Support of the Caltech Science Olympiad planning team and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program reflects one graduate's gratitude for experiences that shaped his own journey.

Peter Hung (BS '08, MS '12, PhD '16) solved his first problem at Caltech while he was in high school. He and his friends were trying to build a Rube Goldberg machine for Science Olympiad, a science and engineering competition sponsored by a nonprofit that serves K–12 students.

In such a machine, a simple task is completed through an overly complicated series of chain reactions. In their efforts to build one, Hung and his teammates were stymied by a malfunctioning amplifier circuit. One of them suggested they go to Caltech to ask the teammate's brother, a first-year undergraduate, for help.

Although he lived nearby in Arcadia, Hung had never heard of Caltech. "Neither of my parents finished middle school, and we immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong when I was in fourth grade," he explains. "The idea of going to a top-tier college, or really, any college, was not something that we talked about, or even had much knowledge about."

Hung and his friends found the answer they were looking for at Caltech. They fixed their amplifier circuit, and their Rube Goldberg machine worked. As it turns out, the rest of Hung's life had been set in motion, too.

The Making of a Scientist, Leader, and Mentor

Following his exposure to Caltech as a Science Olympiad participant, Hung enrolled at the Institute for his undergraduate studies in physics. In high school, his passion for science had made him feel like an outlier, but at Caltech, he fit right in.

Hung immersed himself in research, conducting several SURFs. One of them introduced him to nanotechnology, a field he would return to as a graduate student in the lab of Michael Roukes, the Frank J. Roshek Professor of Physics, Applied Physics, and Bioengineering. Another SURF was sponsored by The Aerospace Corporation, which hired Hung out of graduate school.

During his time on campus, Hung demonstrated a knack for teaching and mentorship. For example, as a teaching assistant for Physics Laboratory (Ph 6), he won the R. Bruce Stewart Prize for Excellence in Teaching Physics and an Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology Teaching Award.

He also applied those teaching and mentoring skills while showing gratitude for the program that had brought him to Caltech. As a first-year undergraduate, he founded the Caltech Science Olympiad planning team, a student-led group that organizes and volunteers at Science Olympiad tournaments across the Southern California region. The group has endured, and—thanks in large part to Hung—Caltech's ties to Science Olympiad have only grown stronger.

A Pipeline for Future Scientists and Researchers

Today, Hung continues to work at The Aerospace Corporation, where he is a senior project engineer and technology portfolio manager. He believes he owes his career to Science Olympiad, and he's remained heavily involved in the program. Currently, he serves as the organization's California state director and vice chair of its national executive board.

"If there was a Mount Rushmore of Science Olympiad alums, Peter Hung would be on it," says Jennifer "Jenny" Kopach, the CEO of Science Olympiad and president and CEO of the Science Olympiad USA Foundation. "He has held nearly every role in the organization, from advisory committee member to board vice chair to state director of not just Southern California, but Northern California as well."

In 2016, Caltech began hosting the Southern California State Science Olympiad tournament. At the most recent event, held in April 2025, more than 1,000 middle and high school students competed for the opportunity to advance to the national tournament. They also toured Caltech’s labs and interacted with researchers as part of their experience.

"The value of having Caltech as a host for Science Olympiad tournaments is immeasurable," Kopach says. "While at Caltech, our competitors walk in the footsteps of some of the greatest scientists in history. We rely on these experiences to excite students about STEM opportunity."

A Commitment to Volunteering and Philanthropy

"I have been very impressed by the Caltech Science Olympiad planning team," Hung says of his successors in the student group, who help coordinate the state tournaments. "The way they work so closely with each other and with my team is incredible."

Recently, Hung made two gifts to support the planning team, complementing his volunteer service with philanthropy. "My biggest hope is that our current middle school and high school students will have the same opportunity I had to engage in STEM activities and figure out what they're passionate about," he says.

Hung has also supported the SURF program, which he says helped him grow into the scientist he is today. In fact, all of his decisions about how to use his time and financial resources stem from recognizing the chain of events that shaped him. "For me, everything is about giving back," he says.