iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
The California Institute of Technology (CALTECH) has established a fund in honor of K. Mani Chandy, the institute’s Simon Ramo Professor Emeritus. The Professor K. Mani Chandy Innovations in Education Fund will support excellence in teaching in Computing and Mathematical Sciences.
The fund has been established with more than $100,000 in contributions from the institute’s alumni and friends. This fund supports the work of the Department of Computing and Mathematical Sciences (CMS) teaching faculty, teaching assistants, and administrative staff whose commitment to the educational mission of CMS, and whose support of teaching, is critical to Caltech students.
“Mani has been, in many ways, the soul of the department for many years,” said Chris Umans, professor of computer science, holder of the William M. Coughran, Jr. Leadership Chair, and Executive Officer for Computing and Mathematical Sciences. “He has a humble, unassuming nature and is a very kind and generous person both intellectually and in his interactions with people, so we wanted to recognize what he had done for the department and create a legacy that would honor him.”
Eve Schooler (MS ’96, PhD ’01), who spearheaded the idea for a fund honoring Chandy, was inspired by fellow alumni’s enthusiasm. “It was heartwarming to hear how much gratitude and love there is for Mani amongst the many students whose lives he has touched,” she said. His wisdom has been a rare gift to his students, the happy recipients of his thoughtfulness, patience, and encouragement.”
“It has been a gift to be able to get to know my students as individuals,” said Chandy, who won the Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology (ASCIT) Teaching Award in 2004 and 2008. “Teaching is not just communicating material but listening and getting to know somebody—and watching their life trajectory and being a part of that trajectory.”
Significant changes have taken place in teaching and learning since Chandy entered academia five decades ago. “One is the easy access students have to a variety of information sources. Two is AI and what it’s doing and can do. And three is the ability for students to collaborate with people across the world,” he added. Today’s teaching must respond to these changes in how students learn, he says, and it must keep evolving. “Rapid changes in technology and society are forcing us to adapt and keep learning. We need all the innovation we can provide to help our students learn.”
