Looking back on another outstanding year, Berkeley Letters & Science has compiled “24 L&S Highlights of 2024”—a recap of news, events, and announcements from the L&S community this year. Here are just a handful of the many stories demonstrating the extraordinary work of L&S students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Enjoy!
Milestones & Research
Four 2024 Nobel Prize winners are connected to UC Berkeley’s College of Letters & Science
World Humanities Report, directed by Sara Guyer, warns of extinction risk to human knowledge
Political scientists launch the Berkeley Center for American Democracy
New study shows how the brain reacts emotionally to the world
UC Berkeley will manage $300 million NASA mission to map the UV universe
Department of Music opens new performance hall on campus
Neuroscience’s Helen Bateup part of team awarded $12M to uncover genetic pathways in autism
A nearby supernova could end the search for dark matter
Leadership, Faculty & Staff
The biological sciences have a new leader in Richard Harland
Social Sciences Dean Raka Ray reappointed for second five-year term
L&S staff honored with 2024 Excellence in Advising & Student Services awards
Four new faculty hires are a quantum leap for experimental physicists
Michael Botchan: A steady presence at Berkeley who drove major change
Berkeley Letters & Science announces 2nd annual L&S Faculty Award winners
Students & Alumni
UC Berkeley senior Eli Glickman awarded prestigious Marshall Scholarship
Two Berkeley alums awarded 2024 MacArthur ‘genius’ fellowships
Tutoring at San Quentin helped UC Berkeley’s top senior define his future
MPS Scholars learn from the best: Berkeley alums
Commencement highlights from 2024
Giving
The Berkeley Frontier Fund demonstrates the power of Berkeley’s ideas
New Townsend Center gift honors visionary founder
Bonus! Videos from around L&S
Berkeley Talks: How to make better decisions
UC Berkeley professor shares the origins and stories behind national anthems
UC Berkeley professor breaks down the science of ‘Inside Out 2’
How looking closely led this cell biologist to world-changing breakthroughs