Faculty

In Memoriam | Thomas R. Metcalf (1934-2026)

June 25, 2026
By Cathryn Carson

Thomas Metcalf portrait

Dear friends,

It is with deep sadness that I share the news that our distinguished colleague Thomas R. Metcalf, Emeritus Sarah Kailath Professor of India Studies and Professor Emeritus of History, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at the age of 92.

An eminent scholar of the...

https://history.berkeley.edu/news/memoriam-thomas-r-metcalf-1934-2026

Alan Karras named first G. Eric and Margaret Davis Notable Lecturer in Political Economy

June 22, 2026
by Alexander Rony

Alan Karras has been selected as the inaugural G. Eric and Margaret Davis Notable Lecturer in Political Economy. Karras is a long-time senior lecturer and academic leader at UC Berkeley who serves as the Political Economy Program’s associate director.

“I am very grateful to Eric and Margaret Davis for their generosity, as well as all of the other supporters who contributed to this chair — the first in political economy...

Why UC Berkeley Economist Gabriel Zucman wants a 2% billionaire tax

June 18, 2026
By Jessica Ballardo

Billionaire wealth has reached historic highs — and so has their power. UC Berkeley and Paris School of Economics Professor Gabriel Zucman, a world-renowned expert on wealth inequality and global tax evasion, warns that this growing concentration of extreme wealth is undermining democracy and allowing the ultra-rich to wield outsized influence over politics and society.

In his new book, “We Need to Tax Billionaires...

Division of Biological Sciences announces five new faculty hires

June 15, 2026
by Alexander Rony

The Division of Biological Sciences announced today that it has recruited five new faculty members. The incoming cohort represents the best and brightest from across the country, growing all three departments in the division.

“I am thrilled to welcome these stellar scientists to our faculty,” said Richard Harland, the dean of biological sciences. “Each brings compelling ideas and rigorous science to the university,...

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....

Dr. Sabrina Agarwal to serve as Interim Dean of the Division of Undergraduate Studies for UC Berkeley’s College of Letters & Science

June 9, 2026

Dr. Sabrina C. Agarwal, Professor and recent Chair of the Department of Anthropology, has been appointed interim Dean of the Undergraduate Studies Division in UC Berkeley’s College of Letters & Science. Her term will run from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

“I am thrilled to serve as interim Dean and excited to support the Division’s many academic programs and initiatives as well as undergraduate student advising, and to continue to uphold the...

How UC Berkeley is closing the math readiness gap

March 30, 2026
by Alexander Rony

In November, a report from UC San Diego raised alarm across the country. One in 12 incoming students tested below middle school proficiency in mathematics — even while maintaining good grades in high school. The report sparked debates on many issues, from grade inflation to standardized...

U.S. dollar dominance may be loosening in a changing world

June 1, 2026
By Jessica Ballardo

For decades, the U.S. dollar has been the world’s go-to currency. But as global dynamics shift and new technologies continue to emerge, experts are starting to question whether its dominance could eventually fade.

During a Social Science Matrix panel titled, “The U.S. Dollar Hegemony in Transition,” Economics and Political Science Professor Barry Eichengreen, Economics Professor Chenzi Xu and Haas Finance Professor Rohan Kekre examined the foundations of dollar dominance and what might come next.

The discussion...

Social Sciences in the News: Political Science Professor Eric Schickler in The New York Times

June 1, 2026
By Ashley Wu, The New York Times

Political Science Professor Eric Schickler was featured in article in The New York Times titled, "How Redistricting Is Making the Midterms Less Competitive."

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election in November, but fewer than a tenth of those races are likely to be competitive. And that number has been dwindling.

One culprit? The nationwide redistricting battles, in which Republicans and Democrats across the country have resorted to creative cartography to draw as many safe seats as possible as they fight for control of Congress.

...

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/05/18/us/politics/midterms-redistrictin…

Why trying too hard to be happy might actually make you less happy

May 28, 2026
By Jessica Ballardo

Trying to be happy can sometimes have the opposite effect.

A new review of previous psychology research, titled “The pursuit of happiness: pitfalls and promises,” by Iris Mauss, a UC Berkeley psychology professor, and Brett Ford, a University of Toronto psychology professor and Berkeley psychology alumna, explores this happiness paradox. The researchers examined findings from 20 years of research on the...