The L&S Salon Series showcases the exceptional diversity and range of disciplines embedded across the five divisions in the College of Letters & Science.
This series brings together L&S faculty and students from different disciplines to interrogate and explore a universal question or idea from disparate fields and perspectives. Explore this webpage to learn more about our upcoming events and watch recordings of past L&S Salons.
On the eve of a momentous political election, understanding how we make decisions in today’s complex and interconnected world has never been more relevant, nor felt more urgent. Led in conversation by College of Letters & Science Executive Dean Jennifer Johnson-Hanks, Berkeley L&S experts will examine how and why emotion, technology, ethics, culture and more are shaping and influencing the choices we make.
Featuring panelists:
- Wes Holliday, professor of philosophy
- Marika Landau-Wells, assistant professor of political science
- Saul Perlmutter, Franklin W. and Karen Weber Dabby Professor of Physics and 2011 Nobel laureate
- Linda Wilbrecht, professor of neuroscience and psychology
Linda Wilbrecht, Marika Landau-Wells, Wes Holliday and Saul Perlmutter
This L&S Salon brought together a digital artist, a psychologist, and an astrophysicist to explore the transformative potential of AI within the vibrant context of research and liberal arts education at Berkeley Letters & Science:
- Josh Bloom, Professor of Astronomy
- Keanan Joyner, Assistant Professor of Psychology
- Alex Saum-Pascual, Associate Professor of Contemporary Spanish Literature and New Media
Led in conversation by Marion Fourcade, Director of the Social Science Matrix and professor of sociology, these researchers discussed how their diverse fields are progressing in the age of AI. Hosted at the Faculty Club's Great Hall, the panel concluded with a lively Q&A session and reception.
Moderator Marion Fourcade (left) with panelists: Josh Bloom, Alex Saum-Pascual, and Keanan Joyner. All photos by Brandon Sánchez Mejia.
"There are no facts, only interpretations."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
In this thought-provoking panel, a professor of mathematical logic, a research psychologist, and a literary philosopher shared how they each approach the essential and sometimes tricky question, "What is a fact?"
- Antonio Montalbán, Professor of Mathematics
- Kent Puckett, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Ida May and William J. Eggers Jr.
- Linda Wilbrecht, Professor, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Psychology
Led in conversation by L&S Executive Dean Jennifer Johnson-Hanks, these researchers discussed how their disparate fields answer this question and the implications for the world beyond the university.
