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Distinguished Lectures

Subra Suresh Distinguished Lecture

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Subra Suresh Distinguished Lecture. Dr. Subra Suresh is a globally recognized scholar and leader who has had a long history of scientific collaborations and interactions with the faculty and students at Caltech, as well as a distinguished research career that accompanies his achievements in service to the United States as Director of the National Science Foundation and as a world leader in higher education. In his honor, this biennial lecture series has been made possible through a permanent endowment provided by an anonymous donor.

The Subra Suresh Distinguished Lecture is given by leaders in the broad intellectual domain of multidisciplinary science and engineering. The lectureship is organized at least once every two years, with the inaugural lecture and prize event to be held in 2022. The lectureship is administered in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science (EAS) on behalf of the entire Caltech community.

Wouk Lecture

The Victor Wouk Lectureship, established by the Wouk family in December 2004 to bring to campus experts on the latest advances in science and technology, is named in honor of Caltech alumnus Victor Wouk, who received his master's and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering from Caltech in 1940 and 1942, respectively. He devoted himself largely to developing hybrid motor vehicles and using semiconductors in electric vehicles. More than three decades ago, he designed and built a high-performance electric vehicle and a high-performance, low-emission, improved-fuel-use hybrid. Throughout his career, he promoted the continuing development of hybrid automobiles powered by both electricity and gasoline, such as the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, and Ford Escape Hybrid. The range of Wouk's activities was wide, and he consulted for several institutions and the government on the problems of energy. A space-travel buff since childhood, he also worked with the team that developed fuel gauges for the "dune buggies" that roamed the surface of the moon during the Apollo program.