For Robert Lang, PhD (BS ’82, PhD ’86), the principles of mathematics and engineering have proven essential to his standing as one of the world’s leading masters of origami. Lang’s origami has yielded useful applications in industrial design—from airbags to expandable space telescopes—while awing viewers with its astonishing realism. This grizzly bear is made from a single sheet of handmade paper called “O’Malley Crackle,” which Lang says “is one of my favorite papers for wet-folding—the technique used here—and I think its texture perfectly suits the subject.” Caltech recognized Lang in 2009 with a Distinguished Alumni Award.