I read the article in The California Tech about the Caltech Rugby Club with great interest because I organised a rugby team at Caltech about 60 years ago (between 1965 and 1967). Most of the team were foreign graduate students from rugby-playing countries, but a few Americans joined us. We had mixed success but managed a few wins, notably against UCLA. The games against USC and Eagle Rock were particularly scary, as their teams consisted of very large American Football players looking for blood and violence in the off-season. We won a few games we didn’t deserve to because of the athletic ability of Mick Mortell from Ireland—he could kick penalties from 50 meters and more.
On May 3rd, Frautschi Hall, 7 p.m., as part of MACH 33: The Caltech Festival of New Science-Driven Plays, was the latest version of Tom Lavagnino’s Dementia Doula. Like the festival’s other show, entitled The Null Test (which explores the legal hijinks of a self-driving car company), this was a staged reading: the cast, directed by Susan Dalian, performing from scripts on music stands. Originally presented under the name Crisis Goalie at the 2024 Utah Shakespeare Festival, then directed by Britannia Howe, this pared-down staging celebrates the script on its own terms, privileging nuanced acting over elaborate production.
On April 21st, 2025, Pope Francis passed away. His successor is Pope Leo XIV, whose papacy began on May 8th, 2025. Pope Leo was a close advisor to Pope Francis.
Looking down from a plane, Wang Mansheng felt uneasy about how much of the Earth is now covered by roads and buildings. Reflecting on this environmental change, he stated, “Pure nature is now unattainable except through my imagination or brush.” His new works at the Huntington put that imagined nature on display.
At first glance, Dr. Loraine Lundquist might strike you as a scientist with her head in the stars. After all, she holds a Ph.D. in physics from UC Berkeley and once helped launch a satellite to study the Sun’s magnetic field. But spend an hour with her, and that’s precisely what we did during the recent SASS Lunch hosted by the Caltech Y—and you’ll quickly realize that her gaze is firmly grounded on Earth, with a heart set on building a more just and sustainable future right here in Los Angeles.
On April 8, members of the Caltech community joined forces with union members from USC for the Kill the Cuts rally in Downtown Los Angeles—part of a National Day of Action opposing proposed federal cuts to scientific research funding. From undergraduate students to postdocs, organizers, and union representatives, our presence at the protest was unified, urgent, and unrelenting.
At Caltech, student-athletes aren’t just competing—they are redefining what it means to balance intensity in both sports and academics. They exhibit not only commitment but a certain kind of mental toughness and passionate energy to their teams and to the Caltech community. Here’s the latest from Caltech Athletics, highlighting the records, rivalries, and relentless drive that define our teams. With the spring quarter underway, our Caltech athletics have achieved like never before. Let’s dive into the many accomplishments the spring sport beavers have to show off this year.
Among the mammals of Caltech, they’re arguably the happiest and freest. While Homo sapiens are burdened with homework and deadlines, and coyotes stick to moonlit hours to avoid the crowd, the fox squirrels roam wherever their paws take them. Stroll across campus and you’re guaranteed to spot one: foraging randomly in the grass (no, they don’t remember where they bury their nuts), lounging on a branch, or chasing a friend in spirals around tree trunks, like a dazzling ribbon in the hand of a gymnast. Even if you don’t see one, just look up: the treetops are decorated with their nests, ready for year-round breeding.
Last Monday, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, a special dinner in Browne Dining Hall was held from 5-7:30 p.m. The event was a collaboration between Caltech Dining Services and the Caltech Wellness Center.
