The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a world-renowned science and engineering research and education institution located in Pasadena, California. Founded in 1891 as Throop University by Amos Gager Throop, Caltech has evolved into one of the most prestigious research universities in the world, dedicated to expanding human knowledge and benefiting society through research integrated with education.
Caltech marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. The institute operates across six academic divisions: Biology and Biological Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Engineering and Applied Science, Geological and Planetary Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. Caltech also manages the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for NASA and is home to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), which made the groundbreaking first detection of gravitational waves. With approximately 975 undergraduate students and a commitment to bold, collaborative exploration, Caltech fosters an environment where scientific discovery thrives.