2 Caltech Researchers Named to National List of Top 10 ‘Scientists to Watch’

A chemical engineering professor and a geophysics professor from Caltech have been named to Science News’ top 10 list of “Scientists to Watch,” the organization announced Wednesday.

Professor of Chemical Engineering Mikhail Shapiro and Assistant Professor of Geophysics Zhongwen Zhan were included on the list of “10 young scientists who are pushing the boundaries of scientific inquiry,” according to a statement from the Society for Science & the Public, which has been publishing Science News since 1921 and running its annual list of young scientists to watch for six years.

Shapiro is Caltech’s Heritage Principal Investigator for the Schlinger Scholar Affiliated Faculty of Bioengineering and Medical Engineering, according to the institution.

He specializes in molecular and cellular engineering, and working with colleagues “develops molecular technologies for noninvasive imaging and control of cellular function, and uses these technologies to study basic biology and create cellular diagnostics and therapeutics,” according to his university profile.

Zhan studies seismology, emphasizing the topics of ambient seismic noise and subduction zone processes, according to his Caltech profile. “I am mostly interested in seismic imaging of Earth structure using dense arrays, rupture processes and controlling factors of shallow and deep earthquakes, and ambient noise imaging of glacier structures,” he wrote.

His work has included using sensitive seismic equipment to track the 2020 Rose Parade, demonstrating it was possible to distinguish between bands, horses, and motorcycles based on their seismic signatures, Science News reported.

The top 10 list is meant to identify “early- and mid-career scientists on their way to greater widespread acclaim,” said the statement issued by the Society for Science & the Public.

“Some of this year’s honorees are focusing on questions with huge societal importance, including how we can prevent teen suicide, what are the ingredients in wildfire smoke that are damaging to health, and whether there is a better way to monitor earthquakes,” according to the statement. “Others are trying to understand how weird and wonderful the universe is — from exploring how many black holes are out there to uncovering the drama that unfolds when life divvies up its genetic material.”

To be considered, scientists must be nominated by a Nobel laureate, a recently elected member of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, or a scientist previously named to the Science News 10 list, according to the organization. “All are age 40 or under, and were selected by Science News staff for their potential to shape the science of the future.”

Science & the Public and Science News Publisher Maya Ajmera congratulated each of the honorees for their “groundbreaking research.”

“I look forward to following the trajectory of their careers in the years to come,” she said.

Science News Editor in Chief Nancy Shute said recent events have only highlighted the need for innovation.

“The world has changed dramatically since the beginning of 2020, when we first sought SN 10 nominations,” according to Shute. “That said, this pandemic, as well as threats posed by wildfires and hurricanes, underscore the importance of scientific inquiry in solving our world’s most intractable challenges.”

Information regarding each of the 10 scientists is available online at sciencenews.org/article/sn-10-scientists-to-watch-2020.