1- u.. 1- 1- u.. en

The campus community biweekly May 31, 2001, vol. 1, no. 11

H2 0 commandos! Royal honors bestowed on Zewail, Kulkarni

Bjorkman elected to NAS

Caltech's Pamela Bjorkman, professor of Ahmed Zewail Shrinivas Kulkarni and executive officer for biology, is one of 72 American scientists elected this year to Joining the distinguished company of membership in the National Academy of science greats Isaac Newton, Charles Sciences (NAS). The announcement was Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Stephen made at the academy's 138th annual meet­ Hawking, Caltech's Ahmed Zewail and ing this month in Washington. Shrinivas Kulkarni have been elected to Bjorkman, who has been on the Caltech the Royal Society, one of the oldest and faculty since 1988, is the Institute's first female most prestigious international scientific faculty member to be elected to the NAS. She societies. focuses much of her research on molecules Nobel Prize winner Ahmed Zewail, the involved in cell-surface recognition, particu­ Pauling Professor of Chemical Physics larly molecules ofthe immune system. Inves­ and professor of physics at Caltech, was tigators in her lab use a combined approach, elected as a foreign member of the Royal including X-ray crystallography to determine Society for his pioneering development of three-dimensional structures; molecular bio­ a new laser-based field that, as recog­ logical techniques to produce proteins and to nized by the Nobel Prize, caused a revolu­ modify them; and biochemistry to study the tion in chemistry and adjacent sciences. proteins' properties. see Royal Society. page 6 Much of the Bjorkman lab's efforts have involved proteins known as class I MHC, as Students boldly go where decades of Caltech undergrads have gone before, commandeering the campus on the Institute's annual Ditch Day. It was May 17th, frosh! well as very similar proteins that have a number of functions aside from an immu­ The world will nological role. In a 1999 study, for ex­ Biochemical A little help from ample, Bjorkman and her colleagues soon be their lab determined the three-dimensional struc­ II on-off" switch Caltech friends ture of a protein that causes cachexia, a wasting syndrome in cancer and AIDS Caltech students with an interest in marine discovered patients. The discovery provided the scien­ Last fall, 32 students at Littlerock High science will soon be conducting research tific basis for possible future strategies for School, east of Lancaster, weren't think­ aboard the rolling deck of a Boston whaler Proteins are the cell's arbiters. In a com­ controlling cachexia and/or for the treat­ ing about their new textbooks and teach­ at sea, or while kneeling in the wet sand of plex and still largely mysterious cascade ment of obesity. ers. Instead they were focused on the a Southern California estuary. Such real­ of events, proteins tell a cell when to A native of Portland, Oregon, Bjorkman satellite they had to finish building world learning will be part of a new Envi­ divide and grow-and when to die. To earned her bachelor's degree from the before June. ronmental Science and Engineering properly control cell behavior, proteins University of Oregon in 1978 and her doc­ With the help of Caltech postdoctoral program funded by a five-year, $700,000 need to be turned on when they are torate from Harvard University in 1984. scholar Ravinder Bhatia, the students grant from the Henry Luce Foundation. needed, and turned off when they are Afterward, she held postdoctoral positions designed and built a satellite mock-up Intended for both graduate and under­ not. Now a Caltech biologist and his at Harvard and the Stanford University that, if deployed, would observe strato­ graduate students, the ESE program will colleagues have shed important new School of Medicine. She is an investigator spheric ozone depletion in the northern be interdisciplinary in its approach, span­ light on how this takes place in animals with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute hemisphere over a three-year period. ning the fields of geology, engineering, and plants. and has been a Pew Scholar in the bio­ see Satellite, page 6 and chemistry. For the graduate students, In a paper published in the May 18 medical sciences, an American Cancer the goal is to unify and enlarge environ­ issue of the journal Science, Associate Society Postdoctoral Fellow, and an Ameri­ mental teaching and research at Caltech. Professor of Biology Raymond Deshaies can Society of Histocompatibility and Im­ Undergraduates will have the opportunity and his graduate students show that an munogenetics Young Investigator. to take a lab class in environmental analy­ assemblage of proteins known as CSN Bjorkman has also received the William sis. "The students here have a ton of skills may serve as a kind of biochemical on­ B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and off switch for other proteins. in Fundamental Immunology, the Gairdner physics," says Jess Adkins, a Caltech In plants, research done in the labora­ Foundation International Award for assistant professor of geochemistry and tory of Deshaies's collaborator, Xing­ achievements in medical science, and the global environmental science, "and a Wang Deng of Yale University, has Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter number are interested in the environment, shown that CSN prevents photomorpho­ Award. but don't quite know what direction to go genesis (roughly, the growth of plants Bjorkman's election to the National in with that interest." The ESE program controlled by light) when light is absent. Academy of Sciences brings to 67 the num­ will help provide that direction, he says. CSN is widely distributed in animals as ber of living Caltech professors and profes­ The laboratory class will immerse well, but until now no one knew what sors emeritus who have earned the undergraduates in field-based research. any of its functions were. Now Deshaies's prestigious honor. The National Academy, Typically, Adkins says, the lab experience research shows that CSN may be linked established in 1863 by President Lincoln, in many classes is limited to textbook to a recently discovered protein modifi- Ravinder Bhatia and Brian Keating help students acts as an advisory body for the federal problems and off-the-shelf samples that display their satellite mock-up. government on scientific matters. see Switch, page 6 see Grant, page 6 • 2 Caltech 336, May 31,2001

A whirlwind of McCallan bids NewsBriefs commencement adieu events

The activities offered for Caltech's 107th commencement are designed to give fami­ lies and friends a snapshot of the singular world in which their graduates have been living for the past several years. Beginning on Thursday, June 14, visi­ tors may enjoy a welcoming buffet lunch at Avery House. In addition to taking self­ guided tours that are available through­ out the day, visitors may go to Ramo Auditorium at 1 p.m . to watch a video of the design contest entered by students in Mechanical Engineering 72. It will be followed by presentations made by SURF award winners and by student videos of Senior Ditch Day activities. The stacks left standing in the student houses will be Take a stroll down one of the leafy paths available for tours immediately following. that wind through campus, or step inside Visitors may accept President Baltimore one of the buildings. Chances are that and Dr. Huang's invitation to a reception in Mike McCallan had a hand in the design the President's Garden from 4 to 6 p.m. and construction of the structure in which Graduating seniors and their families are you find yourself and the path you took also invited to a banquet, beginning at to get there. In fact, a great part of the 6 p.m. at the Athenaeum. The day will campus looks and feels the way it does wrap with a concert featuring the Caltech because of him. Chamber Singers at 8:30p.m . in Dabney As Caltech's associate director of engi­ Lounge. neering and construction management Commencement exercises will begin for more than two decades, McCallan has at 10 a.m. on Beckman Mall. This year, wielded tremendous influence steering Gordon Moore, one of the fathers of the the design and ensuring the structural modern microprocessor and a Caltech integrity of dozens of lecture halls, labs, Caltech's Paul Messina, right, received the Distinguished Associate award from David Crandall of the alumnus (class of 1954), will deliver the and office buildings. U.S. Department of Energy on May 25. The citation commends Messina for his achievements in commencement address. He and his staff see to it that, from computational science and for his contributions to the DOE's Stockpile Stewardship program, Early numbers indicate that the pool of concept to ribbon cutting, construction designed to ensure the safety and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons arsenal. graduates includes 207 candidates who projects are completed with the best will be eligible for their bachelor's degree, materials, on schedule, and within their allotted budgets. 83 for their master's degree, and 157 for Now, after an impressive 45 years Honors and awards Media minute their PhD. A noontime reception for the gradu­ spent building a career distinguished by a remarkable climb from carpenter to the Mory Gharib, professor of aeronautics and fac­ Associates celebrate 75 years ates will follow on the Athenaeum lawn. ulty member in bioengineering, was invited by the top management post in his department, A May 19 Pasadena Star News article covered • American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) he will retire at the end of June. highlights from the Caltech Associates' recent to give the Honored Speaker address to the 81st 75th anniversary celebration dinner, which McCallan first stepped foot on campus annual AATS conference on May 8 in San Diego. brought more than 300 Institute friends together as a carpenter in 1956, fresh from North­ Speaking at the San Diego Convention Center to a for an evening at the Athenaeum. Founded in Summer dance ern Ireland, and you can still catch a light gathering of 3,000 thoracic surgeons from all 1926, the Associates are a nationwide group of around the world, he discussed the challenges County Tyrone brogue in his words. The individuals dedicated to supporting Caltech. classes for kids and rewards of applying bioengineering principles move was fueled by youthful dreams of The event featured Goldberger Professor of to space exploration. America, the same ones shared by gen­ Physics Andrew Lange, who talked about his The Caltech Dance Troupe is sponsoring research at the South Pole, and a panel discussion erations of immigrants before him. Elliot Meyerowitz, professor of biology and two dance classes this summer for chil­ with three Caltech presidents-Harold Brown, "I was experimenting with America," chair of the biology division, has been named a Thomas Everhart, and David Baltimore­ dren of Caltech students, faculty, and Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal winner for 2001. In he said. " I thought I'd come for a short moderated by Beckman Professor of Chemistry staff, and of JPL employees. announcing the award, Yale University cited time and probably go home." Instead, he Harry Gray. The classes are open to both boys and Meyerowitz's contributions to Drosophila (fruit fly) found a small college in need of carpen­ girls, and will meet on eight Saturdays, genetics and developmental biology early in his try skills acquired during four years at career, and his more recent discovery that from June 23 to August 11, in the Braun A bubble in time technical college and the Be lfast College Arabidopsis tha/iana has the smallest genome of Athletic Center multipurpose room. No any of the known higher plants, which "spurred a Inspired by the effervescence in a glass of soda, of Technology. special clothing or shoes are required, revolution in the plant biology community." The Caltech/JPL staff member Fred Romberg has Two weeks after arriving in the United created a clock made of bubbles, reported the and the cost of each class is $25 for the medal was awarded on May 20 at Yale's com­ States, he reported to work at Physical British journal New Scientist in its May 5 issue. A summer. A parent or guardian must mencement convocation. Plant. Soon enough, the 20-year-old staffer at Caltech's Residence Life office and at accompany the child to class sessions. JPL's communications ground systems section, Billy- his given name is actually Will­ For children ages 3 to 5 years (child Romberg said, "I thought that if I could control the iam-was approached by a fellow car­ must be 3 years old by the first day of motion of the bubbles, I could start making letters, penter. Personals numbers and other shapes with them." His proto­ class), there will be a 45-minute " Fun " He said, 'Since my name's Bill and type clock has two sheets of glass forming a With Movement" class from 1 to 1:45 there's another Bill here, and since you're New positions narrow tank filled with baby oil. Valves at the p.m. These classes are designed to in­ tank's bottom, controlled by a microchip, release Irish, it's going to have to be either Pat or struct children on the basics of rhythm, bubbles of dye that rise slowly to the top in either Mike," McCallan remembered with a Chris Wendrowski will join Caltech on June 11 balance, coordination, and interpretative as Physical Plant's associate director of engineer­ a digital or analog time display. Said Peter Church, smile. Knowing that his mother would of the Technology Innovation Centre at the Univer­ movement in a fun, social setting. ing and construction management; the Institute object to the former, Billy gave way to sity of Central England, "It's a gimmick. But I'm The second class, a one-hour begin­ had been conducting a search to fill this position Mike, a name that has become a part of since Mike McCallan announced his retirement sure motor cars seemed a gimmick once." ning ballet class, is for children who have his campus identity as much as the suits plans last January. Currently the capital program completed kindergarten, first, or second he wears every day. manager for the general project section of Los grade, and will meet from 2 to 3 p.m. In Angeles County's department of public works, he Job prospects for graduates The newly christened Mike worked in addition to the skill sets mentioned holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from still good the shop for two years, constructing case­ above, this class will also teach basic Lawrence Technological University and brings to The May 18 issue of the Contra Costa Times work and cabinetry for labs, until the Caltech 20 years of experience in design and quotes Jerry Houser, director of Caltech's career ballet movements. government came knocking. Although construction. development center, on the job outlook for high­ If you have specific questions, please still a British citizen, he was drafted by tech graduates. Despite the slowing economy and e-mail [email protected]. To sign the dot-com bust, Houser maintains, "It's still a the Army. Having no desire to enter the up, send your child's name, age, birth very bright future for undergrads this summer and military, but wanting to remain in the date, and highest grade level completed, this year- those that are educated, skilled and United States, he reported for duty in connected." The article noted that Caltech, Cal along with your contact information, to December of 1958. Poly San Luis Obispo, and Stanford have each [email protected]. Please note that recently had companies rescind job offers to a few everyone entering the Braun Athletic see MeGa/fan, page 5 students. Overall, however, analysts agree that Center must have a summer membership while grads can no longer expect ardent pursuit and free pizzas from desperate companies, as in at the gym, or will pay a guest fee. For the heady days of the high-tech boom, jobs are information on membership fees, contact still plentiful, albeit more competitive. the Recreation Office at ext. 3252 . • the acad em ic week at ca It ec h is a printed version of selected events from the online @Caltech calendar, http://atcaltech.caltech.edu/calendar/. To publish events online, register as an event planner on the @Caltech calendar. If unable to submit electronically,

please call (626) 395-3630. For further information or a schedule of deadlines, call (626) 395-3630, fax (626) 449-2159, write 336 Calendar, 1-71, California

Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, or e-mail [email protected].

June 4-17

1- Ll. en en Events in roman type are open to the public Events in italic type are open to the Caltech community only

Monday, June 4 Wednesday, June 6 Tuesday, June 12

Special Kellogg Seminar Special Kellogg Seminar IR Sub-mm mm Sack Lunch Lauritsen Library, 2 p.m.-"Quarkstars: Lauritsen Library, noon-"Probing 469 Lauritsen, 12:15 p.m.-" Atomic A Third Class of Compact Objects?", Nucleon Structure via Higher Order Oxygen in Molecular Clouds," Jurgen Schaffner-Bielich, RIKEN BNL Polarizabilities," Professor Barry Charlotte Vastel, Centre d'Etude Spatiale Research Center, Brookhaven National Holstein, department of physics, Uni­ des Rayonnements, Toulouse. Informa­ Laboratory. versity of Massachusetts, Amherst. tion: www.its.caltech.edu/-sawicki/ sacklunch.html. Thesis Seminar Environmental Engineering Science 153 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, and Global Environmental Science 2 p.m .-" Mechanism and Activity of Seminar Thursday, June 14 Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts," 142 Keck, 4 p.m.-Topic to be an­ Melanie S. Sanford, graduate student in nounced. Ray Weiss, professor of Herbert Newby McCoy Award chemistry, Caltech. geochemistry, Seminar UC San Diego. Refreshments, lobby, 153 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, Geological and Planetary Sciences 3:45p.m. 2 to 2:30 p.m.-"Shaving Levinthal with Seminar Occam's Razor," Derek A. Debe, graduate 155 Arms, Robert Sharp Lecture Hall, Wiersma Lecture student in chemistry, Caltech. 4 p.m .- " Mantle Plumes and How 24 Beckman Labs, 4 p.m.-"Genetic to Catch Them," Celal Senger, Moore and Pharmacological Studies of Com­ Herbert Newby McCoy Award Distinguished Scholar in Geology, plex Behaviors: Learning, Attention, and Seminar Caltech. Refreshments, 151 Arms, Impulsivity," Professor Jeanne Wehner, 153 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, 3:45p.m . Institute for Behavioral Genetics, Univer­ 2:30 to 3 p.m.-"Strange and Unconven­ sity of Colorado, Boulder. tional Isotopic Effects in Ozone Forma­ Inorganic-Electrochemistry Seminar tion," Yi Gin Gao, graduate student in 147 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, chemistry, Caltech. 4 p.m.-Topic to be announced. Thursday, June 7 Susannah Scott, associate professor Herbert Newby McCoy Award and Canada Research Chair in Chem­ Civil Engineering Seminar Seminar istry, department of chemistry, Univer­ 206 Thomas, 4 p.m.-"Performance­ 153 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, sity of Ottawa. Based Design of the Broad Center Using 3:15 to 3:45p.m.-" Computational Stud­ 'Non-Buckling' Steel," Atila Zekioglu, ies of Heterogeneous Catalysis on Late Solid State Sciences Seminar (S"5) managing principal, Arup, Los Angeles. Transition Metals," Jeremy S. Kua, grad­ 102 Steele, 4 p.m.-"Single Electron Refreshments, 210 Thomas, 3:45p.m. uate student in chemistry, Caltech. and Spin Effects in AFM Defined Quan­ tum Dots and Rings," Professor Klaus Physics Research Conference Herbert Newby McCoy Award Ensslin, Solid State Physics Laboratory, 201 E. Bridge, 4 p.m.-"The Sloan Digi­ Seminar Swiss Federal Institute of Technology tal Sky Survey," Gillian Knapp, profes­ 153 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, (ETH), Zurich. Refreshments, Watson sor of astrophysical sciences, Princeton 3:45 to 4:15 p.m.-"Mechanism and foyer, 3:45 p.m . Information: www.its. University. Refreshments, 108 East Activity of Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis caltech.edu/-s5. Bridge, 3:45 p.m. Information: www.pma. Catalysts," Melanie S. Sanford, graduate caltech.edu/- physcoii/PhysColl.html. student in chemistry, Caltech. Astronomy Tea Talk 106 Robinson, 4:15 p.m.-"The Stellar Physics Research Conference Populations of Lyman Alpha Emitting Friday, June 8 201 E. Bridge, 4 p.m.-Topic to be an­ Galaxies at z = 2.4," Massimo Stiavelli, nounced. Arthur B. McDonald, professor Space Science Telescope Institute. Caltech/JPL Association for of physics and director, Sudbury Neutrino Gravitational-Wave Research Observatory Institute, Queen's University Seminar Series at Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Informa­ Tuesday, June 5 155 Arms, Robert Sharp Lecture Hall, tion: www.pma.caltech.edu/- physcoll/ 4 p.m.-"The Capture of Compact PhysColl.html. Refreshments, 108 East IR Sub-mm mm Sack Lunch Objects by Massive Black Holes and Bridge, 3:45 p.m. 469 Lauritsen, 12:15 p.m.-"Resolving Its Implications for LISA," Sterl Phinney, High-Velocity Clouds in the Narrow-Line professor of theoretical astrophysics, Herbert Newby McCoy Award Reg ion of NGC1068: Associated Absorb­ Caltech. Seminar ers Seen in Emission?" , Professor Gerald 153 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, Cecil, department of physics and astron­ 4:15 to 4:45 p.m.-"Eiectron Tunneling omy, University of North Carolina at Monday, June 11 in Protein Crystals," F. Akif Tezcan, Chapel Hill. Information: www.its. graduate student in chemistry, Caltech. ca Itech. ed u/-sawicki/sackl u nch. htm I. Thesis Seminar 147 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, Chemical Physics Seminar 1:30 p.m.-"The Electrical Properties of Friday, June 15 147 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, Nanoscale Parallel Semiconductor Inter­ 2 p.m.- " Dynamics of Chemical Reac­ faces," Robert C. Rossi, graduate student 1 07th Annual Commencement tions of Molecular Di-Cations," Profes­ in chemistry. Beckman Mall, 10 a.m.-The speaker sor Zdenek Herman, Joint Institute for will be Gordon E. Moore, PhD, chairman Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA), Univer­ of the board of trustees, emeritus, sity of Colorado at Boulder, and the J. Caltech, and chairman emeritus, Intel Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chem­ Corporation. istry, Czech Academy of Sciences. 4 Caltech 336, May 31,2001 CampusEvents

Monday, June 4 Saturday, June 9

Baby Furniture and Household Equipment Auditions for TACIT Fall Play Pool Ramo Auditorium, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.-Audi­ 234 S. Catalina, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.-Loans of tions for the fall-term production of Tennessee kitchen and household necessities and baby Williams's The Notebook of Trigorin are open to furniture are made to members of the Caltech all members of the Caltech community. Informa­ community. Information: 584-9773. tion: 395-6259, [email protected], or www.its. caltech.ed u/-tacit. Ballroom Dance Club Winnett lounge, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.-Argentine Caltech Y Decompression tango for beginners. Last of five weekly lessons Winnett quad, 7 to 11 p.m.-Prefinals fun-and­ taught by a professional instructor. No partner or social drop-in. Information: 395-6163 or visit the experience is required. $4 per class for Caltech Caltech Y at www.y.caltech.edu. undergraduates, $6 for others. Refreshments. Information: 791-3103 or www.its.caltech.edu/ Six Characters in Search of an Author - ballroom/index.html. Ramo Auditorium, 8 p.m.-Theater Arts at Caltech presents the classic play by Nobel Ballroom Mini Dance Party Laureate Luigi Pirandello in a modern adapta­ Winnett lounge, 9 to 11 p.m.-Open dancing; tion by Robert Brustein. Tickets and information: make requests or bring your own music. No 395-4652, 1 (888) 2CALTECH, or events@caltech. admission charge and no partner needed. edu. Individuals with a disability: 395-4688 They're all real Refreshments. Information: 791-3103 or (voice) or 395-3700 (TOO) . Visit Public Events www.its.caltech.edu/-ballroom/index.html. at www.events.caltech.edu. characters

What is reality, anyway? In the theater, as an audience watches the action on stage, what is Tuesday, June 5 Sunday, June 1 0 most real-the audience, the characters in their Auditions for TACIT Fall Play Six Characters in Search of an Author created world, or the actors portraying them in Ramo Auditorium, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.-Audi­ Ramo Auditorium, 2 p.m. (final performance)­ "real life"? tions for the fall-term production of Tennessee Theater Arts at Caltech presents the classic play In search of answers to these questions and Williams's The Notebook of Trigorin are open to by Nobel Laureate Luigi Pirandello in a modern more, Theater Arts at Caltech (TACIT) is present­ all members of the Caltech community. Informa­ adaptation by Robert Brustein. Tickets and ing Six Characters in Search of an Author by the tion: 395-6259, [email protected], or www.its. information: 395-4652, 1 (888) 2CALTECH, or Italian Nobelist Luigi Pirandello. The TACIT cast is caltech.edu/-tacit. [email protected]. Individuals with a disability: using an adaptation by Robert Brustein, which 395-4688 (voice) or 395-3700 (TOO). Visit Public sets the play in contemporary Boston, and they Events at www.events.caltech.edu. have further adapted it to the Los Angeles­ Pasadena area. Wednesday, June 6 Skeptics Society Lecture In the comedy, six characters, who have been stranded in an unfinished drama by their author, Baby Furniture and Household Equipment Baxter Lecture Hall, 2 p.m.-"The Borderlands show up at a rehearsal of a Pirandello play and Pool of Science: Where Sense Meets Nonsense," talk the director into enacting and finishing the 234 S. Catalina, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.-Loans of Michael Shermer, publisher, Skeptic magazine. script. In the course of the action, Pirandello kitchen and household necessities and baby Donation is $8 for nonmembers and $5 for explores the differences between the characters, furniture are made to members of the Caltech members and non-Caltech students. Free to the the actors who try to portray them, and the community. Information: 584-9773. Caltech/JPL community. Tickets and information: 794-3119 or [email protected]. "reality" that each of them experiences. The idea of shattering the invisible "fourth Service Awards Ceremony wall" between the stage and audience was a Beckman Auditorium, 10 a.m. to noon-A Caltech Y Decompression startlingly new one in Pirandello's time, said reception in the Beckman Institute courtyard will Winnett quad, 7 to 11 p.m.-Prefinals fun-and­ Shirley Marneus, director of TACIT. (According to follow the ceremony. Information: 395-6001 or social drop-in. Information: 395-6163 or visit the one account, the play's 1921 premiere in Rome [email protected]. Caltech Y at www.y.caltech.edu. was greeted with audience shouts of "Maricomio! "-"Madhouse!") Auditions for TACIT Fall Play In a prerehearsal interview next to Ramo Pond, Ramo Auditorium, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.-Audi- Monday, June 11 Marneus explained that the playwright focused tions for the fall-term production of Tennessee much of his work on the nature of reality and Williams's The Notebook of Trigorin are open to Baby Furniture and Household Equipment identity. Pointing out a crawdad hovering in the all members of the Caltech community. Informa­ Pool pond, she said it was a good analogy for what tion: 395-6259, [email protected], or www.its. 234 S. Catalina, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.-Loans of Pirandello does. "We plainly see the surface ofthe caltech .edu/-tacit. kitchen and household necessities and baby water," she said. "That's reality. But under the furniture are made to members of the Caltech surface, the crawdads have their own reality. If I community. Information: 584-9773. put my hand in the water, it shatters the surface Friday, June 8 tension and invades their reality. "And when we come to the play, that's the first Caltech Y Noon Concert Wednesday, June 13 reality," Marneus continued. " The actors move Winnett quad, noon-Guitarist David Harris around in that reality, but they also have their own will create rich, mystic harmonies. Informa­ Baby Furniture and Household Equipment reality. And in come characters, who invade the tion: 395-6163 or visit the Caltech Y at www.y. Pool actors' reality, and events that take place from caltech.edu/. 234 S. Catalina, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.-Loans of different points of view. Pirandello shows many kitchen and household necessities and baby layers." Six Characters in Search of an Author furniture are made to members of the Caltech Marneus has wanted to stage a Pirandello play Ramo Auditorium, 8 p.m.-Theater Arts at community. Information: 584-9773. for some time, because of the issues that he Caltech presents the classic play by Nobel explores. "I want to push students to start dealing Laureate Luigi Pirandello in a modern adapta­ with these kinds of questions," she said. '"Who tion by Robert Brustein. Tickets and information: Friday, June 15 am I? How am I in the world? In relation to 395-4652, 1 (888) 2CALTECH, or events@caltech. science, my work, my family?' We all live in the edu. Individuals with a disability: 395-4688 107th Annual Commencement here and now, and students here focus mainly on (voice) or 395-3700 (TOO). Visit Public Events Beckman Mall, 10 a.m.-The speaker will be science. They're used to the idea of many layers at www.events.caltech.edu. Gordon E. Moore, PhD, chairman of the board of reality in science, but I like to challenge them of trustees, emeritus, Caltech, and chairman and broaden their experience in literature and in emeritus, Intel Corporation. life." The Six Characters cast includes geophysics grad student Jane Dmochowski; seismo lab staff Saturday, June 16 member Karen Kahler; physics/biology postdoc Hans-Michael Muller; and public relations staffer Caltech Y Volunteer Project-Union Station Doug Smith. The production continues on Fridays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.-Caltech Y volunteers will help and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. prepare and serve meals for homeless men, through June 10 in Ramo Auditorium. For ticket women, and children at the Union Station shelter information, call 395-4652 or 1 (888) 2CALTECH, in Pasadena. Information: 395-3180, kabbott@ e-mail [email protected], or visit the Public caltech.edu, or www.y.caltech.edu/volunteer/. Events Web site at www.events.caltech.edu . • Caltech 336, May 31,2001 5

McCallan, from page 1 Honoring years of commitment His luck held out. The Korean War was over and the fighting in Vietnam had not and contributions to the Institute yet begun. McCallan was sent to Ger­ many for two years of active duty. There Caltech's 46th annual staff service awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday, June 6, at 10 a.m. he served in relative leisure, and the only in Beckman Auditorium. Presented by Human Resources, the program recognizes employees who conflicts he encountered were restricted have reached milestones of 10 or more years of service, at five-year intervals, at the Institute. A to the soccer field. In 1960, he took a mili­ reception in the Beckman Institute courtyard will follow the ceremony, and friends, family, and col­ tary leave to travel to Ireland and marry leagues are welcome to attend both the program and reception. Those especially long-serving staff Caroline, the girl he had been dating be­ members with 20 or more years will also be honored with a luncheon, hosted by Tom Schmitt, fore his American adventure. At the end assistant vice president of human resources, at 11:45 a.m. in the Athenaeum Hall of Associates. of his service, the newlyweds moved to California. Guy Duremberg Chemistry Instrument Shop Upon his return to Caltech, McCallan 10 years 15 years Carlos Hinojosa began his rise through the ranks, moving Harry Hu from lead man in the carpentry shop to Carlos Aguilar Fernando Amador Joanne Huffsmith assistant supervisor of shops to assistant Glen Allbritton Tony Anderson Merry Keith manager of engineering and estimating. Kevin Austin Ramanuj Basu Ronald Lawrence He became manager in 1979. Abelina Banuelos Deborah Bradbury Jose Lopez-Tiana " My role is managing this office of 20 Rosavelia Banuelos Dennis Butler Michael Lum people, a mixture of architects, engineers, Irma Black Anne Campbell Andres Martinez project managers, drafters, and clerical," Aleen Boladian Laura Cashion Reza Ohadi he said. "Our job is to assure that Caltech Robin Bolsey Eugene Castillo Jr. Robert Padilla Booth Hartley standards for construction are adhered to Dale Marlene Bolton Sheryl Cobb Stefon Ross SIRTF by outside architects, engineers, and Dian Buchness Francisco Compean Don Scott contractors." Lakshmi Bugga Jesus Cosio Susan Shaar During his tenure here, McCallan has Lynn Burgess Joseph DeVito Ernesto Thomas been a witness to explosive growth. In his Jill Burnham Julie Dinh Greg Van ldsinga office, a framed 1948 aerial photograph Jorge Carrillo Suzanne Dodd Saturnino Vasquez shows that the campus proper sat on a Atanasia Castillo Ricardo Ebert Deborah White thin strip of land that ran between Wilson Joseph Corrigan Juan Garcia and Hill. It was bounded by California Harold Corwin Jr. Jey Giuliano Boulevard on the south, and San Pasqual Alicia Curiel Jose Gonzalez 25 years on the north. A good two-thirds of the Rachel Delgadillo Jose Gutierrez Bill Lease Behavioral Biology present-day campus stands on what was Purnima Deshpande David Henderson Ill Michael Bell once a suburban developer's dream tract. Angel Di Bilio Linda Hermans-Killam Jerry Burk "When I came here in 1956, the gross Jose Diaz LaSandra Hunter James Bys square footage of the campus was ap­ Tracey Evans William Irwin Paula DiConti proximately 1.5 million square feet," he Robert Flaker Toni ltano Epaprodito Gelle said, referring to measurements taken Helga Galvan Jeffery Douglas Jacobson Chris Harcourt from a structure's outside wall to outside Cherie Galvez Mehria Koshan Patrick Leahy wall. "Today it's 3.3 million square feet, Mary Gilmore Jay Labinger Noel Nava above and below ground." Angela Goshorn Kenneth Lewis Dolores Page

McCallan has worked on many of these Efrain Hernandez Heidi Lorenz-Wirzba Elsa Villate ~--~D~ana ~R~ot~h~--­ square feet, which amount to dozens of Mauro Hernandez Karen Mclaughlin Clea Wright Caltech Library Systems structures and the infrastructure to sup­ John Hiroto Susan Mullins port them. His office also takes care of the Margot Hoyt Renuka Nandkishore modernization of labs, what he calls "the Stanley Hudson Nancy O'Connor 30 years bread and butter" of his office. Eloisa lmel James O'Donnell Today, most of his energy is concen­ Russell Jacobs Stephen Padin Suzette Cummings trated on the Broad Center going up on Donald Jones Gravel Puente Calane Farmer Wilson Avenue and the new fire station Carrie Khim Rosa Robles Ramiro Garcia under construction on Del Mar. There Virginia Licon William Rodriguez Jan Glaviano are other projects in the planning stages, Irene Loera Yolanda Sandoval Dlorah Gonzales like the astrophysics building and the JoAnne Mahan Margaret Sangiorgi Larry Jones Mary Webster Office of the President proposed Campus Center, which are in Kenneth Marsh Mark Stapf Edith Lenches the fund-raising stage. David Mathog Silva Stepanian Dorothy Lloyd But these are ventures that McCallan Michele May Kathleen Torres Cecelia Manoochehri doesn't need to worry about. They will be K. C. McBride Marc Torres Gilberto Meraz inherited by his successor Christopher Raul Mendez Gloria Vacio Jane Rigg Wendrowski, who comes from L.A. Stephen Miller Eric Van De Velde County. Instead, McCallan will concentrate Susan Montalvo Martina Villa on the first big project on his retirement Thanh Van Nguyen Paul Ware 35 years agenda. Come July, he and a few friends Virge Perdue Jr. Stanley Whitcomb will explore the exotic golf courses of Ire­ Shady Peyvan Roy Williams Guy Duremberg Sophia Yen land, visiting Portmarnock, Ballybunnion, Linda Powell Booth Hartley Development and The Old Head of Kinsale. Chris Quintanilla William Lease " By then, I hope I'll have adjusted to Alicia Rodriguez 20 years Dana Roth retirement, " he said. Rodney Rojas Mary Webster • Trevor Roper Jesus Aguirre Sophia Yen Donna Sackett Carlzen Balagot David Salazar Irene Baldon Maureen Savage Robert Brucato 40 years Juan Serna Jeanette Butler Janester Short Helen Carrier Joe Parker Joe Parker Rebekah Sims Raquel Carrillo Physical Plant Shops Bernard Smith Charlene Chindlund Betty Smith Walter Cook Ill 45 years Rose Tashjian Dana Cuney Phillip Trinh Elizabeth Ann Dryden Mike McCallan Lawrence Tudor Lidia Frias Maria Villegas David Gardner Benjamin Vital Jr. Estela Gonzalez "Every day [at Caltech] is a new adventure." Kim West Thomas Gottschalk Dana Roth Harry Yohalem William Green Heather Lynn Young Lynette Hein "If you have a job that you like, stick to it." Jina Yun Timothy Heitzman Guy Duremberg

"Caltech provides a work environment that lets you excel at whatever you're good at." Booth Hartley 6 Caltech 336, May 31. 2001

Royal Society, from page 1 Satellite. from page 1 Grant, from page 1 Switch. from page 1 Specifically, the Royal Society cites The students gave a presentation to are manipulated at a lab bench. Now, cation known as "neddylation," the Zewail's work in the development of laser Caltech faculty members and researchers, students will leave campus and head out physical attachment of a small protein, techniques and their applications to JPL engineers, and a TRW engineer in into the field, where they'll learn how to called NEDD8, to another protein. ultrafast dynamics of molecular systems. Beckman Institute auditorium on May 24. properly take scientifically clean samples Neddylation is thought to alter the func­ His contributions include femtochemistry, They presented their mission design and under varying environmental conditions. tioning of whatever protein NEDD8 at­ nonlinear spectroscopy, and molecular displayed the satellite mock-up for inspec­ Then, back in the lab, they'll be taught the taches to. For example, when it attaches physics. · tion. The students, mostly juniors and current methodologies in metal, organic, to the enzyme SCF {previously discov­ Zewail has conducted groundbreaking seniors plus a few sophomores, come and isotopic analysis. ered by the Deshaies's team), SCF activ­ work in viewing and studying chemical from economically disadvantaged homes, Besides teaching, the Luce grant has ity increases dramatically. Although the reactions at the atomic level as they oc­ and are taking astronomy and chemistry two other equally important components. enzymes that attach NEDD8 to proteins cur. Because reactions can take place in a classes taught by Lee Syer. One is the establishment of a high-quality like SCF were already known, the en­ millionth of a billionth of a second, his Bhatia, a postdoctoral scholar in obser­ research platform for Caltech environ­ zymes that remove it were not. research has, with the use of advanced vational cosmology, has advised the stu­ mental scientists. Home for this part of Deshaies's team discovered that CSN lasers, made it possible to observe, study, dents on the technical and managerial the program will be the Kerckhoff Marine removes the NEDD8 that is attached to and predict this motion for the first time, aspects of the project, which was built at Biological Laboratory in Corona del Mar, SCF. Based on this finding, they conclude thus allowing scientists to probe nature at Littlerock High and in Caltech's physics at the mouth of Newport Bay. The lab has that CSN controls the on-and-off switch­ its fundamental level. His work has had a machine shop. Since October he has gone been maintained by the Division of Biol­ ing of proteins. For example, when significant impact on chemistry and re­ to the school about once a month, some­ ogy since 1930 and provides access to NEDD8 is not removed from its partners lated sciences worldwide. Born and raised times accompanied by postdoctoral Southern California's estuarine, coastal, in plant cells, the plant doesn't respond in Egypt, and now a U.S. citizen, Zewail scholar Brian Keating and physics ma­ and open-ocean waters. It will be modern­ normally to hormones that control its joined Caltech in 1976. chine shop supervisor Ricardo Paniagua. ized and upgraded for environmental development. Shrinivas Kulkarni, the MacArthur Bhatia also has arranged tours of JPL and science research with the latest standard Many different physiological roles Professor of Astronomy and Planetary the Owens Valley Radio Observatory for and specialized analytical tools. have been proposed for CSN, including Science, has also been elected to the the students. The other component of the program roles in the synthesis of new proteins, Royal Society, as a Fellow. His revolution­ His goal was to give the students real­ is research. Given its location, the control of cell division, and control of ary work in astrophysics was cited for world problems and encourage them to Kerckhoff lab is ideally located to study a inflammation. The Deshaies team's find­ contributing to fundamental astronomical discover solutions on their own, as op­ variety of research questions that pertain ing that CSN acts by removing NEDD8 discoveries that span a broad range of posed to lecturing to them. "I also wanted to the transformation from freshwater to from other proteins suggests that NEDD8, disciplines and include the fastest radio to show them some of the opportunities ocean, to so-called "blue water" condi­ in turn, is likely to serve as a linchpin in pulsar known, with a spin period of 1.5 out there that they could pursue, and I tions further offshore, or to the specific these processes. ms; the first example of a brown dwarf wanted to encourage them to go to col­ differences between polluted and natural Deshaies and his laboratory colleagues star; white dwarf companions to binary lege," he said. waters. Each undergraduate class will are interested in the regulation of cell pulsars; radio counterparts to soft Bhatia said it was difficult for the stu­ also take samples of local water condi­ division, and in identifying the specific gamma-ray repeating sources, and cos­ dents to understand that he was a re­ tions that will, over time, establish a per­ functions of various proteins within a cell mological gamma-ray bursts. source for the project but not the "answer manent, baseline measurement for that participate in this process. The Kulkarni's discoveries and his recent man." He said, "It is the first time that evaluating subtle changes in the Southern proper regulation of cell division is critical work on the nature of gamma-ray bursts they have been in that kind of position." California marine environment. for the normal development of organ­ and their use in understanding the origins The students also learned the importance Various research projects will be con­ isms. In animals, aberrations in cell divi­ of the universe have had a major impact of communication and teamwork. "Learn­ ducted at Kerckhoff as well with the help sion can have profound consequences; on astrophysics today. Born in India, and ing by participating and experiencing has of students. Adkins, for example, wants to unchecked cell division, for example, can now a permanent U.S. resident, he joined been exciting, valuable, and productive examine the supply of iron to the surface lead to cancer. the Caltech faculty in 1985. for them." waters. It's thought that, once absorbed, • David Baltimore, president of Caltech The students gained an understanding iron may limit the growth of plankton and and a Nobel laureate himself, said, "Hav­ of the complexities of satellite telemetry, therefore play an important role in the ing two such distinguished professors payload, and launch, as well as thermal, regulation of marine productivity. To receive this award is, indeed, an honor for mechanical, and electrical design. They study this, other researchers have had to Caltech, and is a testament to the caliber now have substantial experience in artificially "fertilize" ocean waters with of faculty and scientists we have here at graphic design, editing, making presenta­ iron. But Southern California, says Caltech. Both of these eminent scholars tions, and time management. "They've Adkins, has a natural experiment going have contributed to the advancement of had to do so much work on this on top of on. "When the Santa Ana winds blow science, and are most deserving of this all their other studies," Bhatia said. "It through the L.A. basin," he says, "they illustrious honor." has definitely inspired a lot of them to carry iron-rich dust that falls into the The Royal Society was established in pursue their careers, whether it is in sci­ ocean, especially in the San Pedro Basin. England in 1660, and is the world's oldest ence or the arts. The main thing for me With Kerckhoff as our base, we'll be able scientific academy in continuous exist­ has been to see them grow in confidence to measure the chemistry and the trace ence. The society's objectives are to rec­ and see what they really can create if metals that fall before, during, and after a ognize excellence in science; to support given the opportunity and a little encour­ Santa Ana event. So we will have a natu­ leading-edge scientific research and its agement." ral, in situ experiment taking place on an applications; to stimulate international • ongoing basis." interaction; and to promote education and The Luce Foundation was established the public's understanding of science. in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, the late co­ Oh, poi • founder and editor-in-chief of Time, Inc . Contestants ready themselves for a poi-eating With assets of about $1.1 billion, the foun­ contest at a luau hosted by the Caltech Hawaiian Club. The luau was one of a number of events dation focuses heavily on innovation and that took place during Caltech's Asian Pacific scholarship in higher education. Luce's Heritage Week celebration in May. son, Henry Luce Ill, is the foundation's chairman and CEO . •

CaltechU) 336 U) U) 1- 1- 1- 1- 3:

The campus community biweekly California Institute of Technology May 31,2001, vol.1, no.11 Pasadena, California 91125

Editor: Daryn Kobata ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED (626) 395-6240; [email protected] Assistant Editor: Javier Marquez (626) 395-6624; [email protected] Calendar Administrator: Debbie Bradbury (626) 395-3630; [email protected] Graphic Artist: Doug Cummings Photographer: Bob Paz Published by the Office of Public Relations