People Spotlights

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.

Lei Li

Lei Li (PhD '19), an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice University, spent the years 2017-2022 as a graduate student and then a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Lihong Wang, Bren Professor of Medical Engineering and Electrical Engineering; Andrew and Peggy Cherng Medical Engineering Leadership Chair; Executive Officer for Medical Engineering.

Landry Djodom

Originally from Cameroon, Landry Fokoua Djodom (PhD '13) welcomes a challenge…and a change of scenery. With a background in math and physics, Djodom came to Caltech to focus on aeronautical simulation and modeling. After Caltech, Djodom did exactly what you'd expect someone with a PhD in aeronautics to do. He went into the financial sector. But Djodom's interest in financial research and modeling isn't a major change in direction, it's an enthralling challenge that leverages the unique benefits of a Caltech education.

All Spotlights