Everyone's journey into science is unique. Alejandro Stefan-Zavala's passion for engineering began in his childhood backyard where he used simple tools to tinker with homemade robots.
On Saturday, November 8, 2025, students and families are invited to listen as Stefan-Zavala shares his journey to Caltech, where he is currently a graduate student in aeronautics. Working in the lab of Mory Gharib, the Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Medical Engineering, Stefan-Zavala uses computers and a wall of small fans to replicate extreme wind patterns. He then builds drones and studies what happens when they encounter that wind. (Spoiler alert: The drones often crash.)
Stefan-Zavala says replicating wind conditions in the lab "allows us to send drones to places where we can't go, such as fires, volcanoes, remote islands, and other planets."
At his Science Journeys talk, titled "Flight School for Robots," Stefan-Zavala will show some of these drones in action to introduce the exciting world of autonomous flight and explain how his team helped design a mission to pilot a drone on Mars. He hopes that stories about how he pursued his curiosity in engineering will inspire younger students to do the same.
"I have been driven by science since elementary school when I learned that with a few cheap tools and simple scientific concepts, I could build little robots in my backyard," Stefan-Zavala says. "Through my Science Journey, I want others to see that they can do it themselves, and I want them to have fun."
Typically, Science Journeys events take place on weekdays and serve as field trip opportunities for local middle and high school students. Stefan-Zavala's special Saturday version of Science Journeys opens this fun learning opportunity to both students and their families.
Starting at 10 a.m., Stefan-Zavala and other members of the Gharib lab will showcase the lab's various drones and robots and answer questions during pre-show activities on Beckman Mall. Caltech's Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach (CTLO) will have hands-on STEM activities for attendees. Concessions and books will also be available for purchase.
Advance registration for Stefan-Zavala's Science Journey is currently open on the Science Journeys website, where you can also explore past events and register for other upcoming Science Journeys.
About the Series
In Science Journeys, Caltech graduate students and postdoctoral scholars discuss a range of scientific topics that will spark students' curiosity and provide educators with supplemental resources to continue that exploration in the classroom.
Each one-hour event includes a presentation and Q&A. Programs are designed especially for middle and high school students, but everyone is welcome to attend. All events are free through the generosity of the Friends of Beckman Auditorium, but registration is strongly encouraged.
Visit the Science Journeys website to register yourself or your classroom for this event, as well as events in February and March 2026, and to watch past presentations.