People Spotlights
All Spotlights
- Undergraduate Student, Computer Science
Julian Navarro
Hello! My name is Julian Navarro, and I’m currently a junior majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Information in Data Science. I have worked with Professor Julia Tejada on oxygen isotopic datasets from a broad range of mammal species from the Amazon. Outside of my academic pursuits, I am the cofounder and President of CS Careers @ Caltech. This club is important to me because as an international student from a minority background, I have struggled to find the right internships and career opportunities that will help me thrive in Tech. The mission of CS Careers is to provide career information for Computer Science students and jumpstart their career journeys and network with different companies and industry professionals. We have brought to campus individuals from companies like Google, Nvidia, Roblox, and Microsoft to have hiring events that students find lucrative and useful for the start of their careers. This summer I will be interning at Oracle as a Software Engineer Intern, and I am excited about this experience. During my free time, I love to play soccer for Beaver Ballers in Caltech’s Intramural Soccer League. After Caltech, I look forward to helping students in their career journey!
- Postdoc, Applied Physics and Materials Science
Lingyuan Kong
I am a third-year postdoc working with professor Stevan Nadj-Perge in the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science and the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter. My research focuses on exploring exotic electronic quantum states on exfoliated thin flakes of strongly correlated materials. Among them, one of the most interesting topics is the non-abelian anyons, which are anticipated to emerge in topological superconductors as well as systems exhibiting intrinsic topological order. I am also interested in a more generic perspective of the symmetry-breaking superconducting orders, very recently, we discovered a remarkable quantum state that breaks intra-unit-cell symmetry, named Pair Density Modulation state. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, cooking, and watching movies.
- Graduate Student, Applied Physics and Materials Science
Yuchun Sun
I am a graduate student in Materials Science, working with Professor Julia R. Greer. My research focuses on utilizing photopolymerization 3D printing techniques to create micro-architected energy storage materials. We hope to find innovative approaches to build batteries with higher energy density and longer lifetime. I was raised around Tianjin and Beijing in China. Before coming to Caltech, I received my bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and applied math from UC Berkeley. Outside of research, I spend a lot of time playing board games and poker with my friends at Caltech. I also enjoy growing flowers and green plants at home, creating a vibrant and lively space as my important energy source.
- Graduate Student, Applied Physics and Materials Science
Jared Sisler
I am a 4th year graduate student in Applied Physics, working in Professor Harry Atwater's group. My research focuses on developing active metasurfaces: tunable optical elements capable of controlling the properties of light with nanostructured materials. Using these devices, we are specifically interested in steering laser light quickly and efficiently for applications such as LiDAR and optical communication. I enjoy the variety of work that is involved in my research which is split between simulation and design, nanofabrication, and optical measurements. Outside of the lab, I spend most of my time riding my bike.
- Postdoctoral Scholar, Mechanical and Civil Engineering
Pio Ong
I have been at Caltech for two years under the supervision of Professor Aaron Ames. My research focus is on the intelligent resource-aware control for nonlinear systems, with the goal of reducing resource usage in autonomous systems. Currently, I study resource-constrained control systems and formulate control policies to reduce the frequency of resource-consuming control actions. For example, I use nonlinear control theory to analyze and formulate event-triggered designs for satellites to reduce the number of thruster firings. In addition to this exciting research, Caltech also provided me with the opportunity to instruct an undergraduate course as a lecturer. I really enjoyed the teaching experience and the freedom to craft my own syllabus in the way I believed would best benefit students. Outside of my career, I enjoy listening to K-Pop music, watching math videos, and playing chess/Go.
- Graduate Student, GALCIT
Divesh Soni
Hello everyone! I am Divesh, currently a 3rd year graduate student in Professor Sergio Pellegrino’s lab. I am doing my PhD in Space Engineering. Before joining Caltech, I worked as a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). In ISRO, I worked on structural design and analysis of solar arrays, reflectors, and other spacecraft appendages. I was always surprised about how things would almost never behave as they should in experiments. This made learning pleasurable and as exciting as solving a puzzle. Here at Caltech, I am working on understanding slew maneuvers of spacecrafts with large lightweight flexible structures relevant to the Space Solar Power Project. When not working on my research, I tend to drift away to the mountains, hiking and enjoying the burst of fresh air. I am grateful for the opportunities here at Caltech and the way I am challenged every day makes me feel alive!