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California Institute of Technology

2025 Caltech Cross Country Roster

Cleatus Oakes (he/him)

  • Height 5-6
  • Year First-Year
  • Hometown Point Pleasant, N.J.
  • High School Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science
  • Major Chemical Engineering

Biography

Research and STEM Activities 
Conducted independent research investigating the water management and treatment applications of superabsorbent polymers... Competed as a part of the Math League and Chemistry Olympics teams... Oversaw the health and wellbeing of domseticated Northern Diamondback Terrapins under Project Terrapin's Care Division... Collected data on local saltmarsh shorelines to be analyzed by researchers at a National Estuary Program... Worked as a Research and Development Intern at the Worthington Biochemical Corporation helping to analyze the purity of enzyme samples derived from various animal products.

Prior to Caltech
Academic Honors: Ocean County Math League 2024 B-Division Team Champions... New Jersey Math League 2024 Regional Team Champions... NJ SkillsUSA 2024 Related Technical Math State Champion... SkillsUSA 2024 Related Technical Math National 7th-Place Finisher... 2025 Jersey Shore Science Fair 3rd Place Upper Chemistry Division... 2025 Delaware Valley Science Fair Honorable Mention Grade 12 Chemistry Division... 2025 US Stockholm Junior Water Prize Recipient.
Athletic Honors: 2022 and 2024 Point Pleasant Borough High School Varsity Cross Country's Most Valuable Player... 2022 and 2024 Ocean Star Newspaper's Cross Country Runner of the Year... Named to the Shore Track Coaches Assocation's 2022, 2023, and 2024 All-Ocean Country Cross Country Team... Named to NJ.com's 2023 and  2024 All-Group II Second Team.

Personal
Enjoys surfing, freediving, spending time at the beach with friends and family, and playing the piano... Chose Caltech because of the endless research and academic opportunities that the school has to offer, as well as the chance to compete with other amazing student-athletes on the cross country and track and field teams.