Fund Honors Professor K. Mani Chandy

The Professor K. Mani Chandy Innovations in Education Fund will support excellence in teaching in Computing and Mathematical Sciences.

When Lu Tian (MS '06) was wrestling over whether to accept a position with Google or stay at Caltech and complete her PhD, she sought advice from a trusted advisor, Professor K. Mani Chandy.

"I remember him asking, 'What does your heart tell you?'" she says. "I confessed my love for the industry experience, but also my reluctance to close the door on academia. His response? 'Follow your heart, accept the offer, and if it doesn't work out, you can always come back to Caltech and finish your degree.'" Liberated by his reassuring words, Tian took the leap to the technology industry, a choice she has never regretted.

Tian is one of many students who have benefitted over the years from the unwavering support and encouragement of Chandy, the Simon Ramo Professor of Computer Science, Emeritus. "He genuinely prioritized our success and happiness above all else," she says. "His goal was clear: to empower his students to discover their passions and forge fulfilling careers, wherever those paths might lead."

Now, alumni have rallied together to honor Chandy and his longtime support of students. With more than $100,000 in contributions from Institute alumni and friends, they have established the endowed Professor K. Mani Chandy Innovations in Education Fund. This fund supports the work of the Department of Computing and Mathematical Sciences' (CMS) teaching faculty, teaching assistants, and administrative staff whose commitment to the educational mission of CMS, and whose support of teaching, is critical to Caltech students.

The Soul of the Department

"Mani has been, in many ways, the soul of the department for many years," says Chris Umans, professor of computer science, holder of the William M. Coughran, Jr. Leadership Chair, and Executive Officer for Computing and Mathematical Sciences. "He has a humble, unassuming nature and is a very kind and generous person both intellectually and in his interactions with people, so we wanted to recognize what he had done for the department and create a legacy that would honor him."

Eve Schooler (MS '96, PhD '01), who spearheaded the idea for a fund honoring Chandy, was inspired by fellow alumni enthusiasm. "It was heartwarming to hear how much gratitude and love there is for Mani amongst the many students whose lives he has touched," she says. "His wisdom has been a rare gift to his students, the happy recipients of his thoughtfulness, patience, and encouragement."

Chandy, who has twice won the Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology (ASCIT) Teaching Award—once in 2004 and again in 2008—is touched by this honor.

"It has been a gift to be able to get to know my students as individuals," he says. "Teaching is not just communicating material but listening and getting to know somebody—and watching their life trajectory and being a part of that trajectory."

Today's Teaching

Significant changes have taken place in teaching and learning since Chandy entered academia five decades ago. He points out three: "One is the easy access students have to a variety of information sources. Two is AI and what it's doing and can do. And three is the ability for students to collaborate with people across the world."

Today's teaching must respond to these changes in how students learn, he says, and it must keep evolving. "Rapid changes in technology and society are forcing us to adapt and keep learning. We need all the innovation we can provide to help our students learn."

Interest in computer science at Caltech has surged over the last 20 years—with 40 percent of students pursuing the major or minor and the introductory CS1 course becoming a part of the Institute's Core Curriculum. Classes have become larger, and the way material is taught has changed, says Umans. "We have to think hard about how to deliver the courses and offer topics and projects that are of interest and relevance to people across a broad range of interests and career tracks."

According to Umans, when a faculty member has an innovative pedagogical idea that requires resources such as hardware, cloud computing credits, or other materials, having the resources to fund the expenditure to enhance their teaching makes a difference in how the course is delivered. The Professor K. Mani Chandy Innovations in Education fund will provide crucial funding for CMS teaching faculty, teaching assistants, and administrative staff, all who support the learning experience.

Looking Ahead With AI

The transformative effects of AI will be evident in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the future, Umans says. Undergraduates who aren't majoring in computer science still have the opportunity for initial interaction with AI tools. "And at the graduate level," he says, "we have an AI boot camp initiative where we're also trying to embed that kind of knowledge."

Whatever innovations in teaching lie ahead, Tian trusts that through this new endowed fund, Chandy's legacy of empowering students to make a positive impact on the world will continue to inspire for generations to come. "Dr. Chandy's impact extends far beyond his impressive academic contributions," she says. "He has changed the world, one student at a time, by fostering an environment of exploration, trust, and genuine mentorship."

If you would like to contribute to the Professor K. Mani Chandy Innovations in Education Fund, we invite you to contact Joe Shea, senior director of development, at (626) 395-4643 or [email protected]. You may also give online.

The following donors helped establish the endowed fund honoring Professor K. Mani Chandy: Roman Ginis (MS '99, PhD '02); Rajiv Gupta (MS '87, PhD '91); Peter Hofstee (MS '91, PhD '95); Andrey Khorlin (MS '06); Eve Schooler (MS '96, PhD '01) and Bob Felderman; Paul Sivilotti (MS '93, PhD '98); John Thornley (MS '93, PhD '96); Lu Tian (MS '06) and Max Ibel; Jerome White (MS '08, PhD '11); and Dan Zimmerman (BS '96, MS '98, PhD '02).  

Image: Upper row: Steven Low, Rajiv Gupta, Roman Ginis, Peter Hofstee, Adam Wierman, Eve Schooler, Bob Felderman, Andrey Khorlin. Seated: Jean Chandy, Mani Chandy