Ion Caltech Today
Construction and Parking
Construction progress of the Ginsburg Center as of October 2025.
Construction Impacts
- Ginsburg Center: A weekend road closure is scheduled for the removal of the construction crane at the Ginsburg Center construction site. The closure will begin at 7 a.m. on Friday, November 7, and will end by 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 9. East California Boulevard will be closed between Arden and South Campus Drive (beside the tennis courts). To protect neighborhood streets from traffic, no through traffic will be allowed on East California between Wilson and Hill Avenues. For information on sidewalk access during this period, see the "Pedestrian Access" section below.
- Downs-Lauritsen Lab:
- The installation of the steel bridge between Downs-Lauritsen and the Ginsburg Center began on Wednesday, October 15, and will continue until Wednesday, October 22.
- A small amount of demolition for duct work will occur on Friday, October 17, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Student Wellness Services Health and Counseling Center: Repairs to the center that started in August are close to complete. Counseling services have returned to offering appointments in the building. Health services are still offering appointments in trailers and expect to return to the building in November. Find more information in the campus announcement about the restoration and temporary services locations.
Parking and Traffic
- The installation of new traffic signal equipment and related infrastructure on Del Mar Boulevard at Michigan Avenue was completed in October 2025.
Pedestrian Access
- During the road closure next to the Ginsburg Center from Friday, November 7, to Sunday, November 9, the south-side sidewalk along East California Boulevard will remain open to pedestrians. The crosswalks at Arden Road and South Hill Avenue will also be accessible. Pedestrian control personnel will intermittently pause foot traffic at these points to ensure safety during periods of heightened construction activity.
Community Member Milestones
- Welcome to Caltech:
Anna Iudintseva
Anna joined Caltech as the first full-time mechanical engineer at the new gravitational wave detector observatory called Cosmic Explorer, which observes the first events that occurred after the Big Bang. In June 2025, Anna started working with other LIGO scientists to develop the 40 km by 40 km interferometer to be built in the next decade.
- Celebrating a recognition:
Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
The Zernicka-Goetz Lab at Caltech, in partnership with the Terasaki Institute, recently received a $2.8 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. This grant will support high-throughput research using stem cell-derived models of early human development to uncover the factors that control embryo formation.
- Welcome to Caltech:
James Wiley
On June 30, James joined Caltech as a mechanical engineer for the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, where he’ll build next-generation astronomical instruments for ground-based observatories such as Palomar and Keck. He earned his PhD in physics from the University of California, San Diego.
- Welcome to Caltech:
Madison Quan
On September 2, Madison joined Caltech as the interim head coach of the women’s basketball team for the 2025-26 season. She previously served as assistant coach for the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, the same team she played on during her four years as an undergraduate at Pitzer College.
- Celebrating a recognition:
Sujit Datta
On September 1, Sujit was named the new Chief Editor of Reviews of Modern Physics, which is the foremost journal in physics devoted to publishing authoritative, foundational, and influential review articles across all areas of physics. He looks forward to ensuring the journal stays responsive to the rapidly evolving landscape of modern physics and its expanding connections with other fields.
- Welcome to Caltech:
Audrey Martin
Audrey joined Caltech on July 23 as a research scientist in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences. Her research focuses on asteroids and the Moon, which is done through JWST spectra analysis, Apollo sample characterization, and creating asteroid and lunar regolith analogs. She was previously a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Central Florida.
Resources
Members of the Caltech community can receive a free Metro pass that is valid for unlimited rides on all Metro bus and rail lines.
View the latest dining menus for Browne Dining Hall, Red Door Marketplace, Broad Cafe, and Avery Kitchen.
Open Enrollment begins Tuesday, October 7, and ends Monday, October 27, 2025. Click above to learn more and get a guide to benefits on Caltech HR's Benefits webpage.
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