Caltech Mourns the Passing of Postdoctoral Scholar Kenny Lau (1989–2025)

Kenny Lau, a postdoctoral scholar research associate and experimental cosmologist in the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy (PMA), passed away on November 22, 2025. He was 36 years old.

Lau first joined the Caltech community as a visiting graduate student in 2021. In 2023, he became a postdoctoral scholar in the Observational Cosmology group, working with Jamie Bock, the Marvin L. Goldberger Professor of Physics and Senior Research Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which Caltech manages for NASA.

At Caltech, Lau conducted research focused on probing the early universe by building novel instruments. He made major contributions to developing the Tomographic Ionized-carbon Mapping Experiment (TIME), the BICEP (Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization) experiment at the South Pole, and Thermal Kinetic Inductance Detectors (TKIDs), which may be used in future astrophysics missions.

Lau earned his PhD in physics from the University of Minnesota in 2023 and completed his undergraduate and master's studies in physics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2011 and 2013.

"Kenny worked on some of the hardest problems in experimental physics, requiring both intellectual gifts and an unwavering attention to detail. He clearly thrived on the challenge," says Bock, Lau's postdoctoral advisor. "Kenny was incredibly driven to reach his ambitious goals. At the same time, he was a very positive person who was eager to help his scientific partners, who quickly became his friends."

"Kenny was a hard-working researcher who spent many hours in [the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics]. If I ever came in on the weekends, he was always there––doing what he loved," says Nancy Roth-Rappard, the business operations supervisor in PMA who worked with Lau while the two were in Bock's group.

"Kenny was an extremely motivated scientist with a deep desire to pursue new knowledge," says Howard Hui, a close friend and colleague in the Observational Cosmology group who worked with Lau on various projects for more than 10 years. "On top of that, he was also deeply committed to mentoring many of the junior students in the group. He was the hardest-working scientist I ever had the chance to work with."

Lau's death was the result of injuries sustained in a traffic accident. He is survived by his parents, two sisters, and their families.