The
California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as
Caltech) is a
private research university located in
Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering. Its 124 acre primary campus is located approximately 11 mi northeast of
downtown Los Angeles.
Although founded as a preparatory and vocational school by
Amos G. Throop in 1891, the college attracted influential scientists such as
George Ellery Hale,
Arthur Amos Noyes, and
Robert Andrews Millikan in the early 20th century. The vocational and preparatory schools were disbanded and spun off in 1910, and the college assumed its present name in 1921. In 1934, Caltech was elected to the
Association of American Universities, and the antecedents of
NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech continues to manage and operate, were established between 1936 and 1943 under
Theodore von Kármán.
Despite its small size, 31 Caltech alumni and faculty have won the Nobel Prize and 66 have won the United States
National Medal of Science or
Technology. There are 110 faculty members who have been elected to the
National Academies. In addition, numerous faculty members are associated with the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as
NASA. Caltech managed $332 million in 2011 in sponsored research and $1.75 billion for its endowment in 2012. Caltech was ranked first in the 2012–2013
Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the second year running, as well as ranking first in Engineering & Technology and Physical Sciences. It also has a long standing rivalry with
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
First year students are required to live on campus, and 95% of undergraduates remain in the on-campus
house system. Although Caltech has a strong tradition of practical jokes and pranks, student life is governed by an honor code which allows faculty to assign take-home examinations. The Caltech Beavers compete in 13 intercollegiate sports in the
NCAA Division III's
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.