Ion Caltech Today
Construction and Parking
Photos of construction progress at South Gate Plaza as of January 2026.
Construction Impacts
- Ginsburg Center: Construction of the main building is ongoing and progressing as scheduled.
- South Gate Plaza: Construction activity in the area has increased and will continue into February.
- Downs-Lauritsen Lab: The installation of glass on the bridge connecting Downs-Lauritsen with the Ginsburg Center has been completed. Roof construction began at the end of January and will continue into February.
- Frank J. Malina Laboratory for High-Speed Flight Dynamics: Construction on the south side of the Guggenheim Laboratory is ongoing.
Parking and Traffic
- The Holliston Parking Structure will be closed for maintenance from Saturday, March 14, to Sunday, March 15.
Pedestrian Access
- From Thursday, March 19, to Saturday, April 11, a section of the sidewalk along California Boulevard near the entrance to the Downs-Lauritsen Building will be removed and replaced. Pedestrian access to this area will be temporarily restricted. Building access will remain available via an alternate route. Work will take place daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Community Member Milestones
- In memoriam:
Carl Grillmair
Carl Grillmair, an astronomer at Caltech's IPAC science and data center for astronomy and planetary science, passed away on February 16 at the age of 67. A pioneer in exoplanets and stellar streams, he led a landmark 2007 study capturing light from distant worlds to identify atmospheric molecules. Over nearly 30 years, Carl shaped NASA missions, earned prestigious honors, and inspired colleagues with his creativity and passion for discovery.
- Celebrating a remarkable career:
Joseph "Joe" Drew
In March, Joe, the Facilities and Stockroom Operations Manager in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (CCE), will conclude more than 30 years of dedicated service at Caltech. During his tenure, Joe established laboratories for new faculty, guided CCE through rapidly changing procedures during the pandemic, and resolved issues with his deep knowledge of the division’s operations.
- Welcome to Caltech:
William Phillips
On January 5, William joined Caltech as operations staff in Athletics, Recreation, and Instruction (ARI). At ARI, he will assist with the membership program, provide customer service to guests and members of the facility, and work collaboratively with the operations team and department staff. Prior to Caltech, he worked in operations and athletics at Providence Christian College.
- Celebrating a recognition:
Jonas Flygare
Jonas received the Alumnus of the Year – Rising Star award from his alma mater, Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden at the end of 2025. He was recognized for his contributions to the development of future radio astronomy, especially through the Deep Synoptic Array project at Caltech, where he leads the feed antenna design.
- Celebrating a recognition:
Isaac Aguilar
Isaac, a second-year PhD student in geobiology, won an Environment and Exposures Research Poster Award for the Caltech volunteer community ash study on the 2025 Eaton Fire. He and other Caltech researchers from the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences presented research at the first annual LA Fires Research Conference hosted by UCLA on January 14.
- Welcome to Caltech:
Lucas Fagan
On January 5, Lucas joined Caltech as a research scientist in the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, where he'll work on building reinforcement learning agents to solve research-level math problems. Prior to this role, Lucas was a visiting student at Caltech and earned his PhD in math from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Resources
Didn’t bring lunch today? Check out what you can get on campus through the dining menus for Browne Dining Hall, Red Door Marketplace, Broad Cafe, and Avery Kitchen.
Learn how best to use Caltech symbols, fonts, colors, and photos in correspondence, websites, publications and projects.
Students, postdocs, faculty, and staff can borrow eBikes, helmets, and U-locks from the Caltech Library’s Bikeshare webpage.
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