024, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Lunar New Year Event (snacks, DIY red envelopes, and more)
Location: Red Door Cafe
Wednesday, February 14, 2024, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Charge Up! Entrepreneurship Series: "Valuing Technology" - Hanna Breunig, Deputy-Head, Sustainable Energy and Environmental Systems Department, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Location: Jorgensen 109
Tuesday, February 20, 2024, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Charge Up! Entrepreneurship Series: "Scaling for Growth: Technology to Product" - Zainub Noor and Scott Gale, Halliburton Labs
Location: Online (Register using link above)
Thursday, February 22, 2024, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Womxn in EAS Faculty Coffee Hour with Professor Katie Bouman (RSVP here)
Location: Watson Courtyard
Friday, February 23, 2024, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Science Journey: "Chaos, Turbulence, and the Beauty of Uncertainty in Complex Systems - Tanner Harms, Aerospace graduate student
Location: Beckman Auditorium
Thursday, March 7, 2024, 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
The KNI Presents a Fireside Chat with Dr. George M. Whitesides (PhD '64) and Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum (Register to attend)
Location: Beckman Auditorium
Friday, March 8, 2024, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
The Kavli Nanoscience Institute's 20th Anniversary Symposium (Reserve a spot here)
Location: Chen 100 Seminar Room
Inaugural EAS Graduate Student Advisory Board
In recognition of the value and importance of centering students’ perspectives in the development and implementation of programs, a graduate student advisory board will be formed. The purpose of the EAS Graduate Student Advisory Board (GSAB) is to provide insights and feedback in order to achieve a continuing understanding of students’ perspectives and program quality. GSAB will work in close collaboration with Yazmin Gonzalez, director of EAS programs for student success.
There will be 9-11 members of the advisory board drawn from all options in the EAS Division. A full position description can be accessed here. In recognition of their contributions, prorated professional development funds of up to $1,200 ($100 per month of service) will be issued to each board member at the end of their term of service.
Students interested in serving on this advisory board must complete the application form no later than February 29, 2024. The EAS DEI Committee will review nominations and make recommendations on the board membership no later than March 15, 2024.
For comments or questions, please contact Yazmin Gonzalez at yazminyg@caltech.edu
Become an FSRI Mentor!
The First-Year Success Research Institute (FSRI) program is looking for small project research mentors (faculty, post-docs, and graduate students are all welcome) for our 2024 summer programming! FSRI is designed to introduce incoming historically excluded and/or marginalized first-year students to Caltech's research, curriculum, academic rigor, and student support services. Potential mentors should have a project available and dedicate 2+ hours/week to in-person lab work and meetings with students. Attend an information session on Friday, February 16 from 11 am - 12 pm. Apply to become a mentor here.
Spotlight On Our People
Ellen Min
Undergraduate Student, Computer Science
I am a fourth-year undergraduate majoring in computer science and minoring in English. I’m interested in creative applications of computer science. Here are some things I’ve worked on over the past few years: creating Python interfaces for an open-source galaxy modeling framework (Carnegie Observatories), mapping groundwater loss in the Central Valley (ArtCenter), and developing a web-based visualization of satellite landing sites (Lunar Trailblazer). I like writing fiction, drawing, painting, and playing Romantic era pieces on the piano. I also cross-enrolled at Occidental College to study critical and queer theory. For a while, I’ve been unsure whether to pursue a career in STEM or in the arts and humanities. This spring, I’ll be exploring my interest in the arts through Caltech Y’s Studenski Award and I am excited to see where things go. In my free time, I like to skateboard, go on drives, and get sweet treats.
Jose Rodolfo Chreim
Graduate Student, Mechanical and Civil Engineering
I have been a PhD Student in the Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering since September 2020. My research focuses on Computational Fluid Dynamics (development of methods for compressible flows and phase change). I have a background in Aerospace Engineering and Physics, and I have previously worked in consulting for the petroleum and hydro-power industries, developing numerical methods for marine propulsion. My interests are in the overlap of multi-physics, such as fluid-structure interaction, compressible flows, and thermodynamics.
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Calls for Nomination & Funding Opportunities
Caltech’s Office of Foundation Relations maintains an online database and email subscription service of primarily non-federal funding opportunities as a resource for the Caltech community. Opportunities include calls for proposals released by private foundations, public charities, associations, corporations, internal Caltech opportunities and federal limited opportunities.
Data to Discovery Visualization Program - Call for Proposals
Data to Discovery is seeking new projects for Summer 2024. In this 10-week professional program, visualization faculty at Caltech, JPL and ArtCenter College of Design work with talented design and computer science student interns in collaboration with Caltech and JPL research groups. Develop custom-built data visualizations and incubate interactive visualization tools for science and engineering research projects. If you have a project that would benefit from innovative visual analytics please complete the short proposal form by Monday, February 12, 2024. Learn more.
Resnick Sustainability Institute Rocket Fund 2024
RSI’s Rocket Fund 2024 is open for applications! Win up to $100k in grants covering designing, building and installing initial prototypes for real world demonstrations.. Celebrating its tenth year, Rocket Fund now offers more funding, and additional access to new members bringing accelerator programs for scaling up, so needed by emerging ventures. For more information and to start an application click here. Deadline: 11.59 pm, Friday, March 1, 2024.
Division of Engineering and Applied Science
