Post by Caltech

Today, Ray Jayawardhana, a renowned astrophysicist, award-winning communicator, and transformative academic leader who has held senior roles at two of the country’s preeminent research universities, became Caltech’s 10th president. Caltech magazine had the chance to speak with him about his aspirations for the Institute and what drew him to this role. "The word ‘unique' gets overused, but Caltech truly is a singular place with a close-knit community whose commitment to excellence is relentless,” Jayawardhana said. "That ethos runs deep and wide, and it imbues everything we do. […] I intend to be a fierce advocate for the Institute’s mission, for the people who advance it, and for the case that fundamental discovery and applied innovation are not in tension, that they reinforce each other. The opportunity to be part of this community, and to steward and champion it, is the honor of a lifetime.” In our interview, Jayawardhana also reflected on how he’s thinking about his presidential priorities in the first year, the best advice he’s ever received, and what drew him to astronomy and space. His full interview with Caltech magazine: https://lnkd.in/e9gf5w6z