Makenna Cramer
covers the daily drumbeat of Southern California — events, processes and nuances making it a unique place to call home.
Published October 4, 2024 9:00 AM
A voter casts a ballot at Dockweiler Beach in Los Angeles.
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PATRICK T. FALLON
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
Many people seeking elected office in Los Angeles County are running unopposed this November compared to four years ago — about 87% more, according to data from the county Registrar of Voters.
Why it matters: While it’s not unusual to see races with only one candidate, it does raise questions about why that’s happening: Are people losing interest? Do other responsibilities, like child care and salary needs, stop them from running? Are they dissuaded by the current political climate?
Why now: Whatever the answers are, the result means voters won’t have a choice about who fills seats on a variety of government bodies, including school districts, water districts and city councils, all of which affect residents’ daily lives.
The backstory: In November 2020, there were 77 unopposed candidates on the ballot, including two races with no candidates at all.
How to get involved: If you’re curious about running for office, experts say start off by seeing who is in the seat, study the issues, do some research, and meet voters.
Read more... about why and how people are running unopposed.
Many people seeking elected office in Los Angeles County are running unopposed this November compared to four years ago — about 87% more, according to data from the county Registrar of Voters.
While it’s not unusual to see races with only one candidate, it does raise questions about why it's happening: Are people losing interest? Do other responsibilities, like child care and salary needs, stop them from running? Are they dissuaded by the current political climate?
Whatever the answers, the result means voters won’t have a choice about who fills seats on a variety of government bodies, including school districts, water districts and city councils, all of which affect residents’ daily lives.
Antwone Roberts, director of democracy and equity for California Community Foundation, told LAist that civic engagement isn’t just about getting involved when an election is approaching.
“It's really understanding how being civically engaged becomes a tool for the betterment of the individual and the community at large,” he said.
Some experts say there are parts of Southern California that are known as “civic deserts,” areas that have disproportionately low participation in local elections when compared to the county at large.
Roberts noted that this disparity can make it more difficult to address severe inequities and systemic problems.
Which L.A. races are impacted
This year, there are 144 local races in which a candidate is running unopposed, according to the Registrar’s Office. In November 2020, there were 77 unopposed candidates on the ballot, including two races with no candidates at all.
This issue isn’t confined to L.A. County, said Neal Kelley, former registrar of voters for Orange County. It’s seen across Southern California.
“It's certainly a lot more common than the general public is probably aware of,” he told LAist.
The seats in which only one candidate is seeking office include:
95 school district races in L.A. County, including seats in Burbank, El Segundo, Palmdale, and West Covina
3 state water district races in Walnut Valley
10 county water district races
10 municipal water district races
4 water agency races in Antelope Valley-East Kern
11 city-level races, including council seats in Glendora and Santa Clarita
8 irrigation district races
1 health district race for Beach Cities
1 library district race for Altadena
1 recreation and park district race for Westfield
Local government races, rather than national ones, have a much larger impact on our everyday lives. These elected officials are who’s making decisions about housing, parks, and the kind of things that affect a neighborhood on a day-to-day basis.
A polling station worker prepares to hand out 'I Voted' stickers in Burbank, California.
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Justin Sullivan
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Getty Images North America
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Why are there so many unopposed seats?
Experts say there are many reasons why people may not be running for elected office — including transportation issues, child care concerns, and work responsibilities.
Christian Grose, a political science professor at the University of Southern California, told LAist that fewer people may be interested in running for office because they don’t see local politics as a sustainable career option.
The pay can be low, and the jobs can be time-consuming and difficult. For example, Downey City Council members made nearly $12,000 last year, and Burbank City Council members earn around $19,000 in regular pay, according to the State Controller’s Office.
A candidate who comes from a lower-income community, for example, may not be able to afford to take on the expense of running for office or the ability to take a job that pays less than others.
The political climate can also have an effect, especially as personal attacks and public feuds seem to become increasingly common.
“It's always a conflict,” Kelley said. “But at the end of the day, that's what politics is, right? It's consensus and sometimes it is conflict. So I think it does impact it for sure.”
Almaluz Miranda, left, talks to Julia Brito, right, at the Boyle Heights Senior Center.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Grose added that many local newsrooms have shuttered, and more news outlets are focusing on directing their stories to a national audience. That drop in coverage and attention to issues closer to home can affect interest, and awareness, in local governance.
H. Eric Schockman, a professor emeritus at Woodbury University in Burbank, agrees.
He told LAist that the media, often referred to as the fourth branch of government, has been “swatted away” — meaning its access and impact for some audiences has weakened — which affects democracy. Younger audiences may be used to getting information for free, and everyone has fewer places to go to for the information they need to stay informed.
“And that is such a scandal,” he said. “We all know it, but we don't admit it because everybody wants news cheap.”
What about ‘civic deserts’
Roberts said the California Community Foundation has identified “civic deserts” in Southern California, areas that have disproportionately low participation when compared to the county at large.
They include South, East, and Southeast L.A., as well as the San Fernando, San Gabriel, and Antelope valleys.
Broadly speaking, Roberts said, participation has been statistically lower among historically underrepresented communities, including Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Asian American and Pacific Islander populations.
Research has shown that people are more likely to engage if they have a direct call to action from someone they trust, whether that’s a local elected official or community-based organization.
A flag is taped to the door as voters cast their ballots at the Boyle Heights Senior Center.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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“When elected officials represent the diversity of their constituents, they're more likely and better positioned to really champion equitable policies that address those systemic inequities,” he said.
Civic engagement is the backbone of a healthy democracy, and Roberts noted that more people participating strengthens representation, increases diversity, and fosters a more inclusive political process.
How to get involved
If you’re curious about running for office, experts say start off by seeing who is in the seat, study the issues, do some research, and meet voters.
Going to the city council or district meetings, engaging in public comment, and talking to your elected officials are also important stepping stones. You can see if there’s a need that's not being met in the community in which you could make a difference.
A lot of people who end up running for local office get started because they’re unhappy with something, or their elected official isn’t responsive to their concerns, Grose said.
But you have to be engaged to figure out what matters.
Roberts recommends looking at civic engagement as a spectrum, not just voting or running for office. That can include going to community events, connecting with service organizations, or participating in other opportunities, like the census, as a jumping off point.
Find what lights a fire in your belly, and follow your passions. Realize that you can have a bigger role to play, and identify what you can offer the people around you, not just those who support you.
LAist also has the voter guides you need to make your most-informed vote ever, and you can access all of them here.
Frank Stoltze
is a veteran reporter who covers local politics and examines how democracy is and, at times, is not working.
Published September 14, 2026 6:48 PM
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has missed nearly 3,000 votes since being elected in 2020.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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Topline
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has missed nearly 3,000 votes since she was first elected in 2020, according to an analysis by LAist, a number that has been criticized by her opponent in the upcoming mayoral race.
The details: A closer look at data from the L.A. city clerk reveals Raman ranks in the middle of the pack of the 15-member council when it comes to votes missed. She was eighth among her colleagues when it came to votes missed so far this year. Last year she ranked third. In 2024, she ranked sixth.
The vast majority of those votes were unanimous or near unanimous among the other council members, meaning her vote on those matters would not have changed the outcomes.
Criticism: The campaign of her mayoral opponent incumbent Karen Bass has stressed that the missed votes matter. "This isn't just missing a few votes, it's about six years of Nithya Raman not showing up — for constituents wanting encampments outside of schools cleaned up or voting to make it cheaper to film here,” said Alex Stack, Bass’ campaign spokesperson.
Conflicting meetings: Raman’s campaign said she was officially excused from many of the meetings because she was appointed to represent L.A. on the board of the Air Quality Management District, which is charged with reducing local air pollution and improving public health. Bass appointed her to the board.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has missed nearly 3,000 votes since she was first elected in 2020, according to an analysis by LAist — a number that has been criticized by her opponent in the upcoming mayoral race.
A closer look at data from the L.A. city clerk reveals Raman ranks in the middle of the pack of the 15-member council when it comes to votes missed. She was eighth among her colleagues when it came to votes missed so far this year.
Last year she ranked third. In 2024, she ranked sixth.
The vast majority of those votes were unanimous or near-unanimous among the other council members, meaning her vote on those matters would not have changed the outcomes.
Still, the campaign of her mayoral opponent — incumbent Karen Bass — has stressed that the missed votes matter.
"This isn't just missing a few votes, it's about six years of Nithya Raman not showing up — for constituents wanting encampments outside of schools cleaned up or voting to make it cheaper to film here,” said Alex Stack, Bass’ campaign spokesperson.
“If you don't show up for your job, you shouldn't get a promotion," he said.
Bass brought up Raman’s City Council meeting absences during a debate earlier this month, and the campaign has since set up a website, titled NoShowNithya, devoted to highlighting those absences.
Raman’s campaign said she was officially excused from many of the meetings because she was appointed to represent L.A. on the Air Quality Management District board, which is charged with reducing local air pollution and improving public health.
Those meetings happened at the same time as some council meetings. The board meets on the last Friday of every month. The City Council meets three times a week — on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
“The data shows that Nithya’s attendance is in line with other council members,” said campaign spokesperson Liz Garcia. “These desperate attacks from Mayor Bass will not distract Nithya from campaigning to make LA a city that works and is affordable for everyone."
The numbers
City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian has missed the most votes so far this year — 393 — compared to Raman, who was ranked eighth at 233. Last year, Councilmember Monica Rodriguez ranked first with 631 and Raman ranked third with 556.
In 2024, Rodriguez ranked first with 741. Raman ranked sixth with 575.
Bass isn’t the only one who believes this is an issue.
“Attendance at meetings isn't ceremonial,” said Pomona College Associate Professor of Politics Sara Sadhwani. “It’s where amendments and laws get shaped, it's where budgets get fought over and it's where constituents' priorities either make it into policy or they don’t. So missing that work means missing those leverage points.”
“Generally, the expectation is that you show up for work,” she added.
In January, Bass removed Raman from the Air Quality Management District AQMD board, a role she’d been serving in since 2022 when she was appointed by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Nazarian was appointed to the air quality board to replace Raman.
As for Raman’s absences, her campaign sought to turn the tables on Bass. It pointed to the incumbent’s absences from commission meetings of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
Since joining, the mayor has skipped more than half of the meetings held by the L.A. Homeless Services Authority Commission, according to an LAist review of attendance records, despite the mayor’s insistence that homelessness is her No. 1 issue.
The Raman campaign also pointed to Bass’ absence during the early hours of the Palisades Fire when she was on a diplomatic trip to Ghana.
"This is ironic coming from a mayor who was missing during our city’s most devastating emergencies [and] failed to show up for more than half of LAHSA homelessness meetings,” Garcia said.
Bass’ office told LAist that, regardless of her attendance record, she has kept up to date on what LAHSA has been doing. The regional agency is responsible for managing the region’s homelessness response.
Earlier this month, following LAist’s reporting, Bass announced she was stepping down from the LAHSA Commission.
“It cuts both ways, and it's a reminder that both of these candidates are political insiders and have a track record with the city,” Sadhwani said.
Too many meetings?
The issue of missed meetings points to another question: Does the City Council meet too often? The city charter mandates that the panel meet three times a week. Its counterpart on the county level — the Board of Supervisors — meets once a week even though its budget is far larger.
In addition to deciding who will be L.A.’s mayor, voters in November will decide whether the number of mandated weekly City Council meetings should be modified. The council has placed a proposed change to the city charter that would require only one meeting per week.
The winners of the 2026 Emmy Awards were announced Monday night for shows that aired between June 2025 and May 2026.
The context: Last year's winner for best drama, The Pitt, was up against Pluribus, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, The Diplomat, and more. On the comedy side, two Apple TV newcomers — Widow's Bay and Margo's Got Money Troubles— were up against a slate of returning nominees including Hacks, nominated for its fifth and final season, and The Bear, nominated for its fourth season.
Read on... for an updated list of winners as they're announced.
Updated September 14, 2026 at 21:26 PM ET
Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay is hosting the Emmy Awards on Monday night. The ceremony is on NBC and Peacock starting at 8 p.m. PT, 5 p.m. ET.
Last year's winner for best drama, The Pitt, is up against Pluribus, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, The Diplomat, and more. On the comedy side, two Apple TV newcomers — Widow's Bay and Margo's Got Money Troubles— are up against a slate of returning nominees including Hacks, nominated for its fifth and final season, and The Bear, nominated for its fourth season. (Eligible shows aired between June 2025 and May 2026.)
Noah Kahan is set to perform "Bridge Over Troubled Water" for the In Memoriam segment.
We'll be updating this page with winners in bold as they come in.
Outstanding writing for a comedy series
WINNER: Katie Dippold, Widow's Bay Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Tim Robinson, Zach Kanin, The Chair Company Michael Patrick King, Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky, Hacks Anthony King, Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat
WINNER: Tom Pelphrey, Task Patrick Ball, The Pitt Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt Gerran Howell, The Pitt Jack Lowden, Slow Horses Carlos Manuel-Vesga, Pluribus
WINNER: The Traitors Dancing With the Stars RuPaul's Drag Race Survivor Top Chef
Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series
WINNER: Stephen Root, Widow's Bay Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons Paul W. Downs, Hacks Nick Offerman, Margo's Got Money Troubles Michael Urie, Shrinking Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie
WINNER: Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis Dakota Fanning, All Her Fault Laurie Metcalf, Monster: The Ed Gein Story Joy Sunday, DTF St. Louis Youn Yuh-jung, Beef Constance Zimmer, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette
Outstanding supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie
Outstanding directing for a comedy series Randall Einhorn, Abbott Elementary Christopher Storer, The Bear Andrew DeYoung, The Chair Company Lucia Aniello, Hacks Mary Lou Belli, The Ms. Pat Show Hiro Murai, Widow's Bay
Outstanding directing for a drama series Salli Richardson-Whitfield, The Gilded Age Hanelle M. Culpepper, Paradise Noah Wyle, The Pitt Vince Gilligan, Pluribus Saul Metzstein, Slow Horses Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Task
Outstanding writing for a drama series Peter Ackerman, Debora Cahn, The Diplomat Kirsten Pierre-Geyfman, R. Scott Gemmill, The Pitt Valerie Chu, The Pitt Vince Gilligan, Pluribus Will Smith, Slow Horses Brad Ingelsby, Task
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The Supreme Court has sided against President Donald Trump, rejecting his efforts to enact new mail-in voting restrictions for the midterm election.
The context: The ruling released Monday by the high court means the U.S. Postal Service is expected to continue delivering ballots as usual. Voting by mail has already begun in states including Alabama, North Carolina and Wisconsin, with more soon to follow — including Western states such as Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, where elections are held primarily or fully with mail ballots.
Why it matters: Under the still-blocked USPS plan, which followed an executive order by Trump, states would have had to turn over lists of voters' names and addresses and have certain specific barcodes on ballot envelopes in order to have them delivered by the mailing agency.
How we got here: Earlier this month, a federal judge in Boston had issued a preliminary injunction against USPS, blocking the mailing agency from imposing those new ballot requirements on states. The judge found the requirements are likely illegal because the Postal Service has no authority to control mail-in voting. Now, a majority of the Supreme Court decided to keep that injunction in place.
Updated September 14, 2026 at 21:18 PM ET
The Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump, rejecting his efforts to enact new mail-in voting restrictions for the midterm election.
The ruling released Monday by the high court means the U.S. Postal Service is expected to continue delivering ballots as usual.
Voting by mail has already begun in states including Alabama, North Carolina and Wisconsin, with more soon to follow — including Western states such as Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, where elections are held primarily or fully with mail ballots.
Under the still-blocked USPS plan, which followed an executive order by Trump, states would have had to turn over lists of voters' names and addresses and have certain specific barcodes on ballot envelopes in order to have them delivered by the mailing agency.
Earlier this month, a federal judge in Boston issued a preliminary injunction against USPS, blocking it from imposing those new ballot requirements on states. The judge found the requirements are likely illegal because the Postal Service has no authority to control mail-in voting. A second federal judge issued another preliminary injunction late Sunday.
Now, a majority of the Supreme Court decided to keep that injunction in place. The court said the Trump administration was unlikely to succeed on the merits of its challenge.
Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote a short concurring opinion, saying "there is at least a fair prospect that the final rule falls within the Postal Service's statutory authority." But, he added, "applying the rule in the 2026 elections would be arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act because state and local election officials do not have sufficient time to reasonably implement the rule before the elections."
Indeed several Republican state election officials, including from the mostly vote-by-mail state of Utah, signed on to a Supreme Court brief, warning that any attempt to carry out the USPS plan now "will almost certainly lead to mistakes, delays, and confusion for both voters and election officials."
Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the order, and would have granted the administration's request to pause the Boston-based judge's ruling.
While the USPS plan remains paused for the midterms, the legal fight will likely continue over how the agency may try to implement it for future federal elections.
For now, challengers of the proposal are celebrating their victory.
"Today, the Supreme Court refused to allow the federal government to throw our elections into chaos just weeks before Election Day. The Postal Service exists to deliver Americans' mail — not to rewrite election rules, demand voters' personal information, or decide which ballots make it through the system," Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters, said in a statement.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James said in a separate statement that she was "truly relieved" by the high court's ruling.
"Voters should never have to wonder whether a ballot they legally cast will be counted because the federal government suddenly changed the rules," said James, whose state was among the 24 mainly Democratic-led states that sued alongside Washington, D.C. "We will keep fighting to make sure every eligible ballot is counted come November. Now, I encourage all eligible Americans to get out and vote — and vote early."
Trump said he issued the call for USPS to change its rule for mail ballots as a way to stop illegal voting by non-U.S. citizens, a problem that many studies and audits show is extremely uncommon. For this legal fight over the USPS plan, the administration's lawyers have provided the courts with no evidence of mail-voting fraud.
Trump has been a vocal critic of the way about one-third of voters cast ballots in the lasttwo federal elections. In 2024, the share of voters who reported casting ballots by mail was higher among Democrats (37%) than Republicans (24%), according to a national survey by the MIT Election Data and Science Lab.
In a social media post last year, Trump said he is "going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS" and claimed that "ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING."
Faheem Khan
is an Associate Producer for AirTalk and FilmWeek, assisting with live radio production and in-person events.
Published September 14, 2026 4:37 PM
Caltech president Ray Jayawardhana at his announcement ceremony at Caltech in Pasadena on January 6, 2026.
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Christina House
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Los Angeles Times / Getty Images
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Topline:
Ray Jayawardhana — or Ray Jay for short — has served as Caltech's president officially since the beginning of July. His expertise in astrophysics, coupled with extensive experience in university administration, is what he's using to lead the school while continuing his own research. He sat down with AirTalk, LAist 89.3's daily news show, saying he's optimistic about the school's future and relationship with the Jet Propulsion Lab.
Why it matters: NASA — which now owns and sponsors JPL — is opening its contracting to other research institutions for the first time, which could mean a bidding war. Losing the contract for Caltech would mean losing a stream of federal funding valued at $3 billion per year.
What's next? Jayawardhana said he’s confident Caltech and JPL’s partnership will continue, saying that the university's value proposition is unrivaled. NASA’s current contract with Caltech expires in September 2028.
Listen to the full conversation with Caltech's new president
Listen
22:22
New Caltech president Ray Jayawardhana
Ray Jayawardhana, a seasoned astrophysicist and university administrator, officially took over as Caltech’s 10th president on July 1.
The newly appointed president sat down with Larry Mantle on AirTalk, LAist 89.3’s daily news program, to talk about his plans for the future of the esteemed university.
Ray Jay and Caltech — it was in the cosmos
Jayawardhana, who goes by “Ray Jay,” told Larry he was always interested in the cosmos growing up.
He shared that, as a teenager in Sri Lanka, he wrote to the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) — NASA's leading space exploration center, which is managed by Caltech — to ask for images from the Voyager space missions they were conducting during the 1980s.
“I waited impatiently for a response, and one day, this large envelope with an oversized wheel of books arrived with a set of images of the outer planets and their moons,” he said. “That just delighted me to no end.”
Saturn and its satellites Tethys (outer left), Enceladus (inner left) and Mimas (right of rings) are seen in this mosaic of images taken by NASA's Voyager 1 on Oct. 30, 1980 from a distance of 18 million kilometers (11 million miles).
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This view of Jupiter was taken by Voyager 1. This image was taken through color filters and recombined to produce the color image. This photo was assembled from three black and white negatives by the Image Processing Lab at Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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This picture of Neptune was produced from images taken by NASA’s Voyager 2 in the summer of 1989 as it became the first spacecraft to fly by the planet.
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Today, he’s the first South Asian American to lead Caltech, overseeing the operations of the same Jet Propulsion Lab he wrote to in the '80s.
How he came to the U.S.
After attending St. John’s College in Sri Lanka, he decided to pursue higher education in the United States. He earned an undergraduate degree from Yale and subsequently his doctorate in astronomy from Harvard, quickly establishing himself as one of the world’s most renowned astrophysicists.
He previously held positions at Cornell University and Johns Hopkins.
Exoplanetary president
Aside from his main focus as the school’s head of administration, Ray Jay continues his own research exploring the formation of planets and stars, saying it keeps him intellectually engaged.
He's part of a team that works with the James Webb Space Telescope to observe and characterize so-called exoplanets — planets around other stars — with an eye toward the potential for life beyond Earth.
He’s confident in Caltech’s future with JPL
Universities like Caltech are on rocky terrain amid sweeping federal government cuts of public funding for scientific research.
Additionally, JPL's future is uncertain. NASA — which now owns and sponsors JPL — is opening its contracting to other research institutions for the first time, which could mean a bidding war.
The entrance to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
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Robyn Beck
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Losing the contract for Caltech would mean losing a stream of federal funding valued at $3 billion per year.
Jayawardhana said he’s confident Caltech and JPL’s partnership will continue, saying that the university's value proposition is unrivaled.
“It’s not only about the self-interest in continuing to ensure there's federal and public funding for research, it's also about enriching humanity,” he said.
NASA’s current contract with Caltech expires in September 2028.
