People Spotlights
All Spotlights
- Postdoctoral Scholar, Aerospace (GALCIT)
Roni Goldshmid
I am a second-year postdoc in the Dabiri Lab within the Department of Aerospace (GALCIT) at Caltech. I am broadly interested in experimental fluid dynamics, the development of measurement techniques, and leveraging machine learning for imperfect empirical data. My current research project focuses on the development of non-intrusive data-driven and physics-based methods that estimate incident wind speeds from visual observations of natural vegetation. These methods provide physical insights on the flow-structure interactions. Possible applications for these methods include aviation safety monitoring and wildland firefighting. Outside of research, I like to run on mountain trails and watch the sunset on the beach. Finally, after serving as the Caltech Postdoc Association (CPA) EAS representative and CPA treasurer for the last year, I am excited to announce that I am the incoming CPA chair and am looking forward to continuing to serve the Caltech community.
- Postdoctoral Scholar, Environmental Science and Engineering
Sean T. McBeath
I am a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering. My research interests include the development of water and wastewater treatment technologies for decentralized system applications, primarily involving electrochemical systems and novel materials. I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Applied Sciences in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of British Columbia and my PhD at Imperial College London. I also worked as a research associate at RESEAU Centre for Mobilizing Innovation, developing water treatment technologies for rural Indigenous communities in Canada. My journey at Caltech begun in April 2021, helping the team in the Hoffmann lab to develop a point-of-sampling process to detect and quantify SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, for epidemiological surveillance in developing communities. Away from research, I am an avid runner and cyclist. I was formerly a high-performance athlete, competing for Team Canada in the Olympic sport of sprint kayaking.
- Graduate Student, Electrical Engineering
Steven Bulfer
I have been working for two years as a PhD student in Electrical Engineering alongside Professor Azita Emami. I completed my BS in Electrical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. My interests include bio-optics, biomedical engineering, and mixed-mode integrated circuit design. Currently, my projects include implementing low power neural decoding hardware for brain-computer interfaces, and wearable electronics that monitor vitals and estimate fatigue. I really enjoy working as a circuit designer focused on medical applications because it requires a broad understanding of fields such as biophysics, neurology, and biochemistry, which gives me a reason to study interesting fields that I might not otherwise explore. Another benefit of studying an interdisciplinary field is the gambit of people I get to meet and work with, as this field requires significant collaboration with groups all over Caltech and otherwise. I have also enjoyed picking up new hobbies in my graduate career including soccer, tango, and salsa dancing. I received the NSF GRFP fellowship in 2021.
- Postdoctoral Scholar, Medical Engineering
Yide Zhang
Yide Zhang joined the Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory as a postdoctoral scholar in September 2019. He received his PhD in Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame in 2019. With his interdisciplinary background, engineering skills, and expertise in imaging, Yide aims to develop next-generation photoacoustic and ultrafast imaging techniques that can observe biological and physical phenomena that are too fast to be imaged with existing methods. The observation of these ultrafast phenomena could provide a better understanding of the fundamentals of life and physical sciences. He is also developing a new quantum imaging approach able to investigate biological organisms with an imaging performance that cannot be achieved with classical optical imaging techniques. He is a recipient of the JenLab Young Investigator Award, granted by the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, hiking, cycling, and traveling.
- Graduate Student, Environmental Science and Engineering
Sara Murphy
Sara is a fifth-year graduate student in Environmental Science and Engineering performing research in experimental atmospheric chemistry. Using gas chromatography chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC-CIMS) and a small atmospheric chamber, she studies the formation rates of atmospherically significant organic peroxides. Broadly, she is interested in studying the rates and mechanisms of gas-phase organic reactions in the atmosphere to better understand and model tropospheric chemistry and air quality. In addition to her research, Sara enjoys teaching and mentoring undergraduates, and is active in pushing for changes to make Caltech and academia more inclusive. In her spare time, she enjoys playing and teaching bluegrass fiddle, playing violin in the Caltech orchestra, and exploring the local hiking trails.
- Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Deborah Chung (BS '73, MS '73)
Dr. Deborah Chung (BS '73, MS '73) graduated as one of the first four female undergraduates at Caltech, and is the first female to graduate from Caltech with a major in Engineering and Applied Science. After Caltech, Chung received her PhD degree in Materials Science from MIT. Chung is a pioneer in the field of multifunctional structured materials and is best known for her invention of smart concrete, a material in which short carbon fibers are added to concrete so that stress and deformation can be easily detected even before cracks appear.