Updates for Caltech neighbors

APRIL 2025

The Eaton and Palisades fires and windstorm have deeply affected all of us across the community. We hope that you are well and that you find, as we have here at Caltech, strength and resilience in community. We are writing to share recent findings on wildfire-related topics and to convey our regular construction updates and event invitations.

Listen to After the Fires, a limited podcast series from the Caltech Science Exchange

Here is recent research on wildfire-related topics:

• Debris flows after wildfires: Jan. 29 Watson Lecture video on YouTube
• Hazards of smoke and tips for cleaning after fires: Article
• Environmental impacts of fires at the wildland-urban interface: Webinar video, transcript, and slides
• How communities recover from disasters: Video and Q&A
• Lead and toxic metals study after the Eaton Fire: Article
• Food and home safety from volatile organic compounds after the LA Fires: Ask the Caltech Science Exchange question and answer

If you see coyotes, please be cautious. They may be protective as they begin rearing their pups in spring, especially if their young are nearby or if you have a dog with you. These steps can help:

• Do not feed squirrels or turtles, or leave food outside for pets or wildlife
• Never feed coyotes; it causes them to approach people and be reactive to dogs
• Keep garbage secure
• Discourage coyotes from getting any closer than four car-lengths away
• Keep dogs on a six-foot or shorter leash and within your control
• Leave cats and small dogs indoors when you aren't with them
• Report any concerning coyote interactions or close approaches to Caltech Security at this online form or by calling 626-395-5000; Ext. 5000. Prompt reporting helps Caltech effectively communicate coyote concerns to city authorities.

The Pasadena Public Health Department also encourages incident reports and asks area residents to watch an educational YouTube video about coyotes and review the City's urban wildlife management plan.

Neighbors, you are welcome at Caltech public events, including talks on the latest science, varsity games, and musical performances and plays. The events below and on the events page for locals may especially interest you. Registration is recommended when possible.

Watson Lectures

Join our community of curiosity and learn from Caltech's premier researchers at Watson Lectures. These events fill quickly.

6 p.m. food, drink, and books available for purchase, science displays, music
7:30 p.m. talk
Free • Beckman Auditorium

April 23
Speaker
Smruthi Karthikeyan, Gordon and Carol Treweek Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and William H. Hurt Scholar

The Secret Life of Superbugs: How Antimicrobial Resistance Moves Between Humans and the Environment
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing global health crisis, is driven not only by clinical misuse of antibiotics but also by widespread reservoirs of resistance genes within environmental microbial communities. In this talk, Smruthi Karthikeyan will discuss how antimicrobial resistance genes can "jump" across species in natural microbial communities, and how looking at our sewers can provide clues for developing therapeutics to combat the AMR crisis.
Register here

If you would like to ask a question, share a comment, and/or be added to our list for occasional emails (a few per year), please email neighbor@caltech.edu. Neighbors are also welcome to subscribe to The Caltech Weekly, an email newsletter that highlights the most relevant research, news, and events at Caltech as well as the individuals who are advancing the boundaries of discovery. You can unsubscribe anytime. If you would like a glimpse of what happens at Caltech, we hope you will explore the This Is Caltech website.