Engineering and Science, Volume 77:3, Fall 2014

Table of Contents

Caltech on Twitter

From the Editor

Random Walk
Smart Hops • Webby Gases • Swimming Robots • And More

Core Instability

Agents of Change

On the Grounds

Beating the Heat–and the Stacks

Smart Hops

A Webby Universe

Microgravity

By the Numbers: Class of 2014

The Write Stuff

Making a Splash

Available Now on Caltech.edu

The Humanists
Professors in the humanities reflect on the unique niche they have carved out at Caltech.

Doctor of Philosophy
After spending years with his nose buried in historical scientific and medical texts, philosopher Gideon Manning is gearing up for a new hands-on learning experience.

Tracing the Path of Corruption
Using both qualitative and quantitative techniques, anthropologist Jean Ensminger looks for a better way to detect corruption in international aid.

At the Intersection of Art and Science
Contemporary-art historian Christa Robbins is making Caltech her home while she completes postdoctoral research on collaborations between artists and scientists.

Talking the Talk
Philosopher Fiona Cowie is digging through history to figure out the roots of language evolution in humans.

Factoring in Behavior
Randomized controlled trials are often used to test new therapeutics, but they’re not the perfect method; economist Erik Snowberg wants to design a trial that considers the effects of a patient’s attitude and behavior.

Valuable Decisions
Our lives are a steady stream of decisions, yet we don’t understand much about how we actually make choices. Scientists working in the interdisciplinary field of neuroeconomics are using behavioral studies and neurobiology to try to change that.

Alumni Impact: Blue-Sky Thinking • Snake-Bite Science
By the Caltech Alumni Association

Blue-Sky Thinking

Snake Bite Science

Endnotes
Alumni create their Caltech dream courses