Centennial Celebration
A Century of Discovery Together
On March 9, 1926, the first formal meeting of the Caltech Associates convened at the home of Henry E. Huntington. The 100 visionary founders helped to transform a small Pasadena vocational school into an internationally renowned center for science, engineering, and technology.
One hundred years later, the Associates organization had grown and expanded in ways the founders could not have imagined, supporting research at the frontiers of knowledge in medicine, biotech, neuroscience, quantum computing, robotics, space exploration, and more.
On Friday, April 10, 2026, members, faculty, and Institute leadership gathered again at The Huntington to celebrate the centennial of the Caltech Associates and the generosity of its members over the past century. The elegant black-tie occasion began with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and the program, and concluded with a dessert reception, live music, and dancing.
Science in the Century Ahead
In the 20th century, Caltech's contributions to human knowledge redefined our understanding of the universe, from its fundamental components to its observable limits. How will science and engineering shape the 21st century?
The program for the evening featured a panel discussion featuring early-career faculty, all of whom were William H. Hurt Scholars. Thomas F. Rosenbaum, president and the Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and professor of physics, was joined by Hannah Druckenmiller, assistant professor of economics; Georgia Gkioxari, assistant professor of computing and mathematical sciences and electrical engineering; and Karthish Manthiram, Bren Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry and executive officer for Chemical Engineering, for an interdisciplinary conversation about their research and the potential for transformative discoveries at Caltech.
Honoring a Legacy of Impact
As we marked our centennial, the Associates counted more than 1,600 active members. Over the preceding century, members had contributed more than $75 million in annual membership gifts to the Institute. Many members had extended their philanthropy beyond membership to strengthen Caltech in lasting ways. These efforts included endowing more than 50 professorships, 100 undergraduate scholarships, and 85 graduate fellowships, as well as funding the construction of more than 50 campus buildings. In total, Associates' gifts to the Institute exceeded $2.5 billion over the organization's first 100 years.
During their welcome remarks at the Centennial Celebration, the Associates Board's Centennial Advisory Committee highlighted our members' incredible generosity and announced that the Legacy Circle, which commemorates the founders' transformative gifts a century ago, had reached its goal of 100 households. Read about the Legacy Circle and its members.
