Mathematical & Physical Sciences Faculty and Students

Fast Facts

175 Faculty Members

1,246 Undergraduates

682 Graduate Students

152 Postdoctoral Fellows

Awards

From the Nobel Prize to the MacArthur “Genius” Grant, faculty and alumni from the Division of Mathematical & Physical Sciences have won many awards and accolades in response to discoveries and research. Learn more about some of the honors that our faculty have been given over the years.

11 Nobel Prizes (of 23 total)

3 Breakthrough Prize Winners

19 National Medals of Science

48 American Academy of Arts and Science Members

Learn more about Nobel Prizes in the Mathematical & Physical Sciences here.

The Undergraduate Teaching Award

Berkeley’s most prestigious honor for teaching is the Distinguished Teaching Award. The award recognizes teaching that incites intellectual curiosity in students, engages them thoroughly in the enterprise of learning, and has a lifelong impact.

2020: Alex Paulin (Mathematics)

2019: Robert Littlejohn (Physics). Watch this video about Professor Littlejohn’s passion for teaching!

2017: Michael Manga (Earth & Planetary Science)

2016: Irfan Siddiqi (Physics)

2014: Eugene Chiang (Astronomy)

2006: Ani Adhikari (Statistics)

2004: Bob Jacobsen (Physics). Watch this fun Cal Day video of Professor Jacobsen!

2004: F. Michael Christ (Mathematics)

Student Stories

The students studying mathematical and physical sciences embody what it is to be a Berkeley student --  academic excellence and an impulse to make the world a better place. Following are a few recent stories about our students that illustrate their passion for science and their creative approaches to the world.

Rejection turned out great for Berkeley’s top graduating senior, statistics major Anna Boser

Physics undergraduate Ana Lyons creates a series of posters celebrating Black physicists

Berkeley student throws cold water on ‘monster’ black hole discovery

Top graduating senior, Kaavya Valivetti, finds nirvana in pure math (and is awarded the University Medal) (2016)

Student Clubs

Mathematics Graduate Student Association (MGSA)

Mathematics Undergraduate Student Association (MUSA)

Out in STEM

Society of Physics Students (SPS) at Berkeley 

Society of Women in the Physical Sciences (SWPS)

Space Exploration Society at Berkeley (SESB)

Student Association for Applied Statistics

Women in Mathematics (WiM)