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Techer Live: Future Prospects for American Science
How Universities and Alumni Can Restore Trust in Science—and Serve the Public Good
Public trust in science is under strain, with consequences for research, policy, and society. What role can universities—and their alumni—do to help restore it?
Join Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum and Science Editor-in-Chief Holden Thorp (PhD ’89) for a candid discussion on how universities and alumni can help bridge the growing divide between science and the public. Moderated by author-performer Sandra Tsing Loh (BS ’83, DAA ’01).
Techer Live is a new series presented by the Caltech Alumni Association, designed to bring timely, thought-provoking conversations to alumni worldwide—primarily online, with select in-person events.
This event will be held in person at Ramo Auditorium and livestreamed via Zoom to reach the broader alumni community.
Date and Time: Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 6 p.m. PT
RSVP Deadline: Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Registration: Registration for the event is closed. Advance registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance.
Capacity: In-person seating at Ramo Auditorium limited to 350
For inquiries, contact Kat Hantman at info@alumni.caltech.edu or 626-395-6592.
Holden Thorp (PhD ’89)
Editor-in-Chief of the Science family of journals and a professor of chemistry and medicine at George Washington University. A chemist and academic leader, he previously served as chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and as provost of Washington University in St. Louis. Thorp received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UNC, a PhD in chemistry from Caltech, and completed postdoctoral work at Yale University. He has been recognized as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the National Academy of Inventors.
Thomas F. Rosenbaum
Caltech’s ninth president and the Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and professor of physics. He is an expert on the quantum mechanical nature of materials, conducting research at Bell Laboratories, IBM Watson Research Center, and the University of Chicago, where he served as Vice President for Research & Argonne National Laboratory and then Provost, before moving to Caltech in 2014. He received his bachelor’s degree in physics with honors from Harvard University and a PhD in physics from Princeton University.
Sandra Tsing Loh (BS ’83, DAA ’01)
A writer, performer, and science communicator, she will moderate the conversation. Loh is the creator and host of The Loh Down on Science, a nationally syndicated radio segment. A Caltech physics graduate (BS ’83, DAA ’01), she has contributed to NPR’s Morning Edition, Marketplace, and This American Life, and is the author of six books. An Atlantic Monthly contributing editor, she has performed her solo shows off-Broadway and at major venues including the Geffen Playhouse and the Kennedy Center. Her play The Madwoman in the Volvo, based on her memoir, premiered at South Coast Repertory and toured nationally. She teaches drama and science communication at UC Irvine.