A Grand Adventure

The roar of the river was deafening as the rafts charged headfirst into Hermit Rapid, one of the most formidable stretches of the Colorado River. The current quickened and deepened, steering the adventurers into a series of steep drops and sharp turns.

The 27 Caltech donors and alumni, current and former faculty, graduate students, and staff held steadfastly to ropes as their rafts lunged and lurched amidst the churning. Each crashing wave sent sheets of icy water cascading over the passengers. Exhilarated shouts mingled with laughter and shocked gasps as they surrendered themselves to the river's wild choreography. Then, as abruptly as it began, the rapid released them into calmer waters. Their adrenaline ebbed, replaced by awe at the rugged beauty of the towering canyon escarpments surrounding them.

This thrilling passage was just one chapter in a six-day Grand Canyon river rafting trip hosted by Caltech to raise funds to establish a Geochemistry Innovation Fund. Led by a $5 million gift by the Agouron Institute, a private foundation established by former Caltech faculty John Abelson, the George Beadle Professor of Biology, Emeritus, and Mel Simon, the Anne P. and Benjamin F. Biaggini Professor of Biological Sciences, Emeritus, the endowed fund will advance geochemistry research with potential impacts in fields ranging from the study of ancient rocks to new energy technologies. Through additional gifts by expedition participants including Caltech trustee Barbara M. Barrett, Geological and Planetary Sciences (GPS) Chair's Council members, and others, the August trip secured $8.5 million.

Fueling the Future of Geochemistry

The rafting adventure was inspired by a similar expedition nearly 50 years ago that funded an endowed professorship for GPS. Today, the Geochemistry Innovation Fund will support initiatives including the development of new instruments, early-stage geochemistry projects, and the retention of top technical talent. It will also prepare Caltech to analyze samples from planetary bodies across the solar system.

"We want to be able to analyze the rocks that come back from Mars, and in addition, the fragments of large asteroids, and particles that come back from comets," said John Grotzinger, the Harold Brown Professor of Geology. "We live in the golden era of sampling our solar system, and it's essential to the vitality of our work that we get those samples to Caltech."

Billed as an unforgettable adventure, the trip was also an opportunity to deepen the participants' appreciation for the groundbreaking science being conducted at Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which Caltech manages for NASA.

"We came for all kinds of reasons: the excitement, the community, spending time together, and having thrilling experiences in one of the most dramatic landscapes in Earth's history," said John Eiler, the Ted and Ginger Jenkins Leadership Chair, who this fall took over from Grotzinger as chair of GPS. "But we also came to celebrate an investment in the future of our division—to fund the dreams of the next generation of scientists. It's a remarkable thing to be able to do this with a community that feels like friends."

Caltech donors and alumni, faculty, graduate students, and staff capture a celebratory moment on their six-day adventure through the Grand Canyon. Credit: Megan Denison

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Caltech donors and alumni, faculty, graduate students, and staff capture a celebratory moment on their six-day adventure through the Grand Canyon.

Credit: Megan Denison

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A Living Laboratory

The original Caltech Grand Canyon river trip was conceived by Gene Shoemaker and Lee Silver while stranded in an airport after a canceled flight. To pass the time, they brainstormed ways to fund an endowed professorship for GPS—Caltech's only division without one at the time. They invited friends, trustees, and other interested individuals to explore the Grand Canyon's geology, discussing the Earth's history along the way. The trip was a success, raising enough funds to establish the Robert P. Sharp Professor of Geology and Geochemistry now held by Eiler.

This latest expedition was a journey through 188 miles of the Colorado River, offering a blend of adventure and education. Each day began with rafting sessions through legendary rapids like Hermit, Crystal, and Lava Falls. Participants also explored the canyon's geological layers, stopping at fossil-rich outcrops and other geologic wonders for impromptu discussions led by students and faculty.

"It was such an incredible adventure," said graduate student Tina Seeger, who was part of the Perseverance team that helped plan the rover's landing on Mars. "The geology was dazzling, and connecting with everyone was wonderful." Seeger prepared a fossil guide for the trip and led stargazing sessions, where the group scoured the spangled night sky for constellations and peered through binoculars at Jupiter's moons.

L.E. Simmons, who is a member of the GPS Chair's Council, remembers those open-air astronomy teach-ins fondly. "The most memorable moments for me were looking at the stars at night, with the experts pointing out things I never realized," said Simmons, the founder of a private equity firm. "This was a chance for people like me, who aren't scientists, to spend a week with the best in the field—learning about rocks that are two billion years old and stars that are billions of light-years away."

The science lessons often unfolded while rafting, with faculty giving spontaneous instruction. Mel Simon recalled how JPL Director Laurie Leshin (MS '89, PhD '95), Vice President and Bren Professor of Geochemistry and Planetary Science at Caltech, pointed out rock formations in the Grand Canyon that resembled those on Mars, and then explained how they indicated that water once flowed on the Red Planet.

"It was an immediate discovery, seeing these things and knowing their Martian parallels," said Simon, who serves as both chairman of the board of directors for the Agouron Institute and is a member of the GPS Chair's Council.

During these moments, the Grand Canyon became more than a scenic backdrop—it was a living laboratory where science was not only taught but actively experienced.

For Simon, the trip also offered a new perspective on geology. "I was used to working in labs, dissecting processes with complex instruments," said Simon. "But here, in the Grand Canyon, you could pick up a rock and have someone explain its story on the spot. That direct interaction with nature—and with these brilliant scientists—really changed my world view. It was tremendous."

Barrett, who also served as the 25th Secretary of the Air Force, reflected on how the trip was so emblematic of the Institute: "Caltech is known for its serious science, but it also is characterized by a spirit that makes learning fun. With its majestic walls, the Grand Canyon exposes two billion years of our planet's history and constitutes an inspirational geology and astronomy classroom. What could capture the Caltech spirit better?"

Investing in People and Their Passion

The funds raised from the trip will also support ongoing research in geochemistry and planetary science at Caltech. One major focus is the Mars Sample Return mission, a decade-long series of NASA missions to bring Martian rock samples back to Earth. These samples, once they arrive, could revolutionize planetary science and geobiology, much like the Apollo lunar samples did in the 1960s.

"Sample return missions have been critical throughout NASA's history," said Leshin. "What we learned from Apollo transformed our understanding of the Moon and the solar system. Now, we are ready to do the same with Mars."

Martian samples will let scientists study the planet's geochemistry in ways rovers and landers cannot, unlocking new insights into its history and potential habitability. They may even help answer fundamental questions about the conditions needed for life and whether it ever existed on Mars.

"Can we recognize the presence of life on Mars?" Eiler asked. "If we can't, do we understand what organic chemistry was doing in a dead environment? Can we understand the climate history that set the stage for that life or that organic chemistry? These are the scientific challenges we face, and in order to rise to them and lead, we need to make a similarly large step forward in our capacity to observe these materials and measure them in the lab."

While the samples won't arrive for several years, the preparation for their studies must begin now. "The timing for fundraising, for the creation of labs to examine materials brought back from Mars Sample Return is exactly right," Eiler said. "Five years from now will be too late."

But the mission's success depends on more than just state-of-the-art labs and instruments. The Grand Canyon trip served as a reminder of the importance of investing in the people who propel the science forward.

For Simmons, this human connection is paramount. "It's all about betting on the people—their passion, dedication, and brilliance," he said.

If you would like to contribute to the division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, we invite you to contact Megan Denison, senior director of development for GPS, at (626) 395-1529 or [email protected].

The following donors helped establish the Geochemistry Innovation Fund, though not all participated in the trip: The Agouron Institute; Caltech trustee Barbara M. Barrett and Craig Barrett; Robert Gardner and Mardi Gardner Sossaman; Russell B. Hawkins and Diana M. Hawkins; Jose Helu (BS '79); Frank C. Hu; Michael T. and Margaret L. Kerr; Caltech trustee Li Lu; Caltech trustee Deborah D. McWhinney; Darren Peers; Ben Richter; Schmidt Sciences, LLC; L.E. and Virginia (Ginny) Simmons; and Andrew (Andy) L. Waite (MS '84).