People Spotlights

Richard N. Merkin Professor of Mathematical Finance

Jakša Cvitanić

We create an environment in which interdisciplinary, original research involving the social sciences and quantitative fields can thrive. It boils down to two things, which are education and research. There are not many places like Caltech where students can learn from experts from so many different fields in a natural way."

Rea A. and Lela G. Axline Professor of Business Economics; Director, Ronald and Maxine Linde Institute of Economic and Management Sciences

Jean-Laurent Rosenthal

We have to restore people's understanding that science and engineering solve a lot of social problems, while also sensitizing scientists and engineers to the reality that their solutions must find traction within societal structures that decide what succeeds and what fails.

Robert M. Abbey Professor of History; Director and General Editor, The Einstein Papers Project

Diana Kormos Buchwald

We are always asked, 'Is there anything we don't know about Einstein?' And as editors of the Einstein Papers Project, we always reply, 'Yes, there is a lot that we are learning and discovering, about his work, and that of many others, about Einstein not being just the icon with funny hair but a professional, hard-working scientist with deep preoccupations.'"

William D. Hacker Professor of Economics and Political Science, Emeritus

Charles R. Plott

Caltech’s continuing focus on the formalization, integration, and experimental testing of basic principles of economics and political science creates challenges, intellectual excitement, and an integrated body of science that continues to grow and find important applications that will span many decades."

Linde Postdoctoral Scholar in Economic and Management Sciences (2017–19)

Teddy Mekonnen

We economic theorists come up with problems that are real and relevant, but some of our solutions are impractical, with implicit assumptions of infinite time, resources, or data. When you use computer science to approach economic questions, such as matching problems related to apps for ride-sharing or dating, those assumptions matter."

Social and Decision Neuroscience Graduate Student

Qianying Wu

Here in HSS, I'm able to apply multidisciplinary approaches to my research—to understand typical and atypical human social behaviors with functional neuroimaging, and to characterize those behaviors using computational models."

All Spotlights