GSC Photo Contest
The GSC Publications Committee with be hosting the annual photo contest in February 2008. We will be accepting photographs during the entire month from Caltech graduate students only. The two categories will be:
Research - microscopic to telescopic imaging
Where Your Research Takes You - Caltech or in the field
There will be one grand prize and each category will have one 1st place and two runners up. Prizes will include iTunes gift cards for runners up, a digital picture frame or an iTunes gift card for each 1st place, and a grand prize that will be announced in January. For each picture, all applicants should specify: whether they' d prefer an iTunes gift card or digital picture frame, and photo categories. People are encouraged to submit multiple photos, but should limit their total number of submissions to five. The winning photographs will be posted in the March GSC Newsletter as well as the GSC Display Case outside of the Red Door. Stay tuned for more info on rules, the grand prize, and where submissions should be sent.
Moore Foundation Commits $200 Million for Thirty-Meter Telescope
The California Institute of Technology and the University of California have received a $200 million commitment over nine years from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation toward the further development and construction of the Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT). Funding under this commitment will be shared equally between the two universities, with matching gifts from the two institutions expected to bring the total to $300 million. When built, TMT will be the largest telescope in the world.
With the TMT, astronomers will be able to locate and analyze the light from the first stellar systems born soon after the Big Bang, determine the physical processes governing the formation and evolution of galaxies like our own Milky Way, study planet formation around nearby stars, and make observations that test the fundamental laws of physics.
TMT will consist of a primary mirror with 492 individual 1.45-meter segments that together measure 30 meters in diameter, providing more than eight times the collecting area of the current largest telescope. All segments will be under precision computer control so that they will work together as a single mirror. This revolutionary technology was developed for the 10-meter mirrors in the two Keck telescopes in Hawaii.
The TMT will not only be the largest optical-infrared telescope in the world, but it will also be at the forefront of technology in virtually every aspect of its design. Adaptive optics (AO) will allow the TMT to achieve a resolution superior to that of the Hubble Space Telescope.
The TMT AO system will use six laser beams to create six luminous spots in a layer of sodium atoms high in Earth's upper atmosphere. These bright artificial stars serve as references for measuring the turbulence in the atmosphere, allowing the AO system to compensate for blurring of starlight by Earth's fluctuating atmosphere. This technology was pioneered at the Lick Observatory 3-meter telescope and has been developed further at the Palomar 5-meter and Keck 10-meter telescopes.
Earthquake Season in the Himalayan Front
Scientists have long
searched for what triggers earthquakes, even
suggesting that tides or weather play a role.
Recent research spearheaded by Jean-Philippe
Avouac, professor of geology and director of the
Tectonics Observatory at the California Institute
of Technology, shows that in the Himalayan
mountains, at least, there is indeed an
earthquake season. It's winter.
For decades, geologists studying earthquakes in the Himalayan range of Nepal had noted that there were far more quakes in the winter than in the summer, but it was difficult to assign a cause. Now, over a decade of data from GPS receivers and satellite measurements of land-water storage make it possible to connect the monsoon season with the frequency of earthquakes along the Himalaya front. The analysis also provides key insight into the timescale of earthquake nucleation in the region.
In the Himalaya, monsoon rains swell the rivers of the Ganges basin, increasing the pressure bearing down on the region. As the rains stop, the river water soaks through the ground and the built-up load eases outward, toward the front of the range. This outward redistribution of stress after the rains end leads to horizontal compression in the mountain range later in the year, triggering the wintertime earthquakes.
Nightlife
Merrielle Spain
The Getty Villa MalibuEvening-life. It closes at sunset.
Ascending to the Getty Malibu, you feel that you might be in the Roman Empire. Your car lurches up the roughly cobbled path, which is guarded by museum employees checking your reservation papers and collecting your $8 parking toll. Once you pass the archway, you see it up ahead, the Villa of the Papyri, recreation.
The Villa (belonging to Julius Cesar's father in law) was hidden under Vesuvian ash for 1600 years, making such a detailed recreation possible. This former home of the Getty Museum (before 1997) is the architectural foil of Getty Center. For every line of the Getty Center that is clean and modern, the Villa has a brightly colored flourish or inlaid marble pattern. As with the architecture, the collection here is restricted to ancient Roman, Greek, and Etruscan artwork. However the grounds at both locations are breathtaking.
Scientific Publishing
Second Library-sponsored Panel Discussion on Scientific Publishing
Daniel Taylor
On November 28 Jasna Markovac, research biologist and scientific-publishing-industry veteran, led off the second program in the series "What's wrong with scientific publishing, and how do we fix it?" After a sweeping overview of developments in this field, Markovac contrasted traditional with open access publishing models. Factors contributing to the primary problem of high costs include increasing pressure to publish, increasing focus on impact factors, plagiarism, duplicate and redundant publication, fraud, and conflicts of interest. Markovac identified changes needed such as more funding for both research and publication, better ways of identifying good research, more accurate perception of similarities and distinctions -- among publishers, authors, readers, and libraries -- as well as between commercial ("profit") and not-for-profit ("surplus") publishers -- along with continuing innovation. Caltech University Librarian Kimberly Douglas pointed out differentiation resulting from alternatives to the printing press, a trend toward barrier-free access on the internet, and a need for all disciplines to re-engineer how they publish amid this environment of experimentation. Caltech Biology Professor Mary Kennedy identified factors driving the perceived "publish-or-perish" pressure as including reduced research funds, and the growing perception that success requires a scientist to publish in one or more of about 5 journals, depending upon discipline. Spirited audience participation ensued on issues such as whether journals are still needed, the breakdown of publication costs, and pros and cons of open or democratic publication systems. At least two more scholarly communications events are planned for this academic year. Program suggestions are welcome at library@caltech.edu.Caltech Technique Editor
Calling all grad students:The GSC Publications Committee is currently looking for a new editor for the Technique. The position would involve maintaining the website, providing hard copies to the Graduate Student Office, and taking charge of getting the hardcopy of the Technique published. If you're interested, please contact Ken Diest: diest@caltech.edu by January 9th. Please include a list of any programming, web server, and publications experience you've had.
GSC Teaching and Mentoring Award Nominations
Have you had a professor, advisor, or TA of exceptional quality?
Nominate them for a GSC Award in one of three categories:
Classroom Teaching, Mentoring, or TAing.
Please encourage your graduate student classmates or labmates to nominate the individual(s) who deserve to be recognized. For group nominations, each person should still submit a nomination form. All nominations are due by May 9, 2008 but don't wait...nominate now! Nominations will be accepted through the school year and awardees will be selected by late May.
Westside Rentals
The GSC and MHF bring current graduate students $10 subscriptions to Westside Rentals. Subscribe.
Yalda night
Join FICCIT (Friends of Iranian Culture at CIT) to celebrate Yalda with Iranian traditional and dance music, lots of pomegranates, mixed nuts and dried fruits, and more food and drinks! Funded by the GSC.
When: Tuesday, December 18 2007, 8:30pm-1:30am
Where: Catalina North Recreation Room
About Yalda: In Iran, the winter solstice has been celebrated for centuries and it is called the Yalda night, which refers to the birthday or rebirth of the sun (Yalda means birth). The ceremony is traced back to the primal concept of "light" and "good" against "darkness" and "evil" in the ancient Iranian religion. The last night of the Persian month "Azar" is the longest night of the year. From this day on, the light triumphs as the days grow longer and give more light. This celebration comes in the Persian month of 'Day', which was also the name of the pre-Zoroastrian creator god (deity). Later he became known as the god of creation and light, from which we have the English word day.
Orienteering, the "thinking sport!"
Sunday, January 13, 9am-1pm O'Neill Regional ParkEnjoy map navigation and hiking or running? Then join the Caltech Orienteering Club to try out this fun sport!
Orienteering is an event that involves traversing wilderness terrain with a map and compass, finding hidden markers along the way: think hiking plus a treasure hunt! A number of courses at varying difficulty levels are always available, so it can be as easy-going (leisurely stroll on trails) or competitive (hard run with vegetation) as you like. Beginners are most welcome, and partners or groups may compete together. We also provide brief lessons on orienteering for newcomers. Simply show up with a desire for fresh air and some clothing that you don't mind getting dirty.
For more information or to sign up for the event, e-mail Luigi Perotti at luigiemp@caltech.edu. Orienteering website
Floorball
Floorball is a lightweight, non-contact version of indoor hockey played in tennis shoes-no skates. Pickup games are in Brown gym on Monday nights from 10pm to midnight. Our weekly pickup games will begin for the winter term on January 7th. We're always happy to get new players- no experience is necessary. There's a lot of running, so dress comfortably. Questions? Email Andrew at bandy@its.caltech.edu.
URS Committee
The URS Committee has decided on an annual list of events, aimed at our target communities, that we would like to host. We are seeking membership, so if you have ideas relevant to under-represented groups we hope that you will join us at our meetings outside of the Red Door Cafe, on the second Thursday of every month at noon.
Center for Information
Science and Technology
The California Institute of Technology broke
ground on the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Center for Information
Science and Technology at 11 a.m. December 7.
The building, designed by the architectural firm Frederick Fisher and Partners in Los Angeles, will serve as home to participants of the IST initiative, a program of interdisciplinary research and instruction that addresses the growth and impact of information as it relates to all science and engineering practices. Researchers in this initiative come from many academic divisions at Caltech. The aim of the new facility is to bring these individuals together to foster collaboration and interdisciplinary research and teaching intrinsic to this emerging academic discipline.
IST has launched four new research centers to answer these questions: What are the theoretical foundations of information? What are the fundamental physical limits to information? How does nature compute and communicate information? And how does information shape social systems?
Caltech Helps Students Afford College
Beginning with undergraduates entering in the fall of 2008, most
domestic students whose total family incomes are $60,000 per year or
less will be offered a financial-aid package that substitutes
scholarships for loans. For domestic applicants, the Institute offers need-blind admission to
its undergraduate programs without any consideration of ability to
pay. Caltech is also among the very few colleges or universities that
make it financially possible for any U.S. student who is admitted to
attend and graduate. Caltech currently provides financial assistance equal to 61 percent of the
estimated cost of attendance for undergraduate students.
| Free search engine submission service. |
Featured Contents
GSC Photo ContestCaltech Technique Editor
GSC Teaching and Mentoring Award Nominations
$10 Westside Rentals
Yalda night
Moore Foundation Commits $200 Million for Thirty-Meter Telescope
Earthquake Season in Himalayas
Nightlife: The Getty Villa Malibu
Scientific Publishing
New Printing Policy
for Students, Faculty, and Staff (effective January 1, 2008)
Free-printing allowance: $50 per calendar quarter
10¢ per sheet for black and white
20¢ per sheet for color
Two-sided printing (aka 'duplex'), where supported, is at no additional cost per sheet. Check your printing credit balance in the pop-up window that appears when you log onto library workstations with your IMSS account. Charges exceeding the free-printing allowance will be charged to your Bursar's account or to a PTA account at the end of the calendar quarter. Maximum single print-job size (because of printer limitations) will be 200 pages or 100MB, whichever is less.
The library strongly encourages patrons to monitor their printing allowance. Patrons should print only for themselves. If a file must be printed for each member of a group, please inform group members of the file's network location, and let each print for himself, on his personal printing allowance.
All printing will be charged. Excessive printing may result in the library contacting patrons to ensure understanding of the policy.
Caltech Project for Effective
People come to Caltech for many different reasons, but many of us are here to prepare for an academic career that will involve teaching. If youÕre interested in teaching, interested in improving your skills as a TA, or interested in improving the learning process at Caltech in general, you should be aware of the Caltech Project for Effective Teaching. CPET hosts workshops and seminars aimed at developing teaching skills within the Caltech community. We also sponsor a certificate program that certifies participantsÕ efforts to improve their own teaching skills through CPET programs. If youÕre considering an academic career, this is an excellent addition to your resume! More information is available on our website. CPET events for January include:"Understanding the international classroom: How culture impacts teaching and learning." Dr. James Stigler, co-author of The Teaching Gap and The Learning Gap. Jan. 15, 5 PM. Co-sponsored by ISP.
"Teaching science: being a force for change." A seminar on how to innovate college classroom education by Dr. Maria Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd College. Jan. 29, 5 PM.
Amnesty International
Tuesday, Jan. 8, 7:30 pm: letter-writing in the Athenaeum. We will meet in the Rathskeller in the basement. (Look for a table with the Amnesty sign.) Join us for actions on human-rights violations around the world, talk, and refreshments.
Lagerstrom Chamber Music Concert
Sunday, January 6, 2008Jennifer Frautschi, violin, and John Blacklow, piano, Dabney Lounge. 3:30 p.m. This Lagerstrom Chamber Music Concert will include works by Mozart and Ravel. Admission: free. Call campus extension 4652 for further information.
Philharmonia Quartett Berlin
Sunday, January 13, 2008Philharmonia Quartett Berlin, Beckman Auditorium, free parking located at 332 South Michigan Avenue, Pasadena (south of Del Mar Boulevard). 3:30 p.m. This Coleman Chamber Music Concert will include works by Shostakovich and Beethoven. Caltech Students: Fifty (50) free tickets will be available beginning Monday, January 7, at the Caltech Ticket Office. Limit two (2) tickets per Caltech student I.D. Call campus extension 4652 for further information.
Caltech Jazz Bands
The Caltech Jazz Bands, directed by William Bing, will be presenting their annual winter concert on Friday, January 18, at 8 PM in Beckman Auditorium. This concert will feature the music of Stan Kenton. Some of the selections to be performed include "Stompin' at the Savoy", "Send in the Clowns", and "Intermission Riff". This will be a free concert and is open to the public.On another note, the jazz bands will be releasing their latest CD, "The Variety Pack" on the same night. The CD will be available for sale that night, and also in the Caltech Bookstore.
Stem Cell Research Collaboration
California Institute of Technology,
University of Southern California, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles,
City of Hope, the University of California Santa Barbara, and the
House Ear Institute
have joined forces to advance stem cell research by establishing the
Southern California Stem Cell Scientific Collaboration (SC3).
Through grants from organizations such as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and the National Institutes of Health, SC3 members have a long history of partnering on various research projects. The new agreement is a major step forward in supporting potential significant stem cell findings by allowing members to share training programs, scientific core facilities, and expertise, and to team up on a wide range of research programs.