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Pasadena, CA
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) recently established The Professor K. Mani Chandy Innovations in Education Fund to honor the excellence and contributions of Professor K. Mani Chandy, Simon Ramo Professor of Computer Science, Emeritus. The Professor K. Mani Chandy Innovations in Education Fund will support excellence in teaching in Computing and Mathematical Sciences.
All his students remember the unwavering support and encouragement of Chandy. As per them, he genuinely prioritized the success and happiness of students above all else. Now, alumni have rallied together to honor Chandy and his longtime support of students. With more than $100,000 in contributions from Institute alumni and friends, they have established the endowed Professor K. Mani Chandy Innovations in Education Fund.
The following donors helped establish the endowed fund honoring Professor K. Mani Chandy: Roman Ginis (MS ’99, PhD ’02); Rajiv Gupta (MS ’87, PhD ’91); Peter Hofstee (MS ’91, PhD ’95); Andrey Khorlin (MS ’06); Eve Schooler (MS ’96, PhD ’01) and Bob Felderman; Paul Sivilotti (MS ’93, PhD ’98); John Thornley (MS ’93, PhD ’96); Lu Tian (MS ’06) and Max Ibel; Jerome White (MS ’08, PhD ’11); and Dan Zimmerman (BS ’96, MS ’98, PhD ’02).
This endowed fund will support 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,” says 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 led the idea for a fund honoring Chandy, was inspired by fellow alumni enthusiasm. “His wisdom has been a rare gift to his students, the happy recipients of his thoughtfulness, patience, and encouragement,” she said.
Chandy, who has twice won the Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology (ASCIT) Teaching Award—once in 2004 and again in 2008—is touched by this honor.
“It has been a gift to be able to get to know my students as individuals,” he says. “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.”
