From the Nominator

RSI 10 in Session celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Resnick Sustainability Institute, honoring the visionary philanthropic support of the RSI’s namesake, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, and others whose support enabled advancements in sustainability. The day brought together a diverse group of investigators from across Caltech’s campus and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to share with the Resnicks, other donors, and trustees the four core research areas where Caltech is uniquely positioned to advance novel solutions in sustainability in the future: climate science, biology and biosphere engineering, water resources, and solar fuels. Guests participated in a full day, immersive “back-to-school” experience, where they listened to brief, TedTalk-style lectures from faculty leaders, and conducted hands-on laboratory experiments that provided them with an insider’s view into Caltech’s distinctive approach to energy and sustainability science.

From the Judges

The “back to school” concept is one that many of our institutions employ when we bring alumni and others to campus, but it is rarely as successful as this one seemed to be. It sounded fun and interesting—especially the lab experiment idea, which was both original and on-brand. The plantable pencils are nice and go beyond a gimmick, in that they were actually used (same with the lab coats; great idea). Careful and appropriate attention to sustainability. The videos are simple and genuine while being compelling and elegant. One of our judges called it “the perfect level of smart but accessible,” and another called it “an expertly produced event—every aspect, including a concurrent event for displaced students, was considered.”