California Institute of Technology

Overview

The California Institute of Technology, also known as Caltech, is located in Pasadena, California. As a private research university, it has earned many accolades for scientific and practical innovations developed in its halls by notable figures associated with the university.

Founded in 1891, it started out as a vocational and preparatory school. The institution was originally called Throop University after its founder Amos G. Throop. It underwent two other renamings—Throop Polytechnic Institute and Throop College of Technology—before it became the California Institute of Technology in 1920. Since taking on its current name, Caltech expanded its once vocational-focused offerings.

Its reputation grew in the 1920s, grabbing national limelight in the process. The institute attracted many scientific luminaries, among them the likes of Albert Einstein and Erwin Schrödinger, to visit. This is all thanks to the efforts of the triumvirate leadership of George Ellery Hale, Arthur Amos Noyes, and Robert Millikan who are all scientists. The latter is also the recipient of a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1923.

Caltech has achieved great acclaim and it is recognized all over the world as a top university. It has been called home by many Nobel laureates especially Linus Pauling, the only person to win two Nobel Prizes in history. There are 79 Nobel laureates affiliated with Caltech. These include alumni Robert W. Wilson and Eric Betzig, and faculty members Richard Feynmann and Kip Thorne.

Today, Caltech has retained its vocational heritage while expanding its focus on engineering and science. It currently has six academic divisions: (1) Biology and Biological Engineering, (2) Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, (3) Engineering and Applied Science, (4) Geological and Planetary Science, (5) Humanities and Social Sciences, and (6) Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy. These divisions are steeped in Caltech’s strong and vibrant research culture.

In fact, Caltech is home to over 50 research centers and institutes, including the famed Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Moreover, faculty and students are given access to a wide variety of research facilities, from gene sequencing to brain imaging. Also, it provides them access to the Large Hadron Collider.

The institute also offers academic and even career support. This is provided by Caltech Library services and its Office of Technology Transfers and Corporate Partnerships, respectively. The latter helps students bring their innovations to the market, resulting in many Caltech-born startups.

The California Institute of Technology also has strong programs in the humanities and social sciences. However, these programs draw heavy influences from the formal and natural sciences. This results in collaborative and interdisciplinary learning—the approach to research and teaching that Caltech espouses.