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Trail to Tonk
Fifth year PhD researcher travels to India to study rare Persian manuscripts
Another Student Trio Becomes Switzer Fellows
Three more Berkeley students bring home $15,000 Switzer Environmental Fellowship awards to help them tackle environmental challenges.
Your Guide to Fellowships and Grants
This fellowship season, find your next grant, scholarship and fellowship on our list!
Leveraging Video Analysis to Examine the Relationship between Undergraduate Research and Science Identity
A graduate student uses her newly-developed skills to consider the nuanced perspective a young scientist may have with their role in the scientific community.
Important Things to Do When You Get to Campus
New on campus? Use this to-do list to jumpstart your time at Berkeley.
Graduate Student Services and Cal Student Central
Graduate students can find assistance through Cal Student Central and Graduate Student Services. What can they offer you?
Exciting Fall Offerings from Berkeley Graduate Lectures
Thought-provoking lectures presented by a diverse line-up of distinguished speakers.
American Fellowships Awarded to Three at Berkeley
Fellows are recognized for their scholarly excellence and active commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions, or fields of research.
New Graduate Student Orientation — Arrive, Orient, and Go
New to Berkeley? The New Graduate Student Orientation on August 21 will help you find answers to your questions and help you jump-start your academic year.
Arrival Guide for New International Graduate Students
As the fall semester approaches, many international students are preparing for their journey ahead. We have compiled a resource list in conjunction with Berkeley International Office to help smooth the transition.
Tips for Finding Housing in Berkeley
One of the first challenges facing new Cal students is finding a place to call home, whether on- or off-campus. Cal Housing has some tips and suggestions that can help with your search.
International House Announces Eleven Gateway Fellows
The Gateway Fellowship Program provides annual fellowships to UC Berkeley doctoral students in collaboration with the Graduate Division and the recipient’s academic program.
Working for Alameda County’s Department of Children and Family Services
A day in the life of an emergency response worker.
Ethnography of Living Archives: Queer Filipino American Catholics
Reflections on the field notes I recorded during my 2015 research trip to the National Pinoy Archives at the Filipino American National Historical Society in Seattle, Washington.
Meet the 2018 Philip Brett LGBT Studies Fellow: Mark Leinauer
An interdisciplinary research project investigates anti-gay bias in child custody courts.
Summer Fun in the Bay Area!
You worked hard last semester; now it’s time to relax and explore the exciting activities in and around the Bay Area. Whether you’re looking for festivals, hiking, or family-oriented fun, the summer offers myriad possibilities!
Rosie Taylor, the Art of Chainmail, and Scandinavian Studies
A graduate student’s research inspires at Cal Day.
Berkeley’s Joe Charbonnet Brings Home the 2018 Slammy!
Berkeley’s contestant in the UC-wide Grad Slam edges out stiff competition that showcases graduate student research.
Flies, Yeast, and Making Wine
Why fruit flies are key to the aromas and flavors of wine.
Congratulations to 2018 Mellon/ACLS Fellows!
Six students in humanities and social services receive prestigious dissertation-writing fellowship!
Faculty Recognized for Outstanding Mentorship at Berkeley
Annual Graduate Mentoring Awards Ceremony honored five faculty members.
Traveling Abroad this Summer?
Consult this guide for tips on safety, health, and well-being if you’ll be traveling outside the U.S.
Berkeley’s Champion for the 2018 UC-Wide Grad Slam Championship Chosen
Graduate students deliver three-minute talks and win cash prizes.
Inspiring Legislators to Support Graduate Education
Berkeley graduate students headed to Sacramento to educate lawmakers about the importance of graduate research and its contribution to California’s economy and progress.
Conflict and Coexistence: Wolves, Sheep, and Land Use Politics in Central Idaho
Wolves and humans: the continuing struggle for territory in the US West.
Meet the Winners of the 2018 Berkeley Graduate Fellows Video Contest!
Three holders of prestigious fellowships show and tell what makes Berkeley, and their studies, special!
Something in the Water
How tramping across rice paddies in Thailand can help unravel tropical diseases and improve public health.
Art Rosenfeld Award for Energy Efficiency: “Creating the Next Generation” of Leaders in Energy Sustainability
This video illuminates the legacy of a revered Berkeley professor, physicist, and pioneer in energy conservation.
Explaining Your Research to the Public: Why It Matters, How to Do It!
Helping students help the public understand their research and its value for everyone.
Graduate Students Compete in First Humanities & Social Sciences Grad Slam!
Eight graduate students presented compelling three-minute narratives about their humanities and social science research.
City as Memory Palace: Film & Landscape Design
Exploring connections among cinema, landscape design, local culture, and community identity.
Last Chance to Enter the Campuswide Grad Slam Competition! — 2/19/18
There’s still time to record your video!
You Could Be the Next Campuswide Grad Slam Champion! Deadline to Enter is 2/19/18
Record a three-minute “elevator pitch” of your original research for a chance to win cash prizes and compete systemwide.
Doctoral Student Receives the Paul Crissey Graduate Student Research Award
Social Welfare PhD student honored for study on child maltreatment.
Berkeley Students Receive Congressional Record Recognition
Congresswoman Barbara Lee recognizes the successful advocacy of two Berkeley graduate students.
Another Fine Crop of Spring Lectures
Since 1904, hundreds of lecturers have visited Berkeley to share their research and thoughts. Here is a brief description of what we’ll be featuring this spring.
My Passion for Social Work and Africa
Study Abroad in Ghana led an MSW student to summer research in Uganda.
Graduate Writing Center A “Gem” For Students Polishing Their Skills
Graduate Writing Center helps graduate students polish the skills needed to write productively.
Celebrating ARCS Scholars
Thirteen doctoral students who are honored ARCS recipients were feted at the Ritz Carlton by the Foundation.
Tropical Biology and a Fragmented Landscape
Ignacio Escalante, PhD candidate in ESPM, illustrates his field work and studies of a group of arachnids in southwestern Costa Rica.
2017 Holiday Fun!
Wherever you plan to celebrate your holidays, remember to schedule some time with family and friends to enjoy the season, locally.
Hello, Hei, Annyeong
The “good efforts” of a Korean linguist-in-training lead to warm rewards in Finland.
Giving Back So Students Can Get Ahead
Read how one alumna supports career skills development for current students!
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Honors Public Service Center’s 50th Anniversary
The Public Service Center celebrates 50 years of serving the greater good with personal reflections and service stories from alums like Congresswoman Barbara Lee, ’75.
A ‘New American’ Fellow
Visionary philanthropists support graduate studies for immigrants and children of immigrants.
A Summer in the “Swamp”
Kim Fong, graduate student in the School of Information, shares her cross-country road trip from Berkeley to a technology policy summer internship in Washington, DC.
One Block, Two Worlds
Kevin Weaver, studying at Berkeley Law, explores social justice issues in education and on the Berkeley streets.
SLATE-ed for Improvement!
The Graduate Division is always working to improve the graduate student experience — including prospective students!
A Medieval Summer in Toronto
Bernardo S. Hinojosa, a PhD student in Literature, spent his summer at the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies (PIMS) in Toronto, working towards a diploma in Manuscript Studies, and conducting research.
Berkeley Graduate Lectures Fall 2017
Check out this Fall’s lectures — free and open to the public — with exciting and distinguished speakers.
Meet the new Vice Chancellor for Equity & Inclusion
New Vice Chancellor for Equity & Inclusion seeks to advance student diversity and community.
Student Shares Winning Tips on Mentoring
A first-time graduate student researcher shares practical tips for effectively mentoring a summer intern.
Elizabeth Thelen Awarded Two Prestigious Fellowships
Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History, receives the Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation award and a Phi Beta Kappa Fellowship.
Mentoring Awards Recognize Outstanding Faculty
Seven faculty members were honored for their outstanding mentoring of graduate students.
Brandon Callender is Awarded the 2017 Philip Brett LGBT Studies Fellowship
Exploring the black queer past leads a young scholar to imagine the future.
Celebrating Berkeley’s Distinguished Fellows
On March 22, nearly 200 graduate students, donors, faculty and staff celebrated the distinguished fellows who hold prestigious multi-year fellowships as well as the generous supporters who help sustain the excellence of graduate education at Berkeley. Throughout the evening, Alumni House … Continued
Meet the Winners of the 2017 Berkeley Graduate Fellows Video Contest!
On March 22, scores of graduate students celebrated how fellowships support their studies. View the winning entries of the video contest — the highlight of this annual event.
What Does Graduate Division Do for Students?
How does the Graduate Division work both behind the scenes, and sometimes at front and center, to help you navigate the path to your degree?
Don’t Miss the Berkeley Grad Slam Championship!
Come cheer on graduate students as they present their three-minute research talks on April 5, 2017, 3 – 5:30 pm, 309 Sproul Hall. The winner will represent Berkeley in the UC campus-wide Grad Slam.
Shilpa Raja Awarded High Honors by the Material Research Society
Shilpa Raja, who recently received her doctoral degree from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, was awarded “Graduate Student Gold” for quality research.
Berkeley Graduate Lectures Fall 2016
Check out this Fall’s lectures — free and open to the public — with exciting and distinguished speakers.
Enriching the Graduate Student Experience
Graduate student mentors Naniette H. Coleman and Sarah Macdonald share their passions for writing and research with mentees, and show how professional development can help students flourish.
MacArthur “Genius” Reflects on His Graduate Student Years at Berkeley
Ethic Studies PhD alumnus Josh Kun highlights how campus funding empowered him as a graduate student and how awards — in his case, a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship — validate working in non-traditional fields.
Jorge Calderon: Investing in the Future of Colombian Students
The Columbian Graduate Student Fellowship created by Jorge Calderon, assists Berkeley students with a strong connection to Colombia who are studying economics, engineering, mathematics, or the physical or life sciences. He hopes that this fellowship will allow high-caliber students to reach their maximum potential and contribute to Colombia.
Tropical Biology and Ships
Ignacio Escalante, Ph.D. candidate and short-term fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), conducts evolutionary biology and animal behavior research for his dissertation at Barro Colorado Island.
Berkeley Crowdfunding Launches New October Projects
This October, two of the eleven Berkeley crowdfunding projects are being managed in part by graduate students who are going above and beyond to ensure the campaign’s success.
Summer 2016 — La Selva: Featured Student Essay
My research brought me to a mysterious, tropical environment in Peru — la selva — to learn more about Peru’s jungle gastronomy, which is unmatched by any other place in the world.
Featured Student Essay: Summer 2016 – Undergraduate Research Experiences in STEM Fields
How summer internships at the Berkeley Lab led to a job and then to graduate studies!
Food Access, Research, and Social Justice
Food issues are hot on campus now, and graduate students are in the thick of the mix.
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructors Honored at Annual Award Ceremonies
On May 3, 2016, more than 200 GSIs were recognized for their exemplary teaching at the annual Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor (OGSI) Award Ceremony.
Energy Efficiency Trailblazer Rosenfeld Inspires Next Generation
Regarded as a prophet in his own time, Arthur H. Rosenfeld drove California to become a global leader in energy efficiency.
Josefina Lundblad-Janjic Wins the 2016 Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Josefina Lundblad-Janjic was selected by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation as a Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellow for 2016.
Emily Yette Wins the 2016 Philip Brett LGBT Studies Fellowship
This spring Emily Yette, a doctoral candidate in Epidemiology, became the fourth recipient of UC Berkeley’s Philip Brett LGBT Studies Fellowship.
The Ausfahl Family Gives Back
Bill Ausfahl established the Ausfahl Chair in Philosophy, which provides a stable, predictable source of funding for a professor to apply to research and to supporting top graduate students.
Faculty Recognized by Mentorship Awards
On April 13, 2016, five faculty members were honored with the Carol D. Soc Distinguished Graduate Student Mentoring Award and Graduate Assembly Faculty Mentor Award.
Meet Tesla Monson, Host of KALX’s “The Graduates”
Tesla Monson, a fourth year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Integrative Biology, is the host and producer of “The Graduates,” a science radio talk show that airs on KALX 90.7.
Finalist for UC-wide Competition Chosen at Berkeley’s Grad Slam
Ten Berkeley graduate students competed on Monday, March 28, 2016, as semi-finalists for a spot in the ten-campus University of California Grad Slam competition that will take place on April 22.
Berkeley Ph.D. Students Shine at Graduate Research Advocacy Day
This March marked the seventh year that UC Berkeley has participated in the Graduate Research & Education Advocacy Day in Sacramento.
Spotlight on Fulbright Scholars: Cristobal Madero
Cristobal Madero is a doctoral student in the area of Education Policy and a Fulbright scholar. After 10 years of teaching in Chile, he came to Berkeley to research how schools might help teachers develop a passion for their profession.
Fellowship Matters: Remarkable Scholars and Their Supporters
Katya Cherukumilli teamed up with four other graduate students to develop a bauxite-based defluoridation technique for water sources that contain dangerously high levels of fluoride.
Meet Ben Gould: Berkeley Mayoral Candidate
Ben Gould, a 2nd year dual-degree student pursuing Master’s degrees in Environmental Engineering and in Public Policy, announced his intention to run for mayor of Berkeley.
Don’t Miss the Berkeley Grad Slam Championship! — 3/28/2016
See Berkeley’s 10 graduate student semi-finalists present their research in 3 minutes, TED-Talk style!
Meet the Winners of the 2016 Distinguished Fellows Video Contest
In these inspiring videos, four fellowship recipients explain what brought them to Berkeley and where they plan to go next.
Fellowship Matters: Remarkable Scholars and Their Supporters
First-year doctoral student in Chemistry, Laura Sofen is the recipient of the 2015 Joe Lurie Returning Peace Corps Volunteer Gateway Fellowship, which provides room and board at International House.
Spring Break on a Budget
Spring break is right around the corner, but you don’t need to break the bank to have a memorable vacation!
Meet Daniel Zimardi — Professional Development Resource Coordinator
Daniel Zimardi joins Berkeley Graduate Division as the Professional Development Resource Coordinator for the newly formed Graduate Professional Services (GPS) initiative.
Graduate Diversity Program Welcomes New Leadership!
With the New Year, GDP welcomes a new director, Assistant Dean for Graduate Diversity, Abby Rincon.
Meet Larissa Charnsangavej, Graduate Student Life Coordinator
I’m Larissa Charnsangavej and I am so excited to join the Graduate Division as its first Graduate Student Community Coordinator.
Spring Berkeley Graduate and Tanner Lectures — Not to Be Missed!
See who will be speaking at these inspiring, free lectures.
Gratitude Can Help You Get Through the Holidays
For many of us the holidays can be a very stressful time. Here is some expert advice on how the practice of gratitude can help.
Rewarding Berkeley’s Aspiring Scientists
Seven Berkeley doctoral students traded in lab coats for formal wear to attend the 45th Annual Scholar Awards Luncheon of ARCS on October 29, 2015.
GPS Center Opens Doors to Career Paths Within and Beyond Academia
On October 22, graduate students and postdocs joined faculty and staff for a festive ribbon-cutting celebration at the new Center for Graduate Professional Services (GPS).
Yu-Hui Lin is Celebrated as this Year’s Una Fellow
Yu-Hui (Amy) Lin, a Ph.D. candidate in Ethnic Studies was awarded this year’s Una Fellowship. The Una fellowship is awarded each year to an outstanding woman graduate student studying history at Berkeley.
New Center for Graduate Professional Services (GPS) Opens Doors to Help Graduate Students Navigate Career Paths
Graduate students and postdocs now have a central go-to resource to help them explore how their studies can prepare them for career paths, both within and beyond academia. The festive ribbon-cutting celebration held on October 22, 2015 at the Center for Graduate Professional Services (GPS).
Fellowship Matters: Remarkable Scholars and Their Supporters
With generous support from the Alan Dundes Graduate Fellowship, Luke Patterson has been able to make an unimaginable intellectual journey halfway around the world.
New! Graduate Professional Development Services (GPS)
When is the right time for graduate students to think about career directions? It’s never too late — or too soon! At every stage of your studies, Graduate Professional Services (GPS) is here to help.
Don’t Miss the Fall Berkeley Graduate Lectures Series
Aldous Huxley, Noam Chomsky and Stephen Hawking. These are just some of the speakers who have lectured at the university as part of UC Berkeley’s Graduate Lectures Series.
New Graduate Student Orientation Kickstarts Careers and Friendships
Do you have questions about the resources available on campus? The annual New Graduate Student Orientation provides information on health insurance, professional development services and more.
Annual European Exchange Program Broadens Students’ Horizons
An exchange program between Belgium and Berkeley offers students a chance to conduct research on their dissertations and make friends around the world.
U.S. Department of Energy Awards Student for Wind Energy Outreach
ERG student, Joe Rand, recently received national recognition for his contribution to wind energy deployment.