Charles C. Gates Jr.–Franklin Thomas Laboratory

The Charles C. Gates Jr.–Franklin Thomas Laboratory, the newly renovated home of the Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering and the administrative offices for the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, was officially dedicated with an opening ceremony on Monday, June 1. The renovation includes the building's original iron railings as well as artistic etchings and imagery that reference prior research in earthquake engineering and hydrodynamics. Looking to the future, the energy-efficient, renovated building features state-of-the-art laboratories and experimental and computational facilities, along with open spaces where faculty, scholars, and students can share ideas across disciplines. [Caltech story]

The laboratory is named after two devoted stewards of Caltech: Charles C. Gates Jr. (1921–2005), businessman, philanthropist, and longtime Caltech trustee; and Franklin Thomas (1885–1952), civil engineering professor, division chair, and dean of students. The renovation was generously supported by the Gates Frontiers Fund through the vision of Diane G. Wallach and John S. Gates, together with the Fred L. Hartley Family Foundation, James E. Hall (BS ’57) and his wife, Sandy, and Li-San Hwang (PhD ’65) and his wife, Anne.