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Caltech
Inauguration

October 28, 2026
Beckman Auditorium, Caltech Campus

5:30 PM: Science and Discovery Night
7:30 PM: Panel Conversation

Reserve your tickets

As innovation and investment expand access to orbit and return our gaze to the Moon and Mars, a new era of ambition, exploration, and discovery also raises profound questions. This public conversation—marking the inauguration of Caltech's tenth president, Ray Jayawardhana—brings together leading voices in science, industry, government, and media to explore the promise and implications of New Space and what it means to stand on the threshold of a future rapidly coming into view.

Panelists

Lindy Elkins-Tanton

Professor of Earth and Planetary Science and Director of the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory; Principal Investigator of the NASA Psyche Mission

Jared Isaacman

Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Eric Schmidt, KBE

Former CEO and Chairman of Google; Chair and CEO of Relativity Space

Moderator

Jo Ling Kent
Jo Ling Kent

Senior Business and Technology Correspondent, CBS News

Explore Caltech Science and Engineering

Before the panel, starting at 5:30 PM, join us for a science and discovery night featuring interactive displays and demonstrations from across Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Enjoy refreshments and live music outside Beckman Auditorium as we celebrate the spirit of First Light.