Caltech Letters

A platform for the research and ideas of the @Caltech community. Taking science out of the lab and putting it into context #SciComm.

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

In this week's Viewpoint, organizers for C/GPU argue why graduate students and postdocs at Caltech should unionize.

https://t.co/AOpFyWj0GA

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

"Building trust through shared values might not be a typical focus during outreach, but I’m hopeful that by prioritizing those relationships, we can grow lasting, authentic, and impactful educational partnerships." - Skyler Ware, Caltech Chemistry Graduate Student

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

The artwork for this week's viewpoint - on relationship-centered approaches to science outreach - is by Caltech alum and scientist Jennah Colborn.

You can find more work by Jennah and other artists on our website at https://t.co/xxNRhWfJmI.

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

In this week's viewpoint, Chemistry Graduate Student and Caltech Letters Managing Editor Skyler Ware describes inventive ways of bridging the gap between scientists and their communities.
https://t.co/4F12cdEIIC

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

"The time pressure undergraduates experience at Caltech forces students to choose between central aspects of the traditional college experience. A lot of undergrads at Caltech don’t go to lectures, and many that do are late or exhausted." -- Jadzia Livingston, Caltech '20

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

The artwork for last week's article, on burnout culture at Caltech, is by Caltech alumna and research scientist Jennah Colborn '22.

#caltech #caltechletters

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

In this week's Viewpoint, Caltech alumna Jadzia Livingston '20 calls for a re-examination of undergraduate "burnout culture."
https://t.co/Aadm8kY7ce

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

"In the bellies of these stars— seemingly serene dots in the sky—a high-pressure inferno begins to squeeze together atoms of lighter elements and combine them into heavier ones." -- Kaustav Das, Caltech Astronomy graduate student

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

The artwork for this week's article, on the stellar origins of the elements, is by our graphics director, Sarah Zeichner. You can view more of Sarah's work at https://t.co/CfwBlcifa2

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

After a supernova explosion, what’s left is an extremely high-density neutron star. It’s so dense that a spoonful of a neutron star weighs more than the Himalayas! Theyprovide a gigantic reservoir of neutrons for the synthesis of heavier elements.

https://t.co/qTSYge1Yrg

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

"I am confident that continued research into the complex nature of fear could one day yield deep insights into human behavior, allowing us to better understand and control our decision-making in the real world." - Sharon Chen, former Caltech graduate student

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

The artwork for this week's article from Sharon Chen (@sharon_chen_twt) on the science of fear and decision-making is by Caltech graduate student Julie Inglis.

You can view more of Julie's work at https://t.co/W04iZjLwJ7

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

Would you reach into a black box if there was a chance a tarantula lurked inside? What if you were paid to reach in? In this week's article, @sharon_chen_twt discusses how fear and anxiety affect our decisions.

https://t.co/f2UBqnMYbp

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

"To my fellow graduate students: resist the deforming gaze of today’s academia, which compels the commodification of your innate curiosity. You have the freedom to direct your research; this is a unique privilege." - Kian Faizi, Caltech Biology Graduate Student (@kianfaizi)

[Kian Faizi @kianfaizi]

Today's academia leaves less room for basic science than ever before. My new piece for @caltechletters on why this is ruining humanity's future — and how trainees can fight back:

https://t.co/UlIXzMygP7

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

In our first feature article of the term, graduate student @kianfaizi calls for a renewed commitment to the pursuit of basic science.

https://t.co/M82Wb5SZ6C

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

Welcome back! Caltech Letters is kicking off our fall publication cycle with our annual "Year in Review," highlighting some of our favorite articles of the last academic year.

https://t.co/vXG8w0QtzF

Interested in science communication? Get in touch at [email protected].

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

@abehmard (10/10) Ultimately, to Leighton’s surprise, the publishers decided to “let the historical record stand”.

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

(1/10) Thirty-four years after his death, famed physicist Richard Feynman's legacy continues to be the subject of both celebration and scrutiny.

[Caltech Letters @caltechletters]

@abehmard (9/10) This included Feynman's expletive-laden description of women that he had temporarily adopted at a nightclub near Los Alamos in an unfortunate social experiment.