California Institute of Technology 2014 Annual Report

IT STARTS HERE Caltech 2014 Annual Report It starts here. At Caltech. Year after year, research gets its start at Caltech. In telling the story of 2014, we decided to look back at how some of today's most exciting work came to be. Read on to learn-from our people, in their words-how our faculty and students turn ideas into discoveries, and how those discoveries are transforming the world we live in. Table of Contents 2 4 Mikhail Shapiro Dehn Gilmore 6 8 10 12 14 David Anderson Azita Emami New Beginnings Andrew Thompson Fiona Harrison 16 Ellen Price 18 Adam Jermyn 20 Awards 22 Financial Summary 24 Board of Trustees Caltech is a jewel of American higher education, a source of transformative discovery for the world. But what motivates our researchers to tackle the most difficult problems and create new fields of inquiry? To engineer technologies to probe the human brain, to understand the basis of consciousness and the neural circuitry underlying human emotion? To imagine implantable devices that can cure blindness and epilepsy? What spurs a theoretician to send robots along the ocean floor? A historian to elucidate artistic representations of human life? Undergraduates to lead laboratory projects and author articles in top journals? This year's report provides snapshots of extraordinary individuals and in so doing illustrates the dynamic environment at Caltech. We hope that you enjoy these stories of inspiration, intellectual adventure, and achievement. Thones F. Nore boun Thomas F. Rosenbaum President, Caltech Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and Professor of Physics David L. Lee Chair, Caltech Board of Trustees 2 Colorized electron microscopy image of genetically engineered imaging agents for ultrasound "I started out in neuroscience in college, and I really wanted to learn how the brain works, how consciousness works, and these are still the questions that ultimately drive what my lab is interested in. But I realized at the time that we didn't have the right technologies to really probe the brain in the way I wanted to; most of its information is hidden in chemical signals deep inside the skull. So I decided to become an engineer in order to create those technologies to help us observe the brain's chemical signals from the outside without having to open it up." That charge-which Shapiro says he's pursued with single-minded intensity ever since-has led him to explore the use of magnetic fields and sound waves to penetrate deeply yet noninvasively into the body. His research has resulted in the first biomolecular sensors that can be imaged with MRI and ultrasound. And he credits the environment at Caltech for making it possible. "In a lot of places, if I were in a chemical engineering department, people might ask, 'Why aren't you working on a pipeline or in a refinery?' But at Caltech, working across disciplines is totally normal. And without this kind of collaboration, our vision never would have gotten off the ground. I can't imagine this happening so quickly and naturally anywhere else in the world." Mikhail Shapiro Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering When Dehn Gilmore was finishing up her first book-The Victorian Novel and the Space of Art: Fictional Form on Display (Cambridge, 2013)-she came across a collection of miniatures during a house tour in England. The questions of scale that the encounter brought up have resulted in her current research project, a book tentatively titled "Large as Life": The Victorians' Disproportionate Reality. "The Victorians were obsessed in ways that we have not necessarily realized before with life-sized representation, whether that's the wax models at Madame Tussaud's, anatomical models, or even the life-size statue made out of sugar that somebody put together for Queen Victoria. "The phrase 'large as life' actually comes to its modern meaning in the Victorian period, but it starts more as a classification of size. As the project is shaping up, it's also starting to become about 'history of science' things— like automata and anatomical models—and a lot of the questions I'm thinking about are questions of objectivity versus subjectivity. "As somebody whose work is half history and half literature, it was really exciting to join a department that's genuinely interdisciplinary, and that fosters conversations across fields-across English, across history, across the history of science. Being around people who are so engaged by their research is very inspiring. In moments when you're full of doubt or exhaustion, it makes you want to get back into it." Dehn Gilmore Professor of English Victorian-era mechanical toy carousel OLIVER TWIST 5 Brain cross-section highlighting aggression-controlling estrogen receptor 1-expressing neurons "I like to get into a field at the beginning, when there aren't too many people thinking about it and working on it. Staying focused on a topic within a mature field can be rewarding, but the downside is that your contributions tend to become more and more incremental and it's harder to make big discoveries." In the 1990s, David Anderson-already renowned for his work on the development and function of the nervous system-began refocusing his research and exploring the neural circuits underlying emotional behavior. Anderson helped bring to his new field of study a transformative molecular biological toolkit that provided unprecedented ways to determine which neural circuits provoke specific emotions, such as fear or anger. "The change in field has been very productive: we've gotten fairly sophisticated in our ability to mark, map, measure, and manipulate neuronal activity in a way that will ultimately allow us to construct an integrated picture of what is happening in the brain when an animal is afraid or angry-and where that is encoded. Which could eventually lead us to a better understanding of forms of aggression like impulsive violence." David Anderson Seymour Benzer Professor of Biology 7 "I have a sister who suffers from epilepsy, and there is evidence that neurostimulation-the therapeutic activation of part of the nervous system using microelectrodes-can help minimize the symptoms. This is one of my inspirations for directing part of my research team's efforts towards neural interfaces." When she joined the Caltech faculty in 2007, Azita Emami added her expertise in implantable devices to a research collaboration involving electrical engineer Yu-Chong Tai and other Caltech researchers. This group is developing a tiny retinal implant that fits within the eye and allows blind people to recognize faces as well as read. The current prototype of the implant supports 512 stimulation channels and features wireless power delivery and data transmission. "Although my current research-creating a new retinal implant that allows people to see efficiently and do everyday tasks without assistance-isn't going to affect my sister directly, it is moving the field forward and we are learning more about the brain. For instance we are learning how to use its power to fix what has gone wrong. This will ultimately help many people." Azita Emami Protest of etice ngineing Prototype of an implantable device In October, Caltech inaugurated Thomas Rosenbaum as the Institute's ninth president in a ceremony that brought students, faculty, and staff together with local community members, elected officials, and academic leadership. More than just an opportunity to celebrate the beginning of a new presidency, the inauguration was an occasion to recall-and reconnect with-the values that have animated Caltech since its founding more than a century ago. As Rosenbaum remarked in his inaugural address, "Caltech researchers... have contributed in considerable part the quintessential new knowledge that makes our society worth defending. But I would argue that Caltech's most formidable contribution has been in introducing a novel approach to discovery, a conception of research that has permitted the Institute to found new schools of thought. This approach derives from the Institute's origins... and it continues to provide a wealth of cultural capital. As the inheritors of this cultural capital, we must be attentive to its worth, defending our values in a sometimes indifferent and even hostile world, while at the same time seeking to hone Caltech's distinctive identity. "It is a time to ensure that Caltech's fundamental identity comes from within and that it is never imposed from without. It is an opportunity for us to distill the hard-won experience of the past so that we may create a sense of magic and wholeness for the future." New Beginnings 10 PTECHNOLOO EM VINYOITN Pack ice and ice floes along the coast of Antarctica Andrew Thompson had always assumed he would join a traditional oceanography institute-somewhere he could carve out a niche and pursue his research into how ocean eddies redistribute heat and nutrients. But when Thompson began looking for a home for himself and his research, he began hearing about Caltech's interest in expanding work in the area of climate science. And then there were the robots: autonomous vehicles that glide through the ocean, measuring everything from polar ice melt to ocean levels. Thompson wanted them, and Caltech was ready and able to hand them over to him. "Caltech was willing to give someone who had mostly done theory on numerical models the keys to these ocean gliders. They basically said, 'We believe in the work you're doing-even though you haven't done it before-so go and do it, and if it doesn't work out, don't worry about it. You have to try things that are a bit crazy.' "The gliders are at a stage now where less of the effort is on the engineering side of getting them ready; now, they are tools that we can use to actually get at the science we want to do. We're getting observational data back from them that we can use to increase our understanding of ocean circulation." Andrew Thompson Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering 13 14 High-energy X-ray mapping of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant "When I started on the faculty at Caltech, in 1995, I had this idea that I wanted to focus high-energy X-rays with a space telescope for the first time. But we didn't yet have the technologies-the mirrors, the detectors— to do this. So I joined the Institute's Space Radiation Lab, which allowed me the opportunity to work with excellent, experienced engineers who designed electronics and detectors. Also, with JPL being so close and supportive, Caltech provided a uniquely encouraging environment for me." Fiona Harrison's idea-an expansion of work she had done as a graduate student to build a balloon-borne X-ray telescope-came to fruition and worldwide attention in June 2012 with the launch of the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), which has been exploring the heavens ever since. This year alone, NuSTAR's explorations have yielded information about a pulsating dead star that beams with the energy of about 10 million suns, and a map of the radioactive material from the core of a supernova explosion. "There's a certain amount of risk associated with starting as a junior faculty member trying to work on something that has to go into space to get results. But Caltech is a place that truly believes that if something is hard and worthwhile, you should do it. And that has really paid off." Fiona Harrison Benjamin M. Rosen Professor of Physics 15 Ellen Price has been the lead author on two astronomy research papers-and she hasn't even received her undergraduate degree. This Caltech senior grew up with two scientist parents and an innate interest in the sciences that was carefully cultivated throughout high school. But it wasn't until she got to Caltech that she was able to carve out her path for the future. "As a sophomore, I enrolled in Astronomy 20 with John Johnson, who approached me to work on a project with him-even though I didn't know anything about exoplanets! Over the three years l've worked with the exoplanet team at Caltech, I feel like l've contributed significantly to the project." Those contributions led to a paper on transit light curves with finite integration time published in 2014, and another on the photoeccentric effect for planets of various sizes, set to be published in 2015. "One of the best parts of my time here at Caltech has been being able to do so much hands-on research; I never imagined I would be able to go so far. The professors here have had such an impact on me, and it's because I want to be able to do that for future students that I am planning to pursue a career in academia." Ellen Price Caltech Senior 16 Artist's conception of a newly discovered exoplanet 2 Equations from Jermyn's senior thesis 而機 سراب 18 204 C For senior Adam Jermyn, studying science in college was a no-brainer. The tricky part was focusing on just one area. As a freshman, he came to Caltech to study physics; later, he changed his focus to study biology after his grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Then, as a sophomore, he was encouraged by his statistical physics professor, Jason Alicea, to study condensed-matter physics; a graduate student invited him to do research on solar energy with Harry Atwater; and he took his first trip to the Palomar Observatory with Nick Scoville, which helped reignite a passion he has always had for astronomy. Jermyn will graduate this June with a degree in physics, and as both a Marshall Scholar and a Goldwater Scholar. "I never had room in my schedule to take the intro astronomy course that Dr. Scoville taught, but every year I would email him and ask him if I could tag along with that class to Palomar. It eventually dawned on me: If I'm this interested in astronomy, then why am I not doing it? "I've taken a strange path through this place. I've been distracted by all the shiny course offerings, but ultimately I'm here to do research, to be challenged. Amazingly, Caltech let me find my own challenges, and that helped me find my own way." Adam Jermyn Caltech Senior 19 NATIONAL AWARDS AND HONORS AMERICAN ASTRONAUTICAL SOCIETY, Lifetime Achievement Award: Edward C. Stone David Morrisroe Professor of Physics; Vice Provost for Special Projects 2014 PRESIDENTIAL EARLY CAREER AWARD FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS, Recipient: Theodor Agapie Professor of Chemistry NATIONAL ACADEMY OF INVENTORS, Fellow: Frances H. Arnold Dick and Barbara Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry; Director, Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen Bioengineering Center David Baltimore President Emeritus; Robert Andrews Millikan Professor of Biology Carver Mead Gordon and Betty Moore Professor of Engineering and Applied Science, Emeritus Axel Scherer Bernard Neches Professor of Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics and Physics NATIONAL INVENTORS HALL OF FAME, Inducted: Frances H. Arnold Dick and Barbara Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry; Director, Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen Bioengineering Center NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Member: Gregory C. Fu Altair Professor of Chemistry Fiona A. Harrison Benjamin M. Rosen Professor of Physics 20 Awards John P. Preskill Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, 2014 BRAIN Award: David J. Anderson Seymour Benzer Professor of Biology; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Michael H. Dickinson Esther M. and Abe M. Zarem Professor of Bioengineering Viviana Gradinaru Assistant Professor of Biology Markus Meister Anne P. and Benjamin F. Biaggini Professor of Biological Sciences Michael L. Roukes Robert M. Abbey Professor of Physics, Applied Physics, and Bioengineering Mikhail G. Shapiro Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Thanos G. Siapas Professor of Computation and Neural Systems Doris Y. Tsao Professor of Biology Changhui Yang Professor of Electrical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Medical Engineering NASA HONOR AWARDS: James J. (Jamie) Bock Professor of Physics; Jet Propulsion Laboratory Senior Research Scientist Christopher Martin Professor of Physics INTERNATIONAL AWARDS AND HONORS 2014 PRINCE OF ASTURIAS AWARD FOR TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, Recipient: Mark E. Davis Warren and Katharine Schlinger Professor of Chemical Engineering 2014 SPIE, George W. Goddard Award, Recipient: James J. (Jamie) Bock Professor of Physics; Jet Propulsion Laboratory Senior Research Scientist ORDER OF THE SACRED TREASURE GOLD AND SILVER STAR, JAPAN, Recipient: Hiroo Kanamori John E. and Hazel S. Smits Professor of Geophysics, Emeritus THE ROYAL SOCIETY, Fellow: Vladimir Markovic John D. MacArthur Professor of Mathematics SOCIETY OF SYNTHETIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, JAPAN, 2015 Mukaiyama Award: Brian Stoltz Professor of Chemistry KODANSHA PRIZE FOR SCIENCE BOOKS, JAPAN, Recipient: Hirosi Ooguri Fred Kavli Professor of Theoretical Physics and Mathematics; Deputy Chair of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy AWARDS AND HONORS FROM PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES 2014 ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER PRIZE IN MEDICINE AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH, Recipient: Alexander J. Varshavsky Howard and Gwen Laurie Smits Professor of Cell Biology AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, Fellow: John F. Brady Chevron Professor of Chemical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering; Executive Officer for Chemical Engineering Katherine T. Faber Simon Ramo Professor of Materials Science Kenneth A. Farley W. M. Keck Foundation Professor of Geochemistry Fiona A. Harrison Benjamin M. Rosen Professor of Physics AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS, Wallace E. Pratt Memorial Award, Recipient: Michael Gurnis John E. and Hazel S. Smits Professor of Geophysics; Director, Seismological Laboratory AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 2015 Priestley Medal, Recipient: Jacqueline K. Barton Arthur and Marian Hanisch Memorial Professor of Chemistry; Chair, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS, 2014 Andrew Gemant Award, Recipient: Sean Carroll Research Professor of Physics AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION, the William Bowie Medal, Recipient: Hiroo Kanamori John E. and Hazel S. Smits Professor of Geophysics, Emeritus AWARDS AND HONORS FROM FOUNDATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS SPRINGER SCIENCE + BUSINESS MEDIA, Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics, Recipient: Harry A. Atwater Howard Hughes Professor of Applied Physics and Materials Science; Director, Resnick Sustainability Institute DAVID AND LUCILE PACKARD FOUNDATION, Packard Fellowship, Fellow: Andrew Thompson Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering SOCIETY FOR EXPERIMENTAL MECHANICS, 2014 William M. Murray Award, Recipient: Guruswami (Ravi) Ravichandran John E. Goode, Jr., Professor of Aerospace and Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Director, Graduate Aerospace Laboratories INSTITUTE HONORS ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPS AND CHAIRS: Antonio Rangel Bing Professor of Neuroscience, Behavioral Biology, and Economics Oskar J. Painter John G Braun Professor of Applied Physics John C. Doyle Jean-Lou Chameau Professor of Control and Dynamical Systems, Electrical Engineering, and Bioengineering Edward M. Stolper Carl and Shirley Larson Provostial Chair Christopher R. Hitchcock J. O. and Juliette Koepfti Professor of Philosophy B. Thomas Soifer Kent and Joyce Kresa Leadership Chair, Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy Sarkis Mazmanian Luis B. and Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology Katherine T. Faber Simon Ramo Professor of Materials Science Thomas F. Rosenbaum Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING, Recipient: Steven C. Frautschi Professor of Theoretical Physics, Emeritus 21 Financial Summary For the fiscal years ended on September 30, 2014 and 2013 (in thousands) LETTER FROM DEAN CURRIE, VICE PRESIDENT FOR BUSINESS AND FINANCE I am happy to report that fiscal 2014 was another positive year for Caltech. Net assets increased by 6.6 percent and topped $2.5 billion on the strength of investment returns, the generosity of our donors, and careful management of operating expenses. The Institute's endowment rose to $2.1 billion due to investment returns and new contributions to the endowment, and provided more than $108 million in support to campus programs. Our visionary donors continue not only to increase Caltech's financial strength but also to provide the flexibility to determine the best use of funds in pursuing exciting opportunities. Similarly, increases in JPL funding and continued strength in funding of new campus research awards reveal the support for the ideas generated at Caltech. Overall expenses remained virtually unchanged, reflecting the Institute's continuing commitment to administrative efficiency. In particular, innovative efforts in the structure of health benefits will moderate costs in the years to come while maintaining accessible benefits for faculty, staff, and retirees, and providing upgraded benefits administration systems. As we usher in a new era of leadership under Thomas F. Rosenbaum, I am confident that the Institute's strong financial foundation, and its focus on flexibility and careful administration, will allow the Institute to maintain its commitment to scientific leadership as well as its ability to attract the world's most creative, insightful, and impactful scholars. Operating Revenues (excluding JPL) 2014 2013 Tuition and fees, net $ 36,307 $ 35,216 Endowment payout 108,086 102,162 Gifts and pledges 49,523 46,174 Grants and contracts 327,744 342,279 Other 72,022 80,476 Operating revenues $ 593,682 $ 606,307 Operating Expenses (excluding JPL) Compensation and benefits $ 351,490 $ 349,643 Supplies and services 122,759 144,882 Subcontracts 38,355 32,798 Graduate fellowships 17,202 17,720 Depreciation, accretion, & amortization 67,170 67,406 Utilities 18,040 16,170 Interest 16,788 16,400 Operating expenses $ 631,804 $ 645,019 Asset, Liability, and Net Assets Summary Cash and cash equivalents $ Accounts receivable, net Investments Other assets Deferred United States government billings Property, plant and equipment, net Total assets Accounts payable and accrued expenses Other liabilities Bonds and notes payable Accumulated postretirement benefit obligation Total net assets Total liabilities and net assets Increase in net assets 10,092 239,130 2,501,865 202,451 346,160 866,706 $ 4,166,404 $ 462,540 134,876 682,362 369,244 2,517,382 $ 4,166,404 $ 154,818 $ 10,209 216,290 2,392,563 181,367 456,917 874,288 $ 4,131,634 $ 408,913 118,155 726,970 515,032 2,362,564 $ 4,131,634 $ 182,125 Motecial stature ta tor the years ended scatember 0, 2019 and 201s, a have ten audited and have received an unmodified opinion. The complete, audited financial statements for the Institute can be seen at www.businessandfinance.caltech.edu. 22 6.1% Tuition and fees, net 8.3% Gifts and pledges 12.1% Other 18.2% Endowment payout 55.3% Grants and contracts 2014 Operating Revenues (excluding JPL) Grants and contracts $ 327,744 % 55.3 Endowment payout 108,086 18.2 Other 72,022 12.1 Gifts and pledges 49,523 8.3 Tuition and fees, net 36,307 6.1 Operating revenues $ 593,682 % 100.0 13.2% Institutional support 4.8% Auxiliaries 39.8% Organized research 42.2% Instruction and academic support 2014 Operating Expenses (excluding JPL) Instruction and academic support $ 266,766 % 42.2 Organized research 251,374 39.8 Institutional support 83,198 13.2 Auxiliaries 30,466 4.8 Operating expenses $ 631,804 % 100.0 23 Caltech Board of Trustees (as of March 2015) OFFICERS OF THE BOARD David L. Lee Chair Ronald K. Linde Vice Chair Thomas F. Rosenbaum President TRUSTEES Sean Bailey Barbara McConnell Barrett Brigitte M. Bren John E. Bryson John S. Chen Wenchi Chen Peggy T. Cherng Robert B. Chess David T. Dreier Lounette M. Dyer Joshua S. Friedman William T. Gross Narendra K. Gupta Maria D. Hummer-Tuttle Robert T. Jenkins G. Bradford Jones Peter D. Kaufman Louise Kirkbride Walter G. Kortschak Jon B. Kutler David L. Lee York Liao Alexander Lidow Andrew N. Liveris Shirley M. Malcom Deborah D. McWhinney Richard N. Merkin Kenneth G. Moore Philip M. Neches Patrick H. Nettles, Jr. Peter Norton Stephen R. Onderdonk Thomas F. Rosenbaum Stephen A. Ross James F. Rothenberg Richard H. Scheller Marc I. Stern Donald W. Tang Kevin M. Taweel David W. Thompson Richmond A. Wolf SENIOR TRUSTEES Gordon M. Binder Robert C. Bonner Lynn A. Booth Milton M. Chang William H. Davidow Thomas E. Everhart B. Kipling Hagopian Frederick J. Hameetman Shirley M. Hufstedler Bobby R. Inman Kent Kresa Ronald K. Linde A. Michael Lipper Ronald L. Olson Stewart A. Resnick Nelson C. Rising Charles R. Trimble Lewis W. van Amerongen Walter L. Weisman Gayle E. Wilson Suzanne H. Woolsey LIFE MEMBERS George L. Argyros Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr. Donald Bren Eli Broad Harold Brown Walter Burke Jewel Plummer Cobb Harry M. Conger Richard P. Cooley Camilla Chandler Frost Arthur L. Goldstein Philip M. Hawley Gordon E. Moore Sidney R. Petersen Simon Ramo Arthur Rock Benjamin M. Rosen Richard M. Rosenberg Robert J. Schultz Mary L. Scranton Dennis Stanfill Virginia V. Weldon HONORARY LIFE MEMBER Betty I. Moore 24 Academic Leadership Thomas F. Rosenbaum President Edward M. Stolper Provost Mory Gharib Vice Provost Cindy A. Weinstein Vice Provost Jacqueline K. Barton Chair, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering John P. Grotzinger Chair, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences Stephen L. Mayo Chair, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering Ares J. Rosakis Chair, Division of Engineering and Applied Science Jean-Laurent Rosenthal Chair, Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences B. Thomas Soifer Chair, Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy Photo Credits: Portraits on pages 2, 5, 6, 9,12, 14, 17, 18: Mario de Lopez; Other images, 2: Mikhail Shapiro; 5: crop of image from Wikimedia.org, flickr.com/photos/griannan, published under CC BY 2.0; 6: Liching Lo, the Allen Institute for Brain Science and the Allen Mouse Connectivity Atlas; 9: Manuel Monge/Azita Emami's lab; 10-11: Lance Hayashida; 12: crop of image from Wikimedia.org, Jason Auch, www.flickr.com/photos/10004136@N05/3212359454, published under CC BY 2.0; 14: NASA/JPL-Caltech/CXC/SAO; 17: NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program; 18: Jenny K. Somerville. Graphic design by Keith & Co. Produced by the Office of Strategic Communications Caltech Cao East Catamia Bmw