Noah Dayton Peake
To: The Caltech Community
From: Thomas F. Rosenbaum
Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and Professor of Physics
Date: November 29, 2021
It is with great sadness that I write to share news of the untimely death of graduate student Noah Dayton Peake, who took his life on November 24, 2021. Student Affairs is working with Noah's family, friends, and colleagues to remember Noah and honor his achievements. The flag will be lowered to half-mast for three days beginning Tuesday, November 30.
Noah joined the Caltech community this fall as a first-year graduate student in electrical engineering. He was a teaching assistant in Experimental Projects in Electronic Circuits (EE91), and contributed to research efforts at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. A California native, Noah earned his bachelor's degree in particle physics in May 2020 from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Members of the CARE Team are working to support the community and have made personal notifications to those on campus who worked closely with Noah.
The death of a member of our close-knit community, and of an individual who was so young, is sobering. In these times of grief, I encourage you to reach out and connect with peers, with colleagues, and with professionals through Student Wellness Services (SWS) or the Staff and Faculty Consultation Center (SFCC). If you or anyone you know feels alone or overwhelmed, or are struggling with thoughts of suicide, please know that you are not alone and that care is available. This is a time for all of us to support one another.
Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to contact SWS at (626) 395-8331 for a telephone appointment; after-hours help is available by calling the same number and pressing "2" for an on-call counselor. Faculty, staff, and postdoctoral scholars who are looking for assistance for themselves or others may contact the SFCC on campus at (626) 395-8360 or by emailing sfcc@caltech.edu. If you are concerned about a student or colleague, please submit a CARE referral, or contact SWS or the SFCC to link with mental health services.
In addition, SWS will offer 30-minute virtual drop-in sessions for students this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Students can call 626-395-8331 to request a time slot and will be sent a Zoom link to connect with a counselor.
On behalf of the Institute, I extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and coworkers of our late colleague and student, Noah Dayton Peake.