http://today.caltech.edu/ Daily news for the California Institute of Technology en-US Copyright 2009, California Institute of Technology today@caltech.edu atcaltechadmin@caltech.edu Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:48:19 PST 120 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display?story%5fid=39822 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39822 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST James K. Knowles, William J. Keenan Jr. Professor of Applied Mechanics, Emeritus, at Caltech, passed away November 1. He was 78 years old. Knowles made fundamental research contributions to the theory of nonlinear elasticity and the mathematical theories of materials and structures. His work provided important insight into how various materials and structures behave and enabled him and others to develop predictive theories. http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display?story%5fid=39843 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39843 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST The Graduate School of Education at Shanghai Jiao Tong University ranked Caltech sixth in this year's Academic Ranking of World Universities. To compile the rankings, researchers evaluated over 1,000 schools worldwide. North American schools dominate the list, winning 59 of the top 100 spots. Caltech placed fifth in the best North American universities category. http://media.caltech.edu/press_releases/13297 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39562 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST Researchers at Caltech have shown that a highly specific intrabody (an antibody fragment that works against a target inside a cell) is capable of stalling the development of Huntington's disease in a variety of mouse models. "Gene therapy in these models successfully attenuated the symptoms of Huntington's disease and increased life span," notes Paul Patterson, the Anne P. and Benjamin F. Biaggini Professor of Biological Sciences. http://media.caltech.edu/press_releases/13293 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39262 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST Caltech researchers led by assistant professor of geobiology Victoria Orphan have found that the members of a deep-sea symbiotic microbial community are able to fix nitrogen. The unexpected metabolic ability may help solve a lingering mystery about the world's nitrogen cycling budget. A paper about the work appears in the October 16 issue of the journal Science. http://media.caltech.edu/press_releases/13295 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39383 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST Caltech scientists have uncovered the physical mechanism by which arrays of nanoscale pillars can be grown on polymer films with very high precision, in potentially limitless patterns. This nanofluidic processdescribed in a recent article in Physical Review Letterscould someday replace the conventional lithographic patterning techniques now used to build 3-D nano- and microscale structures for use in optical, photonic, and biofluidic devices. http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39472 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39472 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST Sossina Haile, a leading authority on solid-state fuel-cell technology, will give a talk on fuel-cell technology from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, November 9, in 101 Guggenheim Lab, Lees-Kubota Lecture Hall. Haile is a professor of materials science and chemical engineering at Caltech, and her research is primarily focused on the study of ionic conduction in solid materials and the development of novel fuel cells. After the talk, a tour of her research lab will be given. http://events.caltech.edu/events/event-6382.html http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39471 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST Battlefield Band will perform in Beckman Auditorium at 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 7. Under the banner "Forward with Scotland's Past," the ensemble will perform a program of Scottish music, mixing old songs with new material and performing on a combination of ancient and modern instruments including bagpipe, fiddle, syntheziser, guitar, cittern, flute, bodhran, and accordion. http://today.caltech.edu/theater/item?story%5fid=39163 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39163 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST Edward Stone, the David Morrisroe Professor of Physics at Caltech and former director of JPL, discussed the Thirty Meter Telescope in a lecture at Alumni College. Stone explained how if we collect and concentrate enough light from dim, distant bodies, we can observe them as they were near the beginning of the universe, over 13 billion years ago. http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39403 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39403 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST In the bicentennial year of Edgar Allan Poe's birth, Caltech News uncovers the Institute's own pit and pendulum saga, highlights Techers in the Obama administration, reports on Secretary of Energy Steven Chu's commencement address, and profiles new alumni-professor administrators. More . . . http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39602 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39602 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST Click here to see the latest issue. http://events.caltech.edu/events/event-7121.html http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39683 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST Under the direction of Brian Brophy, Theater Arts at Caltech (TACIT) will present a production of Rossum's Universal Robots (R.U.R.) at 8 p.m. on November 12, 13, and 14, and at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. on November 15 in Dabney Hall. R.U.R. is a science-fiction play originally written in the Czech language by Karel Capek. It premiered in 1921 and is famous for having introduced and popularized the term "robot." TACIT casts feature Caltech undergraduates, graduate students, staff members, and JPL engineers. http://media.caltech.edu/press_releases/13299 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39742 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected two researchers from Caltech to participate in its Young Faculty Award (YFA) program. Julia R. Greer (above, center), assistant professor of materials science, and Doris Tsao, assistant professor of biology, are among the 33 "rising stars" from 24 U.S. universities who each will receive grants of approximately $300,000 to develop and validate their research ideas over the next 24 months. http://www.greenreportcard.org/report-card-2010/schools/california-institute-of-technology http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39202 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST For the second year in a row, Caltech received a B on the Sustainability Report Card. Caltech was awarded an A in the categories of Climate Change and Energy, Food and Recycling, and Investment Priorities. Click here to view the complete report card. http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39502 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39502 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST During our "PAY MY BILLS" Sweepstakes, membership can pay even MORE...if you help spread the word. Through December 4th, we'll have a weekly drawing for a $1,000 in bill payments. To enter, recommend a new member who signs up during the Sweepstakes. Both you and the new member will have a chance to win. Remember who is eligible: your spouse, children, parents, grandparents and grandchildren, brothers and sisters, JPL and Caltech co-workers, and Caltech classmates. The earlier you enter, the better your chances of winning!"Invitations to Join" and complete details are available on our website and at all CEFCU offices.Thanksgiving Day Closures:Thursday, November 26 & Friday, November 27Campus Branch Hours:Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display?story%5fid=39662 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39662 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST Maintenance to repair faulty power equipment in the IMSS server room will be begin on Saturday, November 14, at 5 p.m. During the maintenance, the server room will be powered down, and most services will be offline. IMSS expects to have most services back online by midnight, but some services may remain unavailable until 8 a.m. Sunday morning. http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display?story%5fid=39405 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39405 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST In accordance with the South Coast Air Quality Management District's regional clean air-quality requirements, Caltech is conducting a mandatory survey of employee commute modes for the week of October 19 through October 23, 2009. Those who complete their surveys by 5 p.m. on Monday, November 9, will be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift card. This simple online survey takes only two minutes of your time. To complete your survey, go to http://rl6.ridelinks.com/es30_13962.htm. http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39242 http://today.caltech.edu/today/story-display-blurb?story%5fid=39242 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST Santa Clarita 1 Vanpool: current monthly fare: $80 morning departure: Santa Clarita MetroLink Station (22122 Commuter Way, Santa Clarita) at 6:40 a.m. evening departure: Caltech's Beckman Auditorium parking lot at 4:30 p.m. Santa Clarita 2 Valpool:current monthly fare: $60 morning departure: Santa Clarita Metro Station at 6:05 a.m. (arrive at Caltech by 7:00 a.m.)evening departure: Caltech at 4:05 p.m. (arrive at Metro Station around 5:00 p.m.) Azusa Vanpool:currently monthly fare: $25morning Departure: Costco lot (Azusa) at 6:20 a.m. (arriving Caltech between 6:40 a.m. and 6:50 a.m.)evening departure: Caltech at 4 p.m. (arrive at Costco lot at approximately 4:45 p.m.) If you are interested, contact Kristina Valenzuela at 395-4729 Kristina.Valenzuela@caltech.edu.