Social Sciences

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...

Flipping on the lights, plugging in a phone or turning on the air conditioner are everyday routines that most Californians rarely think twice about — until the monthly utility bill arrives. Over the past several years, electricity has become one of the fastest-growing household expenses across the state, leaving residents wondering why costs have risen so dramatically as California doubles down on clean energy goals.

It’s tempting to point to a single culprit: Some blame renewable energy, while others point to regulations or inflation. However...

Though Kun Gao ’04 and George Ng ’03 went to UC Berkeley at the same time, they didn’t meet until years later when a mutual friend and fellow alum introduced them. That Cal connection has repeatedly played a big role in the entrepreneurs’ careers, as they have founded multiple companies with others linked to Berkeley.