Ion Caltech Today
Construction and Parking
Construction progress of the Frank J. Malina Laboratory as of October 2026.
Pedestrian Access
- Inauguration Setup Activity on Beckman Mall October 20–31
From Tuesday, October 20, through Saturday, October 31, crews will be installing and then removing the tent, stage, and seating for the Thursday, October 29, Inauguration of Caltech's 10th President. Work will take place on the Beckman Mall lawn south of Beckman Auditorium, between Baxter Hall and Beckman Behavioral Biology. While not all areas will be affected every day, sidewalks in and around Beckman Mall will be closed at times during this period. Caltech's Campus Event Productions office oversees the installation and has worked in advance to plan the work areas, equipment staging, and alternate pedestrian routes. When a sidewalk is closed, alternate routes will be posted on site. Closures will be limited to what the work requires, and normal passage will resume as soon as each phase of work allows. Trucks and lifts will be operating on and around Beckman Mall throughout setup and removal.
Parking and Traffic
- Through November, Metro's Bus Rapid Transit construction at Hill Avenue and Green Street will cause southbound and northbound lane reductions on Hill Avenue (Colorado Boulevard–Cordova Street) and eastbound reductions on Green Street. Construction runs Monday–Friday, 7am–4pm, though lane closures remain in place 24/7. Please plan extra travel time or use alternate routes during this period. Read the full construction notice first published in June for details.
Construction Impacts
- Frank J. Malina Laboratory for High-Speed Flight Dynamics: Construction on the south side of the Guggenheim Laboratory is ongoing.
- Ginsburg Center: Caltech obtained a Certificate of Occupancy for the building at the beginning of September.
Community Member Milestones
- Welcome to Caltech:
Annelisa Busch
Annelisa joined Caltech as a guest relations coordinator at the Athenaeum, where she is often the first face guests see. She coordinates with professors and offices across campus on hotel accommodations and dining reservations and assists members and Caltech staff in other ways they need. Prior to Caltech, Annelisa worked in the food service industry and as a receptionist in a medical office.
- Welcome to Caltech:
Deeksha Mohanty
Deeksha joined IPAC in August as an applications developer on the Data Science Team, where she will work on preparing large astronomical catalogs for scientific analysis and developing tools to help researchers access, explore, and derive scientific insights from the data. Prior to Caltech, she completed her M.S. in computer science at Michigan State University.
- Welcome to Caltech:
Elena Cazares
Elena joined Caltech in July as a business operations associate for the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, supporting the Caltech Optical Observatories team with procurements, onboarding, travel, expense reports, and more. She previously spent nearly a decade at JPL and will complete her MBA in project management from Mount Saint Mary's University this December.
- In memoriam:
Pam Koyzis
Pam, who dedicated 25 years of service to Caltech, passed away peacefully at her home on July 28, 2026, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 68 years old. The flag at Caltech Hall will be lowered from Wednesday, August 19, to Friday, August 21, to honor her.
- Welcome to Caltech:
Caitlyn Shen
Caitlyn recently joined Caltech as an undergraduate admissions counselor. She brings a communications background to higher education and enjoys helping tell the stories of Caltech's community while connecting with prospective students from around the world. Caitlyn previously spent nearly a decade in B2B tech, leading public relations, marketing, and social media initiatives for organizations including AT&T, Intel, Honeywell Aerospace, NeurIPS, and Silicon Labs.
- Celebrating a recognition:
Customer Service Excellence Cohort
26 Caltech staff members completed over 700 hours of in-person and live online training, earning certificates in customer service excellence and achieving a remarkable 100% completion rate. The Institute-tailored customer service excellence program was a pilot project by Caltech Facilities and Dale Carnegie Training.
Resources
Update your contact information and download the emergency communications app, Everbridge, to receive necessary information in the event of an emergency on campus.
Browse the Sustainability Marketplace to find free office and lab supplies. You can save resources, reduce waste, and give useful items a second life on campus.
Caltech community members are eligible for a free Metro Pass that gives you unlimited rides on buses, rail lines, and local transit options, including convenient connections to campus.
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