Faculty

The eruption that destroyed Pompeii is helping scientists date Earth’s history

September 25, 2026
Historical accounts of the eruption nearly 2,000 years ago provide a precise timeline that allowed recalibration of one of the most versatile dating methods.

How tiny balls of human brain tissue are revealing the causes of childhood epilepsy — and possible treatments

September 23, 2026
Tuberous sclerosis complex, a leading genetic cause of early-onset epilepsy, is typically resistant to drugs, requiring surgical removal of brain lesions. A new study pinpoints a cause and potential new therapies.

UC Berkeley welcomes rising stars in math and physics

September 14, 2026
by Alexander Rony

UC Berkeley is welcoming a powerhouse lineup of trailblazing scientists to advance its research enterprise.

The Division of Mathematical & Physical Sciences has completed six searches for new faculty members. All six will join UC Berkeley as assistant professors: Aaron Calderon, Srivatsav Kunnawalkam Elayavalli, and Kevin Yang in the Department of Mathematics and Ethan Lake, Carolina Figueiredo, and Patrick Ledwith...

Healthier babies. Less red tape. Cash for pregnant mothers.

September 15, 2026
By Jessica Ballardo

Before a child even enters the world, the conditions into which they are born are already shaping their health and future.

Hilary Hoynes, UC Berkeley chancellor’s professor of economics and public policy and co-director of the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center on Wealth and Income Inequality, has spent decades researching how different economic and social factors affect children’s lives, and how government policy can help address...

Rasmus Nielsen to receive Balzan Prize for research on molecular evolution

September 10, 2026
by Alexander Rony

The International Balzan Foundation recognized Rasmus Nielsen, a professor of statistics and integrative biology at UC Berkeley, with its 2026 Balzan Prize for Molecular...

Alex Filippenko named 2026 Dorothea Klumpke-Roberts Awardee

September 8, 2026
by Alexander Rony

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific announced that Distinguished Professor of Astronomy Alex Filippenko will receive its 2026 Dorothea Klumpke-Roberts Award. The award recognizes noteworthy individuals who have helped the public understand and appreciate astronomy.

UC Berkeley mathematicians reignite national conversation on college admissions and SAT/ACT scores

June 11, 2026
by Alexander Rony

Five UC Berkeley faculty members have launched an open letter urging the University of California to reinstate SAT or ACT math scores for applicants to STEM majors, arguing that campuses need a clearer way to assess whether students are prepared for college-level quantitative work.

The effort has drawn more than 1,450 faculty signatures as of June 11 and pushed a long-running admissions debate back into public view....

Why some researchers choose not to share their work openly

July 30, 2026
By Jessica Ballardo and Ashley Park

Open-access publishing was supposed to make knowledge available to everyone. But a new UC Berkeley study suggests that some of the scholars whose research could most benefit public conversations about race, gender and inequality are less likely to share their work through open-access channels.

The new study, which was published in Gender & Society, is titled “Sharing Knowledge Openly: Author Gender, Race/Ethnicity,...

Bridging Art and Science: How Philanthropy and Passion Built UC Berkeley’s Music Therapy Pipeline

July 28, 2026
by Alexander Rony

UC Berkeley lecturer Melanie Acosta remembers when everything changed for her. She was working as a professional singer in New York City at the time of the September 11, 2001, attacks. At the time, Acosta felt the only people doing meaningful work were the first responders.

Not long after, Acosta got a job on the “Broadway Celebrates America” tour. The cast would travel to different towns, perform a concert about...

Social Sciences in the News: Sociology Professor G. Cristina Mora and African American Studies Professor Tianna Paschel in KQED

July 27, 2026
By Alexis Madrigal, KQED

Sociology Professor G. Cristina Mora and African American Studies Professor Tianna Paschel were featured in a KQED article titled, "California Has Extreme Income Inequality. Why Do We Treat It As Normal?"

California is one of the most unequal states in the country with extreme disparities between people living in poverty and those at the top of the income spectrum. Given the visibility of the problem, with homeless encampments and multimillion dollar houses populating our landscape while the middle class shrinks, UC Berkeley professors Cristina Mora and Tianna Paschel set...

https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914394/california-has-extreme-income-inequalit…