Staff News
Pat Leahy Retires from KML
Welcome Hadia!
We welcomed Hadia El-Bardisy to BBE in March as our new Division Finance Manager. Hadia comes to us most recently from Cal State Dominguez Hills where she was a Fiscal Officer. Previously, she worked in several financial positions at USC in the Dornsife College and Provost’s Office.
Celebrating the Life of Bill Lease
Bill Lease, a 45-year Caltech employee and former Biology Stockroom supervisor, passed away on March 16, 2021. The division is planning a Celebration of Life in June, please contact dpwarren@caltech.edu for more info.
Faculty News and Highlights
Congratulations to Michael Elowitz on being elected to the National Academy of Sciences
CCE colleagues Bil Clemons and Linda Hsieh-Wilson were also elected this year.
A reception to congratulate Michael in person will be planned in the coming weeks.
Stephen Mayo (PhD '87) Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Stephen Mayo (PhD '87), Bren Professor of Biology and Chemistry and Merkin Institute Professor, has been elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation's oldest honorary societies. This year, 261 new members were elected, including five Caltech alumni: Rena Bizios (MS '71), Robert Calderbank (PhD '80), Karen Oegema (BS '89), Shannon Stahl (PhD '97), and Virginia Trimble (MS '65, PhD '68).
Mayo has been a member of the Caltech faculty since 1992 and served as vice provost for research from 2007 to 2010 and chair of the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering from 2010 to 2020. Mayo's research focuses on the development of computational approaches to protein engineering, a field that has broad applications ranging from advanced biofuels to human therapeutics. He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2004 for his pioneering contributions in the field of protein design and was appointed by President Obama in March 2013 to the National Science Board.
Viviana Gradinaru Featured in a Coloring Book from The Vilcek Foundation
Visibility and recognition of women and minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a vital component of fostering greater diversity and equity for under-represented groups in the next generation of scientific leaders.
Alice Huang Leadership Award
BBE announces the recipients of the first Alice Huang Service Award, which is intended to recognize extraordinary contributions to the division. We received nearly 30 nominations for the award, with students, postdocs, faculty, and staff nominating each other in every possible combination. The BBE division steering committee (Pamela Bjorkman, Michael Dickinson, Dianne Newman and Niles Pierce) selected Jost Vielmetter, Barbara Wold, and the entire Caltech COVID Surveillance Lab (CCSL) team for this year’s award. This new award, established in recognition of the contributions that Alice Huang has made to Caltech and to BBE, recognizes the incredible effort that Barbara, Jost, and the staff and volunteers of the CCSL have made in bringing the CCSL online and providing surveillance testing to the campus. Their work has been extraordinary and it was with great pleasure that we got to recognize their efforts.
Recent Published Papers
When you absentmindedly reach out to pick up your cup of coffee and take a sip, what happens in your brain? Many studies have shown that brain activity begins to ramp up even before you are aware of your choice to move. But this poses a conundrum: Do we have free will to make our own choices, if our brains are already preparing for actions before we are even conscious of them? Read Article Featured in Current Biology
A Caltech-led team of researchers has discovered that a small-molecule metabolite, produced by bacteria that reside in the mouse gut, can travel to the brain and alter the function of brain cells, leading to increased anxiety in mice. The work helps uncover a molecular explanation for recent observations that gut microbiome changes are associated with complex emotional behaviors Read Article Featured in Nature
Drinking a glass of water is often sufficient to quench thirst after exercising. But while the sensation of thirst may be satiated after just a few minutes of drinking, the process of rehydration actually takes around half an hour. The delay occurs because the brain receives signals that you drank water before the body is fully rehydrated based on the detection and measurement of osmolality levels in the gut. Osmolality represents the concentration of dissolved materials including sodium and glucose. Read Article Featured in Nature
BBE Announcements
BBE Town Hall Meeting Update
BBE held its first ever Town Hall event on 4/21/22 to talk about how things are going in the division and what we can do to make things better. The Town Hall Committee briefly surveyed some of the results from the BBE responses to the Caltech Climate Survey that was taken last year. While BBE responses were equivalent or better than the overall campus response in most cases, there were still many areas identified where we can improve. Following the presentation of the BBE survey results, four different groups entered breakout rooms to talk more specifically about constructive steps that we can take to improve BBE. Over 100 people participated in the breakout sessions and the committee received a very thoughtful set of observations and suggestions for things to improve. Please find a brief summary of the issues and suggestions that were brought forward by the breakout groups, along with some steps that the committee are considering to help make improvements in the follow up email sent by Richard Murray and Dianne Newman on 4/27/22.
Check out the BBE RESOURCES page!
Have questions? The Resources page can help! You will find useful links such as:
- Division Contacts
- Division Calendar
- Conference Room Reservations
- Human Resources Forms
- Holiday Schedule
- Incoming Postdoc Information
- Procurement Guides and Resources...and so much more!
Scan the barcode to be taken directly to the Resources page or click here.
Vromans at Caltech
Announcing Vroman's @ Caltech Library, our new partnership with Pasadena’s own Vroman’s Bookstore, Southern California’s oldest and largest independent bookstore. University Librarian Kara Whatley and the Vroman’s staff have curated a collection designed specifically for the Caltech community. The collection is focused on academic research and science and technology titles published in the past year. The books are available for review and can be ordered in the TechHub located on the first floor of Caltech Hall. Vroman’s entire inventory will also be available to order for campus delivery twice a week. Books can be picked up at the TechHub and delivery to campus offices is also available.
Wireless Upgrade Project
Caltech is in the process of a complete campus-wide wireless network refresh. Our installation plan and selected buildings will be identified at the beginning of each fiscal year. As of February 2022, they have upgraded 106 campus buildings or 78% of the structures on campus (academic buildings, student housing, admin buildings, and houses on Hill and Wilson.) and installed outdoor access points at ten targeted locations on campus to support faculty, students and staff in teaching, learning and collaboration. The remaining 32 buildings include 10 academic buildings, houses on Hill and Wilson streets, and administrative buildings.
New Printing Services
Typecraft, Wood & Jones is now the preferred printing services provider for Caltech. Typecraft has built an Amazon-style storefront for Caltech that can be accessed directly at caltech.myprintdesk.net. Click "Login" then "Register" to create an account and get started. Find more information here.
Fisher Scientific Stockroom Grand Opening 5/31/22
The long awaited Fisher stockroom is opening it's doors on May 31! Fisher Scientific will offer the following services:
- Life sciences supply center
- Touchscreen kiosk
- Updated products and equipment
- Onsite Unity™ Lab Services representative
Located in Alles 181 - Hours: Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Universal Indoor Masking Reinstated
Caltech has reinstated its requirement that high-quality masks (surgical, N95s, KN95s, or KF95s) be worn in all indoor locations on campus, including athletic facilities. Exceptions to this rule can be made when an individual is alone in a space or is actively eating or drinking. Additionally, instructors, speakers, and performers may elect to remove their masks indoors when all other individuals in the space are masked. All updated information can be found on the Caltech Together website.
Multi-factor Authentication has been Enforced
Multi-factor authentication is a security technology that requires multiple methods of authentication, such as username, password, and a third factor, such as a smartphone app like Duo Mobile. Due to the threatening environment the internet is today and in an effort to better secure user's Office 365 applications (Email, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive), IMSS has enforced enrollment. More information and instructions here.
Featured Events
Thursday, May 5, 7pm - UnRavelled: Understanding Dementia through Art and Science, Dabney Lounge
Friday, May 6, 10am 12:30pm - Ethical Orientations for Collegiality, Mentoring, and Teaching Online Event
Monday, May 9, 10am - GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP for Graduate Students & Postdocs - Session 1, BI 115
Monday, May 9, 4pm - Wiersma Lecture and Reception, Mani Ramaswami, Chen 100
Monday, May 16, 10am - GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP for Graduate Students & Postdocs - Session 2, BI 115
Wednesday, May 18, 10am - GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP for Graduate Students & Postdocs - Session 3, BI 115
Thursday, June 2, 10am - Service Impact Awards, Beckman Auditorium
Friday, June 10, 10am - Commencement, Beckman Mall
Monday, June 13 - Summer Term Begins
All upcoming events can be found on the BBE Calendar
This newsletter is intended to be a valuable resource for the Division of BBE. Please email your feedback and ideas to bbenewsletter@caltech.edu
Photo Credits (with the exception of staff and professor headshots): Katie Fisher, Joan Sullivan, Sue Zindle