What does a typical weekend look like for a Caltech student? Well, most weekends may consist of sleeping in (much needed after a long week of classes), finishing problem sets, or going off-campus to eat or explore Pasadena/LA. However, some weeks are extra eventful!
On Saturday, November 23, I spent my day at SCCUR, the Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research, presenting the research I had done the past summer. My day began quite early (at 5:30 am!), when I had to prepare to leave for SCCUR. Located about an hour away, California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) hosted the Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research this year. This conference aimed to bring together undergrads and some high school students who have participated in research in a university setting, allowing them to present their research and findings to peers and moderators in the field.
At 9 AM, we began the conference with a keynote address from our guest speaker, Janeya Griffin, a social entrepreneur and advocacy strategist. Throughout her talk, Janeya spoke about her personal experiences navigating the professional field and her inspirations to pursue a career in entrepreneurship to benefit underrepresented communities–an inspirational beginning to the conference.
SCCUR hosts multiple poster and oral presentation sessions throughout the day. After the keynote address, I headed to my oral presentation block, which was for research areas related to various topics in engineering. Presentations ranged from quantum computing to robotics to reusable water systems. Listening to students from other institutions presenting their work was truly eye-opening, exposing me to a greater field of research and networking beyond Caltech.
The rest of the day was spent viewing other students’ research posters, attending professional development workshops, and attending various oral presentations. I also got a chance to try out CSUSB’s dining hall (which had a waffle machine!). After a long yet fulfilling day, we finally headed back to Caltech campus at 7 PM.
However, the day wasn’t over yet. At 10 PM, Avery house (my house!) hosted its annual interhouse party, and the theme was minions (called Gru-very)! The party had a wide range of minion-based decorations, including two painted murals, a cutout mural to take pictures, a giant inflatable moon, a minion on a constructed Eiffel tower, a flying Vector, banana string lights, and a cardboard Grumobile (a lottt of Despicable Me references). In addition, we also had a bunch of carnival games with tickets and prizes, homemade food, and a dance floor! As a member of Avery house, it was amazing to see the outcome of weeks of setting up the event. Partying with my friends was the best way to relax after a long conference day!
