Caltech Welcomes News Students and Scholars for the 2025–26 Academic Year

On Friday, September 26, after a week of orientation, Caltech students, faculty, and staff gathered for Convocation, the Institute's annual formal welcome to its newest community of scholars, which includes 258 undergraduates, 242 graduate students, and 45 postdoctoral scholars.

Orientation Week

In the week leading up to Convocation, Caltech's Student and Family Engagement (SFE) and Graduate Studies Office organized a range of events to introduce new students and postdoctoral scholars to the Institute.

Student move-ins began with early international student arrivals on Wednesday, September 17, and continued until Sunday, September 21, when the undergraduates moved in.

Next, Caltech's newest community members came together for an array of orientation events. International students kicked off their campus experience with a drum circle led by Grammy-winning South African drummer Danny Petersen. First-year undergraduates gathered for a welcome picnic at the president's residence, where President Thomas F. Rosenbaum, the Institute's Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and professor of physics, greeted each student with a handshake. Later in the week, Caltech's beaver mascot, Bernoulli—appearing as his DJ alter ego, Bernie Burn—took the stage at SFE's introductory session, dancing between staff introductions and helping energize the crowd throughout the program.

Convocation: Advancing Intelligence in the Age of AI

This year's Convocation included remarks from Kevin Gilmartin, vice president and Allen V.C. Davis and Lenabelle Davis Leadership Chair of Student Affairs and the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of English; Rosenbaum; Ashlyn Roice, undergraduate president of the Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology (ASCIT); and Zachary Chase and Wesley Patel, graduate co-chairs of the Graduate Student Council (GSC).

As the host of Convocation, Gilmartin welcomed students and explained his selection of "Advancing Intelligence: Science, Ethics, and Exploration in the Age of AI" as the theme of this year's Convocation.

"Caltech is a place where profound discoveries happen collaboratively and at disciplinary intersections, where theory engages application and where fundamental curiosity drives meaningful and socially impactful innovation," Gilmartin said. "AI involves dynamic intersections of this kind and touches everything from astrophysics and biology to philosophy and public policy, and all of our daily lives."

In his welcome address, Rosenbaum spoke about the current environment on campus and in the larger realm of academic research.

"You come at a time when the scientific possibilities are limitless," Rosenbaum said, highlighting NASA's recent discovery of potential biosignatures on Mars and the second quantum revolution. "Whether you are an undergraduate, a graduate student, a postdoc, or a faculty member, you also come at a time when the challenges are great," Rosenbaum continued. "The assault on science and on higher education is profound. We believe in truth. We believe in data. We believe in evidence-based reasoning. We believe in the power of science and technology to further human knowledge and to improve people's lives. Proudly be part of this Caltech mission. Hold onto your dreams and immerse yourself in learning and discovery. We will do all that we can to help guide you on this path."

A theme of community and connection emerged in the undergraduate and graduate student remarks.

"What makes Caltech so special is not just the groundbreaking science but the people you'll meet along the way. The classmates who grind out problem sets with you late into the night, the new friends who share in your struggles and in your breakthroughs, and the limitless community that grows with those connections," said Patel, GSC co-chair. "So as you begin this journey, I encourage you to be generous with and kind to yourself, to support each other, and to take part in the life of this campus and Los Angeles, outside of the lab. Celebrate the small wins. Lean on your peers and friends, and strive to be the best version of yourself."

After the welcoming remarks, a panel of faculty convened to discuss the Convocation theme. Led by Frederick Eberhardt, professor of philosophy, the panel featured Katie Bouman, associate professor of computing and mathematical sciences, electrical engineering and astronomy, a Rosenberg Scholar, and a Heritage Medical Research Institute Investigator; Georgia Gkioxari, assistant professor of computing and mathematical sciences and electrical engineering and a William H. Hurt Scholar; and Steve Chien, senior research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which Caltech manages for NASA.

The panelists discussed AI's role in their various research efforts. Gkioxari noted that AI is at the center of her work in computer vision, which includes building machines that see the way that humans do. Chien shared how his research in advanced AI systems at JPL enables spacecraft, such as the Perseverance rover on Mars, to operate autonomously—making decisions and collecting samples without real-time input from scientists on Earth. Bouman spoke to the ways in which AI helps her push the limits of what humans can see using just light and lenses by predicting and modeling what certain "invisible" objects—such as black holes—might look like.

Gkioxari and Bouman also shared their thoughts on the use of AI in lab and classroom settings.

"AI is very good at the things that it has seen many, many, many times. Those things that it has seen many, many, many times are not going to push the boundaries of technology," Gkioxari said, "so I really think that if you want to be at the forefront of tech, if you want to be the next innovator, the next Nobel Prize winner, or the next Turing Award winner––which is what you should be aiming for, by the way––then AI is not going to help you. You need to train your brain, and that comes through rigorous education material here."

The panelists concluded their discussion by suggesting that the students be fearless, have direction while being willing to pivot, and build systems of support.

At a community brunch on Beckman Mall after the formal convening, Selina Xie, an incoming first year and international student from Beijing, China, commented on the panel discussion. "Before coming to Caltech, I had done some research on the field that I'm interested in, and I was really impressed with Professor Katie Bouman's research," Xie said. "At Convocation, I finally had a chance to listen to her talk and hear about her research live. I want to strive to learn more about her lab and maybe get engaged with her research."

During their orientation, the Institute's newest students began forging the kinds of connections that reflect the collaborative spirit and close-knit nature of the Caltech community. First-years Nihira Padidam and Christian Host-Madsen, for example, say they have already become fast friends despite growing up 5,000 miles apart—Padidam in Orlando, Florida, and Host-Madsen in Honolulu, Hawaii.

"There are so many people here from different backgrounds who are all interested in advancing science," said Padidam, "and I think Caltech gives us the opportunity to meet them all."