What do geography, urban studies, conservation and resource studies and Spanish and Portuguese have in common? For UC Berkeley senior Andy Choi, the answer is simple — these four majors are the tools he uses to read a city.
Whether the quadruple major is analyzing the history behind BART tracks in Oakland or studying agroecology through the lens of Latin American geographies, Choi’s work digs deep. By combining the hard science of ecological restoration with the human stories of urban displacement, he has spent his time at Berkeley uncovering how infrastructure can either uplift or uproot a community.
After graduating next week, he will take that mission home to Southern California, where he will shape the future of Los Angeles as a transportation planner.
Berkeley Social Sciences spoke with Choi about his journey to UC Berkeley, the Geography Department and his plans for the future. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Please tell us more about your background and journey to UC Berkeley.
Choi: I spent the first half of my life in Philadelphia, and then my family moved to Southern California. Coming from a public arts high school in Orange County, my background was rooted in creative writing. I think those experiences allowed me to explore different ways of interpreting the world, eventually leading me to publish an experimental novel about a young Korean protagonist returning home with a UK small press. However, my trajectory was equally shaped by activism, specifically climate justice and international solidarity movements.
During the pandemic, I pursued a certificate in ecological restoration at Saddleback College in Orange County. Conducting comparative studies of urban restoration projects and working with the LA Worm Farm Collective sparked my fascination with agroecology and community engagement. I came to Berkeley seeking a way to merge my interests in the creative, environmental and political. Geography, with its radical history and interdisciplinary breadth, felt perfect.
What has the Geography Department taught you?
Choi: Geography at Berkeley is unique because it refuses to separate the “physical” from the “human.” I initially entered the program expecting to focus solely on human geography — social and political settlement patterns — but I found myself deeply immersed in physical geography and ecological processes. I'm also pursuing a Spanish and Portuguese major because I became interested in Latin American geographies, and so I've been able to hone my Spanish and learn Portuguese as well. Through the Conservation and Resource Studies program at the Rausser College of Natural Resources, I’ve also learned to see the landscape as a living record of power, labor and ecology. The Geography Department really feels like a true community. It remains one of the few academic spaces willing to engage in rigorous, critical discussions on urgent global issues.
You worked on the “Archive of Urban Futures” project with former Geography Professor Brandi Summers. What did that experience reveal to you?
Choi: I researched the history of eminent domain in Oakland, specifically how the development of the BART system impacted local communities. We partnered with Moms for Housing to present our findings at the Oakland Main Library. It was a lesson in the “class character” of infrastructure. In urban planning circles, BART is often celebrated as a triumph of sustainable transit, but our research forced us to reconcile that utility with a history of displacement. Working as equal partners with community organizers bridged the gap between academic theory and lived reality.
What were the most significant challenges you faced during your undergraduate years?
Choi: Beyond the inevitable burnout that comes with a heavy unit load, the primary challenge has been navigating a sense of institutional tension and uncertainty in our polarized society. There is a profound tension in seeing the way that movements like the Free Speech Movement are celebrated while witnessing the challenges facing student organizing today. Organizing alongside peers and faculty who refuse to give in to apathy has been the most encouraging part of my Berkeley education.
What’s next for you after graduation?
Choi: I’m returning to Southern California to work as a transportation planner in Los Angeles for Fehr & Peers, a transportation consulting firm. It’s an exciting, high-stakes time to be entering the field as the Olympics is coming up, with investments in new bus shelters and active transportation infrastructure. My goal is to take the success and things I’ve learned of Bay Area transit and apply them to the needs of SoCal. Beyond my career, I also want to continue reading, writing and organizing. Berkeley has taught me a lot, and most importantly to treat everyone as peers and with respect, so I'd like to continue that as well.