Caltech Y

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Caltech Y Friends Dinner! We loved seeing our community come together to share a meal, connect with fellow Friends, and hear an inspiring talk on the intersection of AI and robotics. A special thank you to Professor Ames and the Caltech Robotics Team for their incredible demos, and to our event sponsors and Enterprise.

As we begin our 110th year, we are deeply grateful for the Friends whose support makes it possible for the Y to continue making a difference in the lives of students and the broader community.

We hope to see you at our next Friends event: a Food Truck Open House and student poster session on May 17!

We are heartbroken by the passing of Caltech undergraduate student, Parker Thompson. Parker was a kind, patient, and empathetic soul who devoted his time to service with the Caltech Y. He contributed as a Rise Program tutor, data intern, and active member of our summer camp, touching the lives of many. Parker will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Professional support services and personnel are available through Student Wellness Services (SWS) or the Staff and Faculty Consultation Center (SFCC). Students can access urgent appointment slots at various times throughout the week by calling (626) 395-8331. If you or anyone you know feels alone or overwhelmed, or struggles with thoughts of suicide, please know that you are not alone and that care is available. You may submit a CARE referral on behalf of another individual or yourself, or contact SWS or the SFCC to link with mental health services.

What an end to the year! This week students returned from two impactful trips- a domestic science policy trip to Washington D. C. and a cultural exploration in India in partnership with IIT Gandhinagar (IITGN). Stay in touch in the new year to hear more about these trips and all the other Y programs! ✨

The holiday season is upon us! Yesterday student leaders wrapped close to 100 (!) donated gifts. In partnership with Red Cross, Five Acres, and PCC Stars, the Caltech Y collected and wrapped gifts to send to foster youth in Pasadena. Thank you to everyone who donated toys or time to give back to our community. 💫

Continuing with our introductions of the Caltech Y Student Board Members, today we’re highlighting At-Large Board Member, Rachel Tham ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Rachel is a materials science graduate student in Engineering and Applied Science (EAS) at Caltech. Her research focuses on studying two-dimensional materials for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications. She is a Womxn in EAS steering committee member, and she enjoys dancing, gardening, and traveling. Through the Caltech Y, she enjoys planning and going to the Explore LA Cultural Cuisine Tours, in addition to attending events organized by the Y’s Student Activism Speaker Series. She hopes to support and encourage the Caltech community to get involved with Y events.

Continuing with our introductions of the Caltech Y Student Board Members, today we’re highlighting our At-Large Member, Subham (Sub) Sahoo ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Sub (’26) studies computer science and business, economics, and management at Caltech, and he is a member of Avery and Venerable House. Last year, he left the Rob Phillips Group where he did machine learning research for genomic inference problems to pursue a software engineering internship at Fieldguide. He is excited to come back to Caltech this year and use his experiences to serve as Cabinet member with the Caltech Y. Outside of academics, he plays trumpet for the wind orchestra, helps lead the Caltech Christian Fellowship, and loves going on hikes and camping trips. He has participated in and helped organize Make-A-Difference Day, the Y-Hike, the Costa Rica ASB Trip, and the India Ki Khoj Cultural Exchange Trip.

Continuing with our introductions of the Caltech Y Student Board Members, today we’re highlighting our VP External, Arabella Camunez ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Arabella (’27) studies Chemical Engineering on the Sustainability track and has a particular interest in nuclear energy and climate policy. On campus, she is a member of Venerable House, part of the Caltech Christian Fellowship, a BoC Rep, and an enthusiastic participant in Glee Club and theater productions. As a VP External member of the Y, Arabella has participated in and helped organize Make-a-Difference Day, the India Cultural Trip, and the Geneva Global Policy Trip.

Continuing with our introductions of the Caltech Y Student Board Members, today we’re highlighting our VP External, Robert (Otis) Otieno ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Otis (’27) is an Applied & Computational Mathematics undergraduate at Caltech and a member of Blacker House. At Caltech, he has been a practitioner of AI tools for offices such as Tech Transfer and a researcher into homomorphic encryption for creating full-on user privacy tools. When he is not researching or studying, he enjoys training Olympic weightlifting for fun, reading sci-fi stories, and djembe drumming. His first contact with the Y was through Liz Jackman, his first-year mentor. Through Liz, he attended meetings and signed up to be a RISE Tutor at John Muir High School. He has also enjoyed programs such as ASB trips to Costa Rica and Make-A-Difference Day.

His future aspirations for the Y are to expose more students to the Y and encourage them to participate in its various programs, while also researching logistics for possible Y safaris to Africa as he patiently works toward launching a community impact non-profit organization in his home country of Kenya.

Continuing with our introductions of the Caltech Y Student Board Members, today we’re highlighting our VP Internal, Shrishti Pankaj Kulkarni ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Shrishti (’26) is pursuing a Physics major with a minor in Computer Science at Caltech, and is a member of Venerable House. She does research with the Endres Lab, exploring laser cooling techniques in the field of neutral atom quantum computing. Outside of classes and lab, she enjoys practicing Kathak (an Indian classical dance form) and reading fiction. Shrishti is an Internal Vice President of the Caltech Y, and is especially passionate about environmental conservation and cultural exploration. She has helped organize Make-a-Difference Day, Cultural Cuisine Tours, and a variety of decompression events.