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Vibrations
The Newsletter for the EAS Community
Message from the Chair
Dear EAS Community,
As we are approaching Thanksgiving, I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a restful and happy holiday weekend. I hope you can take some time away from campus concerns to enjoy the company of your loved ones.
With best regards,
Harry Atwater
Otis Booth Leadership Chair, Division of Engineering and Applied Science
Selected Upcoming Events
Every Wednesday, 11:00 am - 1:30 pm
Walk-In Office Hours with the Director of EAS Programs for Student Success
Location: 149 Earle M. Jorgensen Laboratory
Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Setting Sail to Ocean Worlds: The Science of the Europa Clipper Mission
Location: Ramo Auditorium
AI Bootcamp: Graphs in Machine Learning - December 2-6
This one week course aims to equip participants with the tools and knowledge to integrate graph-based machine learning techniques into their research or to explore these concepts further through classes or self-study. Topics covered include: Introduction to Graphs and Graph Representation Learning, Deep Dive into GNN Architectures, and Link Prediction and Knowledge Graphs. Please take the pre-screening quiz before 11:59 PM Pacific Time on Thursday, November 28th. Note: This bootcamp is only open to graduate students, postdocs, and faculty. Learn more and enroll.
Everhart Lecture Series - Call for Nominations
This series is a forum to encourage interdisciplinary interaction in our community, to share ideas about recent research developments and issues, and to recognize the exemplary presentation and research ability of Caltech's graduate students. Selected speakers will be awarded $2,000 for presenting an hour-long lecture on their research. Their lecture will be recorded and posted to the Caltech YouTube channel and the speakers will be acknowledged at graduation. Eligibility: Graduate students who have passed their candidacy exams. Any faculty, students, or staff may nominate eligible graduate students using this form. Nominations are due by 11:59 PM PST, December 31, 2024. Reach out to Jedidiah Alindogan with any questions.
New EAS Staff Announcement: Nusha Era Mkrtchyan
Hello! I’m Nusha, an administrative assistant in the Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, where I support three faculty members and our dedicated students to help create a positive impact. I’m new to Caltech, having joined in October 2024, and I’m excited to be part of such an inspiring community. Before coming here, I worked in the entertainment industry with Netflix, Universal Pictures, and ITV, bringing a blend of organizational expertise and creativity to my role. Outside of work, my interests include exploring nature—whether hiking local trails or discovering new destinations. Writing is close to my heart; it’s a way for me to reflect and connect. I also love cooking and hosting dinner gatherings for friends and family—sharing good food and laughter is my favorite way to spend an evening. If you see me around campus, feel free to say hello!
Spotlight On Our People
Omar Kamal
Staff Scientist, Mechanical and Civil Engineering
I was born in Tokyo and lived there for 6 years before my family moved to the US, but eventually decided to settle in Vancouver, Canada. I started my graduate studies at Caltech in 2018 under the guidance of Professor Tim Colonius and finished my PhD in December 2022. My research involved developing accurate and computationally efficient tools for studying optimal receptivity and predicting hypersonic boundary-layer transition through the application of the linear One-Way Navier-Stokes (OWNS) equations. After my PhD, I worked as a Senior Development Engineer at Autoliv for a year modeling internal ballistics of airbag inflators before returning to Caltech in April 2024 as a Staff Scientist in the same group. My task is to now develop novel receptivity models to account for shocks and surface roughness. I am a huge health-and-fitness enthusiast and love anything outdoors, including hiking, canoeing, walks on the beach, as well as routinely going to the gym.
Zhiquan Yuan
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Applied Physics and Materials Science
Hi, I’m Zhiquan Yuan, a postdoctoral researcher in the Vahala group at Caltech. I first came to Caltech in 2018 as a PhD student in Applied Physics, graduated in 2024, and started my postdoctoral work here earlier this year. My research explores nonlinear optical phenomena in high-quality microresonators, including optical solitons and frequency combs, nonlinear frequency conversion and Brillouin lasers. In particular, I investigate how microcavity dispersion can be engineered to create stable bright soliton pulses in CMOS-compatible platforms, which have applications in precise timekeeping, spectroscopy, and high-capacity data transmission. Additionally, I work on exploring frequency conversion techniques that leverage the unique properties of silicon nitride platforms. Beyond research, I enjoy playing board games, card games, and staying active with sports like basketball. As I move forward in my academic journey, I look forward to staying connected with Caltech’s community and continuing to collaborate on advancing the frontiers of optics and photonics.
We'd like to feature you!
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.
Keep your contact info updated at access.caltech.edu.
Division of Engineering and Applied Science
