People Spotlights
All Spotlights
- Graduate Student, GALCIT
Alex Acosta
Before joining the Caltech community, I graduated from Rice University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Currently, I am a fourth year Aeronautics PhD student in the Caltech Hypersonics Group under Professor Joanna Austin. In this lab, I conduct experiments using Caltech’s Ludwieg Tube, which is capable of accelerating air to four times the speed of sound! My research involves studying how shockwave unsteadiness could adversely couple with the structural vibrations of panel surfaces on high-speed aircraft. The ultimate goal of my project is to enhance our current understanding of shock-boundary layer interactions and to improve the predictive capabilities of fluid-structure computational models. On the weekends, you can find me outdoors hiking around the San Gabriel mountains, shooting photographs on my film cameras, or exploring food spots in LA.
- Undergraduate Student, Computer Science
Tia Abraham
Hey Caltech community! I’m a 2nd-year undergraduate, double majoring in Computer Science and Business, Economics, and Management (BEM), with a minor in Environmental Science and Engineering. My academic interests and coursework focus on finance, data analysis, and environmental conservation/climate change. Currently, I’m involved in research with Professor Hannah Druckenmiller, contributing to a project focused on quantifying flood mitigation values using casual machine learning techniques. Specifically, I process large geospatial datasets for input into our machine learning model. This upcoming summer, I’m excited to intern at Southern California Edison, exploring the intersection of technology and environmental sustainability, which allows me to further connect with my research interests and academic pursuits. Outside of academia and work, I enjoy attending sporting events, cheering on my hometown teams, the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche, and exploring the outdoors through hiking, biking, or spending time at the beach.
- Graduate Student, Electrical Engineering
Jinhua Xu
I was born and raised in Qingdao, China. I’ve been at Caltech for almost three years now and am working at Caltech Optical Imaging lab under the guidance of Professor Lihong Wang. In general, my research interests lie in designing biomedical imaging systems for both research and medical purposes that are accessible, minimally invasive, and leveraging novel physics and computational technologies. Currently, my research focuses on building the first human-scale whole-body tomography system incorporating ultrasound, thermoacoustic, and photoacoustic contrasts that could potentially enable structural imaging, biopsy procedure guiding, and in vivo histology in one system. I’m also working on building a high-resolution photoacoustic tomography system for small animals. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading novels, watching movies (Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Koreeda Hirokazu are some of my favorite directors), and going to concerts.
- Graduate Student, Applied Physics and Materials Science
Elina Sendonaris
My name is Elina, and I'm a G3 in Applied Physics working in the Nonlinear Photonics Lab with Professor Alireza Marandi. I work on creating and measuring quantum states of light using nonlinear nanophotonic chips made out of lithium niobate. In my free time I love to ski, hike, and bike around town. I am also advocating for safer streets for non-drivers with the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition.
- Graduate Student, Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Guanzhi Wang
Hi everyone! I am a third-year PhD student from the Department of Computing and Mathematical Sciences. I am advised by Professor Georgia Gkioxari and Professor Yisong Yue. My research interests lie in the area of foundation models, robotics, and embodied agents. I am passionate about building embodied foundation agents that are generally capable to discover and pursue complex and open-ended objectives and understand how the world works through massive pre-trained knowledge. Before joining Caltech, I obtained my MS from Stanford University and my BS degree from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Outside of research, I like to play soccer and travel.
- Undergraduate Student, Computer Science and Environmental Science
Kaushik Tota
Hey there! My name’s Kaushik, and I’m a third-year undergraduate studying computer science, business, and environmental science and engineering. I’ve spent the past few years working on projects lying at the intersection of sustainability and computer science. This summer, I’m returning to industry as a software engineering intern at Crusoe, a San Francisco and Denver-based unicorn building a high-performance, climate-aligned platform for cloud computing. Throughout my time at Caltech, I’ve also served as Vice President and board member of the nonprofit Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action, a youth-led network of over 100 students engaging in environmental policy advocacy, climate literacy campaigns, and climate career education. In the future, I hope to continue utilizing innovative technology and environmental policy to help solve the planet's most pressing sustainability challenges. I love spending my free time learning about new consumer technology (especially electric vehicles), watching Jeopardy! (if a Jeopardy! casting manager is reading this, let me on the College Championship, please), and exploring LA’s vibrant food scene!