People Spotlights
All Spotlights
- Undergraduate Student, Computer Science
Gabriella Twombly
I’m a third-year undergraduate from Weston, FL pursuing Computer Science with a minor in Information & Data Science. My interests lie in machine-learning and data analytics. Throughout my time at Caltech, I’ve explored intersections between CS and other areas of science by participating in planetary and economics research. I’ve also explored predictive analytics in gene sequencing devices through my last internship and look forward to continuing my work in industry as a software engineer. I serve as the UG Academics and Research Committee Chair and VP of Academic Affairs on ASCIT where I’ve been spearheading the organization of the 2023 Student-Faculty Conference. As a committee, the ARC has focused on supporting students and faculty with the transition to in-person academics and the renewal of student-faculty relations. My hobbies include playing on the Caltech intercollegiate women’s volleyball team, mentoring through the Caltech Y, and checking out the surrounding areas like downtown LA.
- Undergraduate Student, Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Emile Anand
I am a fourth-year undergraduate student from Dubai, UAE, majoring in Computer Science. My research interest lies in complexity theory, where I am currently studying the pseudo randomness of expander random walks using Boolean Fourier analytic methods with Professor Chris Umans. I am also interested in online convex optimization and online algorithms for reinforcement learning, which I work on with Professor Adam Wierman in the Rigorous Systems Research Group. Currently, I am also the head TA for CS 155 (Machine Learning and Data Assimilation). In my free time, I enjoy playing the piano, going for runs, and writing blog posts.
- Graduate Student, Applied Physics and Materials Science
Sara Gorske
I am a G3 in materials science in Professor Katherine Faber's lab, where we work on interdisciplinary research topics in the field of ceramics. Currently, I study brittle fracture mechanics and the role of microstructure in determining crack paths. My other research interests lie at the intersection of art and science, specifically the impact of chemical and mechanical deterioration on the lifetime of artistic and archaeological artifacts. Outside of research, I am also a professional yoga instructor, a runner, and a poet. I recently published my debut chapbook of poems, 'I Left a Piece of Me in a Dream and Now I Don't Fit Together Anymore,' through Bottlecap Press, which is a collection of works I wrote during my graduate endeavors so far.
- Undergraduate Student, Mechanical and Civil Engineering
Aiden Swann
I am a senior undergraduate studying Mechanical Engineering and Control and Dynamical Systems. My research interest lies in using elegant mathematics, machine learning, and mechanical innovation to build dexterous robots which can accomplish human-like tasks. I am especially interested in how reinforcement learning can be further extended with theoretical guarantees and physics-based frameworks. In my research at Caltech, I have developed safety guarantees to improve the safety of quadrotors. I was a member of the 2022 NASA Big Idea team here at Caltech which developed LATTICE, an innovative cable-based lunar transportation framework that was awarded the most innovative concept by NASA. I am grateful to have such incredible support and opportunities throughout my time at Caltech. In my free time I love photography, racing quadrotors, and spending time on the beach.
- Graduate Student, Applied Physics and Materials Science
Tomi Esho
I was born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria, moved to the U.S. for college, and obtained my bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. I started at Caltech in 2018 and later joined Professor Austin Minnich's research group. Currently, I study electron and hole dynamics in semiconductors within the framework of the Boltzmann transport equation with the goal to help develop a richer understanding of physical processes in materials as well as predict interesting phenomena. I love to play, watch, and talk about anything related to soccer.
- Independent Consultant, Environmental Science and Technical Advocacy
Gypsy Achong
In giving herself permission to take the path less trodden (advice she also offers to others), Gypsy Achong (BS '95) has leveraged her early passion for mathematics into a consulting career focused on environmental science and technical advocacy, with stops along the way.