Break Through on the Road Brings Campaign Impact to San Jose
May 16, 2018
More than 300 Caltech alumni, Associates, parents, and friends gathered in San Jose, California, on April 7 for a day of discovery highlighting the work of faculty and students supported by Break Through: The Caltech Campaign.
Guests heard from undergraduate and graduate students about the academic challenges and triumphs of their Caltech experience. Faculty described the latest advances in new materials and implantable medical devices, the challenges women face in entrepreneurial finance, autonomous gliders that are being used to probe the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica, and big ideas for advancing robotics and neuroscience. President Rosenbaum and trustee Louise Kirkbride also joined in, sharing their perspectives on Caltech's future and the growing success of the Break Through campaign.
Break Through on the Road was hosted in partnership with the Caltech Alumni Association and the Caltech Associates. Jennifer Blank (MS ’88, PhD ’93), a member of the Caltech Alumni Association Board of Governors (pictured left), and Joseph Yang (BS ’86, PhD ’91), chair of the Caltech Associates Northern California Committee (right), welcomed guests to the day of discovery and reflected on the positive impact Caltech has had on their lives and on the world.
The event kicked off with a discussion about the Caltech student experience moderated by Kevin Gilmartin (far left), professor of English and dean of undergraduate students. Student panelists were (from second left): Phillip Liu, a senior studying biology; Anusha Nathan, a senior majoring in bioengineering; Michael Wong, a graduate student in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences; and Emily Wyatt, a graduate student in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Among other topics, participants touched on why they chose Caltech and how they plan to take the knowledge and skills they have gained out into the world after graduation.
The “Scientific Adventures” portion of the program invited attendees to delve into game-changing research with presentations by four Caltech faculty members. Chiara Dariao (shown here), professor of mechanical engineering and applied physics, described how her team is developing heat-sensing technology by extracting molecules from living cells to fabricate new materials. Potential uses include artificial skin that could augment the sensitivity of robots or restore sensation for people with prosthetic limbs, and thermal sensors for consumer electronics.
In another “Scientific Adventure,” Andrew Thompson (standing), professor of environmental science and engineering, told the audience about his research. He and his team are using autonomous robotic ocean gliders—together with satellite measurements and marine mammals fitted with scientific instruments—to explore the physical and biological properties of the ocean and sea ice around Antarctica. These observations are yielding new insights about the unique role the Southern Ocean plays in Earth’s climate system.
After their “Scientific Adventures,” participants mingled during an early evening reception before the program’s concluding presentations.
The reception gave guests an opportunity to connect with friends old and new, talk to faculty, and enjoy an assortment of refreshments.
Pictured (from left) are Caltech faculty presenters Viviana Gradinaru and Aaron Ames with President Thomas Rosenbaum and trustee Louise Kirkbride (BS '75, MS '76) in the main ballroom. Kirkbride, who was a member of the first group of freshman women to enroll at Caltech, spoke about the importance of undergraduate scholarships in ensuring that bright, hardworking students can pursue their academic dreams.
In the final portion of the program, guests heard two fast-paced presentations by Caltech faculty who are changing the way we think about the world. Aaron Ames, Bren Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering and Control and Dynamical Systems, talked about what it will take to make sci-fi robots real. Viviana Gradinaru, assistant professor of biology and biological engineering, Heritage Medical Research Institute Investigator, and director of the Center for Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience in the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience at Caltech, outlined her efforts to find a better way to map the brain.
Caltech President Thomas Rosenbaum (at podium) concluded the formal part of the program. Joining him on stage was Cassie, a bipedal robot being programmed by Aaron Ames’s Advanced Mechanical Bipedal Experimental Robotics (AMBER) Lab at Caltech.
Cassie the robot was a crowd favorite. Her “escort,” robotics expert Aaron Ames, is designing algorithms that will enable Cassie and other bipedal robots to navigate uneven and uncertain terrains. The broader goal is to create machines that can perform functions ranging from exploring environments that are inaccessible to humans to serving as mobility aids for people with physical disabilities.
Break Through on the Road, San Jose, wrapped up with a dessert bar and photo stations where attendees could take pictures of themselves with Caltech landmarks as backdrops. Faculty presenters (from left) Viviana Gradinaru, Chiara Daraio, Azita Emami, and Michael Ewens ended the night in front of a familiar campus sight: the arches connecting Parsons-Gates Hall of Administration and Dabney Hall.
Watch the video that debuted at the event:
See additional photos—including some from the on-site photo booth:
