Welcome Message from the Chair, Sarah Reisman
As we transition from the academic year to summer, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for everything we have accomplished together so far in 2025. The activities surrounding commencement always offers a moment of reflection—on our collective achievements, individual milestones, and the enduring spirit of collaboration that defines our division.
Last month we celebrated Caltech’s 131st Commencement, and it was a privilege to watch our graduating students walk across the stage, marking the culmination of years of hard work, curiosity, and perseverance. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all our CCE graduates and look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in the future. Read on to learn more about what's next for a few of our graduates.
Special recognition goes to our student award recipients across the division. From excellence in research to outstanding teaching, service, and leadership, the student honorees reflect the depth and breadth of talent within CCE.
This spring has also been remarkable for our faculty. Several colleagues received prestigious national awards and honors, highlighting both their innovative research and leadership in their fields. A few of these honors include the election of Garnet Chan and Shu-ou Shan to the National Academy of Sciences, and the election of Zhen-Gang Wang to the National Academy of Engineers.
Behind the scenes, our staff continue to be the backbone of CCE's success. From supporting complex lab operations to mentoring students and ensuring the smooth day-to-day functioning of the division, their efforts often go unseen—but never unappreciated. Here we highlight the Staff Service Awards, and notably, the Thomas W. Schmitt Prize which was awarded to Sabine Brinkmann-Chen, lab manager for the Arnold Group.
We’ve had a vibrant series of division events this past quarter—from named lectures to our DiscoTech event for admitted undergraduate students. Please see the CCE event calendar for our list of upcoming events.
Finally, with great sorrow, we mark the passing of Professor Sunney Chan, a cherished member of our emeritus faculty. Professor Chan’s legacy at Caltech spans decades of exceptional scientific contributions and mentoring. He will be missed dearly.
Since our last newsletter, members of our community continue the long, slow process of recovery from the Eaton fire. In addition, the past several months have been filled with uncertainty as we navigate an ever-changing landscape with respect to federal research funding. As we look to for new ways to support our research mission, philanthropy has an increasingly important role to play in sustaining innovative basic science research.
In closing, I want to thank each of you for your continued support of CCE and for being an essential part of this community. I look forward to all that we will build together in the seasons to come.
Let me know your thoughts on this newsletter at cce@caltech.edu.
