Caltech Cancels Campus Events, Citing Concern Over COVID-19

 

Pasadena’s California Institute of Technology Saturday announced it has canceled the entire March 14 Explore Caltech event designed to introduce prospective undergrad students to the Institute’s campus and offerings.

Separately, the Institute canceled Tuesday’s Banff Mountain Film Festival and postponed or canceled eight other public events which had been scheduled for coming weeks (see list below).

“This decision was made out of concern for the health of our community in light of the rapid spread of COVID-19,” the Institute said in an email, and was a decision made “out of an abundance of caution.”

There are no known cases of coronavirus in Pasadena, according to city sources.

The cancellation includes the Science of Sports panel discussion in Beckman Auditorium, the interactive booths, and the 10-minute talks in Ramo Auditorium.

Caltech’s Undergraduate Admissions Office also announced it has canceled all of its on-campus visit programs beginning Friday, March 6, until further notice.

“Caltech’s leadership is exercising an abundance of caution in light of the quickly evolving COVID-19 situation; the health and safety of our community members remain a top priority. We ask that prospective/admitted students and their families please refrain from visiting campus since we will not offer any programming or activities,” the statement said.

Here is a list of public events which have been canceled or postponed as of post time:

March 10: CANCELED: Banff Mountain Film Festival
March 11: POSTPONED: JPL Film Screening: Landing on Mars
March 14: CANCELED: Explore Caltech: A Community Event
March 15: CANCELED: Eileen Ivers and Universal Roots
March 18: CANCELED: Watson Lecture – Megasupramolecules: When Disaster Leads to Discovery
March 22: CANCELED: Takacs Quartet in concert
March 27: CANCELED: From Pencil Lead to Skyscrapers: Building the Future with Carbon Nanomaterials
April 1: CANCELED: Watson Lecture – The Rise of Oxygen in the Atmosphere: A View From the Deep Earth
April 3: CANCELED: BRUSH Theatre: “Yao Yao”
April 5: CANCELED: Camerata RCO