California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Caltech)[4] is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with a strong emphasis on sciences and engineering. Its primary 124-acre (50 ha) campus is located approximately 11 miles (18 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles. Although founded as a preparatory and vocational school by Amos G. Throop in 1891, the eponymous college attracted influential scientists such as George Ellery Hale, Arthur Amos Noyes, and Robert Andrews Millikan in the early 20th century. The vocational and preparatory schools were disbanded and spun-off in 1910 and college assumed its present name in 1921. In 1934, Caltech was elected to theAssociation of American Universities and the antecedents of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech continues to manage and operate, were established between 1936 and 1943 under Theodore von Karman.[5][6] Caltech enrolled 951 undergraduate and 1179 graduate students and employed 299 professorial faculty in 2009.[3] The university granted 215 undergraduate degrees, 117 masters degrees, and 193 doctoral degrees in 2009.[2] Despite its historically small size, 31 Caltech alumni and faculty have won the Nobel Prize, 66 have won the National Medal of Science or Technology, and 110 have been elected to the National Academies. Caltech managed $357 million in sponsored research in 2009 and a $1.4 billion endowment.[7][1] Undergraduates live in a house system and although student life is governed by a honor code, Caltech has a strong tradition of practical jokes and pranks.[8] The Caltech Beavers compete in 12 intercollegiate sports in the NCAA Division III's Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as well as at the Division I level in fencing. The men's basketball and soccer teams have had notable streaks losing more than 200 games in a row but Caltech has also fielded competitive women's table tennis and Ultimate club teams.
Although founded as a preparatory and vocational school by Amos G. Throop in 1891, the eponymous college attracted influential scientists such as George Ellery Hale, Arthur Amos Noyes, and Robert Andrews Millikan in the early 20th century. The vocational and preparatory schools were disbanded and spun-off in 1910 and college assumed its present name in 1921. In 1934, Caltech was elected to theAssociation of American Universities and the antecedents of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech continues to manage and operate, were established between 1936 and 1943 under Theodore von Karman.[5][6]
Caltech enrolled 951 undergraduate and 1179 graduate students and employed 299 professorial faculty in 2009.[3] The university granted 215 undergraduate degrees, 117 masters degrees, and 193 doctoral degrees in 2009.[2] Despite its historically small size, 31 Caltech alumni and faculty have won the Nobel Prize, 66 have won the National Medal of Science or Technology, and 110 have been elected to the National Academies. Caltech managed $357 million in sponsored research in 2009 and a $1.4 billion endowment.[7][1]
Undergraduates live in a house system and although student life is governed by a honor code, Caltech has a strong tradition of practical jokes and pranks.[8] The Caltech Beavers compete in 12 intercollegiate sports in the NCAA Division III's Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as well as at the Division I level in fencing. The men's basketball and soccer teams have had notable streaks losing more than 200 games in a row but Caltech has also fielded competitive women's table tennis and Ultimate club teams.
