People Spotlights

Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University

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.

Kevin Noertker

Curiosity, confidence, rigor, and humility were all potent elements of a Caltech education for Kevin Noertker (BS '09). They also underpin his current pursuit of bringing electrification to the skies. Noertker's company, Ampaire, is developing hybrid-electric systems to power the future of aviation, enabling zero-emission airplanes that offer real economic and environmental benefits. While Noerkter is working to transform the aviation industry, he remains connected to the Caltech community as a mentor.

Ryan Sinnet

In a sector eager to cut costs, Ryan Sinnet, (BS ’07) has developed a solution. As cofounder and chief research officer at Miso Robotics in Pasadena, Sinnet sees the untapped potential of a human-robot workforce

Aviad Levis

I am a postdoc in the CMS Department at Caltech. I arrived in January 2020 just before the pandemic hit! My research focuses on developing new computational tools for imaging the dynamic accreting material around a black hole. My research, designed for future Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations, will hopefully shed some light (pun intended) on the dynamic processes within this extreme gravitational environment. Before Caltech, I received my Ph.D. from the Technion in Israel, where in collaboration with JPL, I worked on three-dimensional imaging of clouds with the goal of improving climate models by observations. My favorite activity is spending time outdoors with my wife, two elderly dogs, and baby boy.

Graduate Student, Environmental Science and Engineering

Haroula Baliaka

I am a 2nd year Ph.D. student in Environmental Science and Engineering focusing on the sources of air pollution in the Los Angeles basin. I am from Greece and hold a Dipl. Ing in Chemical Engineering from the University of Patras, Greece. My research concentrates on demystifying the mysteries behind the elevated particulate levels in Los Angeles despite regulations. To do so, I am currently looking at the effect of volatile chemical products on the formation of secondary organic aerosol while simultaneously looking at deciphering the sulfate sources using sulfur isotopes as a tracer. In my free time, I enjoy dancing, cooking Greek dishes, and discovering what it means to be living the American dream.

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