NASA has selected anew Caltech-led space mission that will help astronomers understand both how our universe evolved and how common the ingredients for life are in our galaxy‘s planetary systems.The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe,Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer mission(SPHEREx)is aplanned two-year mission funded at$242 million(not including launch costs)and targeted to launch in 2023.The mission is led by James(Jamie)Bock,a professor of physics at Caltech and senior research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory(JPL),which is managed by Caltech for NASA.SPHEREx is managed by JPL.The SPHEREx mission,part of NASA‘s Explorer Program,will study the history of galaxies and the origin of our universe as well as the origin of water in planetary systems.It will survey the entire sky four times in optical and infrared light,capturing detailed spectral information about hundreds of millions of stars and galaxies."With this announcement,we look forward to building SPHEREx,"says Bock."SPHEREx will explore the beginning of the universe,the history of galaxy formation,and the role of interstellar ices during the birth of new stars and planets,while providing aunique all-sky data set for astronomy.""We‘re all very excited to continue our tradition of Caltech-JPL partnerships on astrophysics Explorer missions,starting with GALEX,then NuSTAR,and now SPHEREx,"says Fiona Harrison,the Benjamin M.Rosen Professor Physics at Caltech;Kent and Joyce Kresa Leadership Chair,Division of Physics,Mathematics and Astronomy;and the principal investigator of NuSTAR."Explorers enable cutting-edge science implemented on arapid timescale.These missions offer our students,postdocs,and young researchers the opportunity to get involved in space missions that they can see launch within their time at Caltech."SPHEREx will survey some galaxies so distant,their light has taken 10 billion years to reach Earth.In the Milky Way,the mission will search for water and organic molecules—essentials for life as we know it—in stellar nurseries,regions where stars are born from gas and dust as well as in disks around stars where new planets could be forming.Most of the water available to star-forming systems is actually in the form of ices,and it is thought that interstellar ices delivered water to ayoung Earth,forming the oceans.The mission will create amap of the entire sky in 96 different color bands,far exceeding the color resolution of previous all-sky maps.It also will identify targets for more detailed study by future missions,such as NASA‘s James Webb Space Telescope and Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope."I‘m really excited about this new mission,"said NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine in anews release."Not only does it expand the United States‘powerful fleet of space-based missions dedicated to uncovering the mysteries of the universe,it is acritical part of abalanced science program that includes missions of various sizes."JPL will develop the mission payload in collaboration with Caltech,which will develop the spacecraft‘s science instrument.The SPHEREx data will be made publicly available through IPAC,an astronomy data and science center based at Caltech.Ball Aerospace will develop the spacecraft.The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute will provide support for instrument calibration and testing.Scientists from across the U.S.and in South Korea will participate in the science analysis of SPHEREx data. 查看详细>>

Caltech and The Huntington Library,Art Collections,and Botanical Gardens(The Huntington)are launching anew research center that aims to make the most of what each institute is best at:Caltech‘s expertise in science and The Huntington‘s extensive historical archives and status as apremiere research library.The Caltech-Huntington Advanced Research Institute in the History of Science and Technology,as its name implies,will focus on researching the history of science and technology."Despite the fact that the world‘s societies are ever more dependent on scientific knowledge and technological breakthroughs,the fate of the academic discipline of the history of science and technology remains uncertain,"says Jean-Laurent Rosenthal,the Rea A.and Lela G.Axline Professor of Business Economics and Ronald and Maxine Linde Leadership Chair in Caltech‘s Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences(HSS)."Many university history departments across the nation are shrinking as aresult of declining enrollments and are often tempted to cut programs in science and technology.The Caltech-Huntington Advanced Research Institute aims to catalyze renewed enthusiasm for this area of inquiry and revive the critically important conversation between historians,scientists,and engineers that might serve as amodel for the dialog between the humanities and the science,technology,engineering and math(STEM)disciplines."The initial phase of the program,slated to begin in the summer of 2019,is an annual residential institute that will provide doctoral students with the opportunity to conduct research in The Huntington‘s collections and to interact not only with each other but also with acadre of experienced historians of science and technology from Caltech and other institutions.In the second year,the institute will add aresident senior research fellow at The Huntington and asenior visiting faculty member at Caltech to conduct seminars across southern California.In the third year,the program will expand to include apostdoctoral fellow at Caltech as well as additional short-term visiting scholars at The Huntington.In the fourth year,a search will begin for anew faculty member in the history of science and technology at Caltech,who will ultimately oversee the institute on apermanent basis."The Huntington is already an important center for the study of the history of science,"says Steve Hindle,W.M.Keck Foundation Director of Research at The Huntington."This new institute is acollaboration that will strengthen existing activities,add new programs,recruit additional research fellows,and ultimately lead to the appointment of new faculty.I am delighted that it will emphasize support for younger scholars in particular.The creation of the institute represents asignificant step forward for this critical area of intellectual pursuit."Caltech and The Huntington,whose campuses are less than amile apart,have had aclose relationship since Caltech‘s George Ellery Hale encouraged railroad magnate Henry E.Huntington to transform Huntington‘s library,art,and botanical collections into aresearch center nearly acentury ago.In recent years,partnerships between The Huntington and HSS have included the Caltech-Huntington Humanities Collaborations,an ongoing series of interdisciplinary research projects that bring together Caltech faculty members and Huntington residential research fellows;the Eleanor Searle Visiting Professorship in History,awarded to adistinguished historian whose interests lie in the history of science and technology;and arecent grant from the Mellon Foundation for anew collaborative initiative in visual culture.The launch of the new institute has been made possible by agift from Stephen E.Rogers,a member of The Huntington‘s Board of Overseers and president of the Caltech Associates,a support group of the university. 查看详细>>

A research team led by Brian Stoltz has developed anovel method for synthesizing aclass of natural compounds that are drug candidates The natural world,with all its diversity,is apopular place for researchers to go looking for new drugs,including those that fight cancer.But there is often awide gap between finding aplant,sponge,or bacterium that contains acandidate drug,and actually bringing amedicine to the market.Maybe the compound gets flushed out of the human body too quickly to be effective.Or maybe it turns out you have to grind up ametric ton of farmed sea squirts just to get asingle gram of the drug.For that reason,it usually makes more sense to identify acompound with potential medicinal properties and then make it in the lab,instead of relying on organisms.Often,researchers look to the natural processes that create the compounds for inspiration as they develop synthetic analogs.Though this"biomimetic"method works,it has some limitations.For more than 10 years,Caltech‘s Brian Stoltz has been looking for abetter approach,and now he has found it.In December,Stoltz and his research team announced that they had developed anovel synthetic method for creating two compounds that hold the potential to become potent anti-cancer drugs.The compounds,jorumycin and jorunnamycin A,are naturally found only in the bodies of ablack-and-white sea slug that lives in the Indian Ocean.Both of those compounds are based around abackbone molecule known as bis-THIQ(bis-tetrahydroisoquinoline).In 40 years of research on bis-THIQ compounds,only one has been successfully brought into aclinical setting,Stoltz says.He hopes the production method developed in his lab can change that."We now have asynthesis that‘s going to let us make whole new compounds,"he says."It‘s going to enable us to do some really interesting drug-discovery research."The production method is complex,involving the use of substances called transition metal catalysts,but essentially consists of adding hydrogen atoms to asimpler molecule in aseries of steps.The addition of each hydrogen atom causes the molecule to fold further in on itself.When fully folded,the molecule is shaped in away that makes it prone to bonding to and damaging DNA molecules.Medications that damage DNA might seem counterintuitive,but they are useful for targeting cancer cells.Since cancer cells multiply more quickly than healthy cells,they need to replicate their DNA more often,and are consequently much more sensitive to DNA damage.Many compounds can damage DNA,but the trick is developing them into medications that are toxic enough to kill cancer cells,but not so harmful that they kill the healthy cells as well.The ideal medication will stay in the human body long enough to have atherapeutic effect,but not longer than about 24 hours.Tailoring acompound to have the traits that make it an effective drug can be done by choosing what Stoltz calls"handles"—the various atoms and groups of atoms that stick off the molecular backbone.By choosing specific handles to put on acompound,researchers can give it the properties they desire.This is where Stoltz‘s production method shines.Some handles interfere with biologically inspired syntheses of bis-THIQ compounds,but almost any handle will work with Stoltz‘s method,he says. 查看详细>>

The technology,which is being marketed by anew startup company—ETC Solar,LLC—could potentially improve the output of solar panels by about 5percent,regardless of the type of photovoltaic material used to make the panels.The translational technology was developed in the engineering and applied science lab of Harry Atwater,Howard Hughes Professor of Applied Physics and Materials Science and director of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis(JCAP).JCAP is aU.S.Department of Energy(DOE)Innovation Hub that aims to find new and effective ways to produce fuels using only sunlight,water,and carbon dioxide.On June 28,ETC Solar took first place at the DOE‘s 2018 Cleantech University Prize national collegiate business plan competition in Houston."To have been selected as awinner is ahuge point of validation for the concept,both the innovation and also the impact,"says Atwater,who is also aco-founder of ETC Solar."It has helped us to make contacts with potential industrial partners and private equity investors,"Other co-founders of ETC Solar include Atwater group member Thomas Russell,and Rebecca Saive,assistant professor at the University of Twente in the Netherlands and avisiting associate in Atwater‘s lab.The company beat out 22 other teams for the top prize of$50,000 with asimple solution to alongstanding problem in solar panel technology.When sunlight strikes solar cells,it excites electrons in the cells that are then collected via agrid of metal filaments.This grid is printed on top of the solar cells,much like the circuits on acircuit board.Tiny though the filaments may be,they do cast ashadow on the surface of the solar cell,and this shadow reduces the overall efficiency with which the cell produces energy.ETC‘s design uses metal filaments that have atriangular-shaped cross-section,like asteep A-frame house roof.Instead of casting ashadow on the surface of the solar panel,the filaments reflect light toward the surface.The result is aso-called"effectively transparent contact,"or ETC. 查看详细>>

Caltech,in partnership with the Dr.Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society,is launching apilot workshop for graduate students on enhancing science communications with policymakers.The 12-hour workshop,to be held over the course of three days in January,will teach participants how to most effectively convey research results to assist policymakers in their decision-making process.Caltech graduate students are encouraged to apply to participate in the free program,scheduled to run during the week of January 14.The program will include amix of classroom discussions and exercises around the principles of communications and policy,as well as tools to effectively develop and deliver information in meetings with government leaders,legislators,and others.The program will culminate with visits to government offices in Los Angeles and adebrief of the experience."I‘m excited to have the opportunity to share my insights on the interface of science and policy with Caltech students and researchers who want to see their science used,"says Jones,who is anoted seismologist and visiting associate in geophysics.Jones established the Dr.Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society in 2016 with the purpose of creating more resilient communities by fostering abroader understanding and application of scientific information. 查看详细>>

Kristin Weyman,a student affairs professional with more than adecade of experience in supporting the personal and professional development of undergraduate students,is joining Caltech as an associate dean for undergraduate students.Weyman will assume her new role on July 30,2018.Weyman will be one of two associate deans who work with Dean of Undergraduate Students Kevin Gilmartin in sharing responsibility for the development of Caltech‘s 1,000 undergraduate students.The dean‘s office oversees awide variety of issues related to the well-being and progress of students throughout their educational career,including academic advising and support services,personal and general advising,faculty outreach and communication,student conduct,crisis management,and disability services.Weyman comes to Caltech from Ohio Wesleyan University,a small,private,residential liberal arts college,where she has served as the associate dean for student success for the last year.Prior to that,she was in Southern California,serving as the associate dean for students and dean for first-and second-year students at Claremont McKenna College.Throughout her time in higher education,and in particular in working within student affairs leadership,Weyman has taken on abroad range of increasing responsibilities,from supervising and aligning student support services throughout student affairs,to assisting in the review and development of policies and procedures to enhance the student experience,to overseeing new student orientation programs,to meeting one-on-one with individual students and groups in an advising and mentoring capacity.Weyman says,"I am excited to join the Caltech community and work with its motivated student body and dedicated faculty and staff to further the Institute‘s goals in helping students foster abalanced,healthy lifestyle while engaging in academic and extracurricular pursuits."Weyman‘s appointment is occasioned by the retirement of Barbara Green,after 29 years of supporting Caltech‘s students and families in the dean‘s office.Green,an honorary member of the Caltech Alumni Association and a2013 Thomas W.Schmitt Annual Staff Prize awardee,has been an integral team member in the dean‘s office,overseeing the transition between several faculty deans as well as serving as interim dean and sole representative for the office during two separate academic years and filling the role of disability services coordinator for graduate and undergraduate students."As Ileave my position as associate dean,I am happy to know that someone as thoughtful,experienced,and dedicated as Kristin will be joining the dean‘s office,"Green says."Throughout her career in higher education,Kristin has demonstrated acommitment to supporting individual students—understanding their individual needs and backgrounds,and aligning the support and resources to help them succeed.She will be awelcome addition to Caltech." 查看详细>>

A new understanding of the mechanics of dragonfly larvae respiration and maneuvering could lead to the next generation of prosthetic heart valves,say Caltech engineers.Mory Gharib(PhD‘83),the Hans W.Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Bioinspired Engineering in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science,and postdoctoral researcher Chris Roh(MS‘13,PhD‘17)studied Anisopteran dragonfly larvae,which live in water and both breathe and move by inhaling water,extracting oxygen from it,and then expelling the water back out through atri-leaflet anal valve that is surprisingly similar in structure to tricuspid human heart valves.The larvae are able to control the retraction of each of the three leaves individually,and this,Gharib and Roh discovered,gives them fine control over the size and symmetry(or asymmetry)of the valve opening."The dragonfly larva is the only insect that uses jet propulsion to move and the only arthropod known to use reciprocal jetting—inhaling and exhaling through the same orifice—for underwater breathing,"says Roh,the lead author of apaper on the larval jets that was published online by the journal Bioinspiration&Biomimeticson May 30.To observe how the larvae directed the flow of water using the leaves on their anal valves,Gharib and Roh set up high-speed cameras around an aquarium filled with acolored dye and tethered 96 dragonfly larvae—one at atime—in front of the cameras using dental wax.They found that when the larvae retracted all three leaves,the water jet flows straight out,pushing the animals straight forward.Retracting just one or two leaves,on the other hand,results in an asymmetric flow,which the larvae use when breathing."The way the dragonfly larvae use their unique adaptation to control the jet direction has previously been overlooked,"says Gharib,senior author of the paper."The asymmetry control by the larvae is an intriguing jet-vectoring mechanism,different from those of squids or salps that simply point their funnels or siphons in adesired direction."Like the anus of the dragonfly larvae,heart valves have two or three leaves(depending on the valve)that control the flow.Gharib and Roh intend to use what they have learned from the dragonflies to engineer anew prosthetic multi-leaf heart valve that can direct jets in specific directions that mimic natural blood flow emerging from the valve,which is never perfectly symmetric.Currently,the unnaturally symmetrical flow of blood emerging from prosthetic valves can cause blood clots to form or even be abrasive to the walls of blood vessels.To cope with this unintended side effect of prosthetic heart valves,patients typically must spend the rest of their lives taking blood-thinning medications."The current heart valve design is aone-size-fits-all,where no patient-specific design is considered,and this causes many post-transplant complications,"Roh says."We believe that an intentionally off-centered opening of the heart valve to more closely match the patient‘s original blood flow will be an important design parameter that can be adjusted based on each patient‘s heart morphology."The study is titled"Asymmetry in the jet opening:underwater jet vectoring mechanism by dragonfly larvae."This research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Charyk Bio-inspired Laboratory at Caltech. 查看详细>>

Yanbei Chen,professor of physics at Caltech,has been named a2018 Simons Investigator.These appointments are given annually to"support outstanding scientists in their most productive years,when they are establishing creative new research directions,"according to the Simons Foundation,which grants the awards.Investigators receive$100,000 annually for five years.Chen has made major contributions to understanding the quantum noise of laser interferometer gravitational-wave detectors,including the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory(LIGO),which arises from quantum fluctuations of light and matter.He has also made important contributions to gravitational-wave data-analysis strategies,and uses gravitational-wave observations to test the predictions of general relativity in strong gravity and to study the structures of black holes. 查看详细>>

Entrepreneurs get ajumpstart at Caltech through afund that helps bring research to market Caltech is acommunity filled with brilliant minds and good ideas.But sometimes it takes more than good ideas to generate world-changing technologies.Indeed,there is awell-known gap between the lab and the marketplace known as the"valley of death,"in which high-risk but potentially high-reward research can languish for want of someone to take achance on it.To bridge that gap,Caltech‘s Rothenberg Innovation Initiative(RI2)was created in 2009 under the guidance of Larry Gilbert,the founding father of tech transfer at Caltech,and funded by the late Caltech trustee Jim Rothenberg and his wife,Anne Rothenberg.RI2 provides competitive grants for early-stage research that could one day lead to marketable technologies that are likely to benefit society.Each RI2 award provides up to two years of support,with up to$125,000 in funding per year,to help researchers"de-risk"their innovations,according to Fred Farina,Caltech‘s chief innovation and corporate partnerships officer and head of the Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships,or OTTCP,which oversees RI2 with Vice Provost Kaushik Bhattacharya.The goal is to help technologies mature beyond the conceptual stage to the point that it is attractive to venture capitalists and other investors. 查看详细>>

A new study shows that men with increased testosterone levels have agreater preference for goods that are considered status symbols Some men,it seems,can‘t get enough of luxury goods like European sports cars or designer jeans.Now,scientists have figured out why:testosterone.A new study shows that testosterone has ameasurable effect on aman‘s preference for brands that are considered to be status symbols.For instance,a man with ahigher level of testosterone in his body will be more likely than aman with lower testosterone levels to prefer apair of Calvin Klein jeans over apair of Levi‘s.That makes sense,says Caltech‘s Colin Camerer,one of the authors of the study that appears in the July 3edition of Nature Communications,because one of the primary functions of testosterone is to generate both status-seeking and status-protecting behaviors."In the animal kingdom,testosterone promotes aggression,but the aggression is in service of status,"says Camerer,the Robert Kirby Professor of Behavioral Economics and the T&C Chen Center for Social and Decision Neuroscience Leadership Chair."A lot of human behaviors are repurposed behaviors seen in our primate relatives.So,here,we‘re replacing physical aggression with asort of‘consumer‘aggression."The study—conducted by researchers from Caltech,the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania,University of Western Ontario,and ZRT Laboratory—gets to the biological heart of what we call conspicuous consumption,the human practice of acquiring and showing off luxury goods and services to increase one‘s social status.Camerer likens the costs of this behavior to the cost and weight of the elaborate tails carried around by male peacocks. 查看详细>>