Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Our Mission


To foster a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for everyone in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science (EAS) at Caltech.

“Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion is foundational to the expanding science and engineering knowledge, and new perspectives illuminate new paths for exploration.” – Harry A. Atwater, Otis Booth Leadership Chair, Division of Engineering and Applied Science; Howard Hughes Professor of Applied Physics and Materials Science; Director, Liquid Sunlight Alliance

Our Goals

  • In building an environment of respect, kindness, collaboration, inclusion, and mentoring, we aim for each member of the EAS community to develop their potential and reach their goals unhindered by racism, sexism, or any other form of bias.
  • For EAS to lead the academic engineering community in both our intellectual output and reputation for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“I chose Caltech because of its people. Caltech’s unique, focused, and inclusive community has been truly inspiring. I hope that throughout my graduate career here at Caltech, I am able to motivate more students from Puerto Rico and other underrepresented communities to apply to Caltech.” – Jose Lasalde-Ramirez, 2021 EAS Chair Scholar

Get Involved

Getting Help


Visit the Caltech Equity and Title IX Office page to access resources for getting help including:

EAS New Horizons Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award


The Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences seeks annual nominations to recognize and honor individuals within the EAS community who have actively contributed to EAS’s goal to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive engineering community. The award is available to members of the EAS community, including current students, postdoctoral scholars, staff, and faculty. Nominations were due Wednesday, May 19, 2021 and accepted from anyone in the EAS community, EAS alumni, and members of the Caltech community. Click here for full description of how to make a nomination. Nominations will reopen for 2022 awards in Spring 2022.


2021 winners include Sara Beery, Abigail (Abby) Jiang, Daniel Mukasa, Alexander Choi, Leah Ginsburg, Marcus Lee, and Victoria Lee.

EAS Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion


“The EAS DEI committee was formed with the intention to build a more supportive environment for its current and future students, postdocs, faculty and staff. Through concerted attention, collaboration and funding, the aim is to achieve tangible change by increasing awareness and accessibility to resources, providing thoughtful transparency, alleviating systemic obstacles for underrepresented groups, and updating standards and practices.” – Tiffany Kimoto, Executive Director, Kavli Nanoscience Institute, and EAS DEI Committee member

Using the 2020 report from the EAS Division Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a starting point, the committee will:

  • Act as a source of best practices, resources, and sounding board for DEI efforts within EAS and the EAS options.
  • Support EAS/Caltech DEI affinity groups, clubs, and student/postdoc related activities.
  • Consider ways to use the New Horizons Diversity and Equity Fund.
  • Create an award and process for recognizing EAS students, staff, and faculty for leadership in DEI activities.
  • Improve interactions with Caltech EAS alumni to provide avenues for mentoring and networking, especially for students and postdocs from historically minoritized groups.
  • Partner with EAS leadership to support the Division’s efforts to recruit and retain students and postdocs.
  • Provide feedback on EAS’ web presence, including EAS programs, demographic data, and messaging around DEI.
  • Consider other issues as they arise.

Committee members:

  • Haley Bauser, graduate student in Applied Physics
  • Adam Blank, teaching assistant professor in Computing and Mathematical Sciences
  • Jennifer Blankenship, options manager for Applied Physics and Materials Science
  • John Dabiri, Centennial Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering
  • Angela Gao, graduate student in Computing and Mathematical Sciences
  • Melany Hunt (chair), Dotty and Dick Hayman Professor of Mechanical Engineering
  • Abby Jiang, undergraduate in Materials Science
  • Tiffany Kimoto, executive director, Kavli Nanoscience Institute
  • Beverley McKeon, Theodore von Karman Professor of Aeronautics; EAS Division Deputy Chair
  • Sydney Richardson, undergraduate in Mechanical Engineering
  • Mauro Rodriguez, postdoctoral scholar in Mechanical Engineering
  • Jaimie Stewart, postdoctoral scholar in Computing and Mathematical Sciences
  • Changhuei Yang, Thomas G. Myers Professor of Electrical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Medical Engineering
  • Yisong Yue, Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences

EAS Ad-Hoc Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (2020)

In 2020, Ravi Ravichandran, the EAS Booth Leadership Chair, established the EAS Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The members were Harry Atwater (Chair), John Dabiri, Michelle Effros, Andrei Faraon, Melany Hunt, Beverley McKeon, Austin Minnich, Yisong Yue, and Chris Umans.

The Committee’s charge is to develop recommendations for a set of useful and actionable measures that EAS can undertake to achieve its objectives for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and recommend a set of concrete metrics for measuring success in increasing the diversity of the EAS Division and associated Caltech communities. The Committee consulted broadly with faculty, students, postdocs, and staff across the Division to seek their opinions and input, and produced the Report of the Engineering and Applied Science Division Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in November 2020.

Undergraduate admission at Caltech is need-blind and actively supports student access, equity, and inclusion.

Graduate admission at Caltech is grounded in the understanding that civility and mutual respect for diversity of background, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age, disability, and marital and family status, are critical. We are dedicated to creating and sustaining an environment in which such diversity will flourish.

Caltech is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.