Spring 2023

UC Berkeley is renowned for cutting-edge, curiosity-driven scientific research that results in paradigm-shifting discovery — fundamentally changing our understanding of nature, the universe, and ourselves. This tradition continues as strong as ever. Do you share our curiosity? The College of Letters & Science’s Division of Biological Sciences and Division of Mathematical & Physical Sciences invite you to join this series of enlightening virtual discussions, featuring our brilliant faculty and students.

All events will be held via Zoom at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Use one of the Register buttons below to sign up in advance.

Follow Your Curiosity

Schedule

You can register for this season’s events below:

New Faculty Tales from the Lab
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 | 5:00 PM
Register

Beginning one’s career as a faculty member and setting up a lab for the first time are often herculean feats that include high highs, low lows, and lots of compelling anecdotes. Join us as our newest science faculty members share their stories of building their labs, working with students, and the future of their research endeavors at Berkeley.

Moderated by
Rebecca Heald, Co-Chair of the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology; Flora Lamson Hewlett Chair and Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology
Penny Wieser, Assistant Professor of Earth & Planetary Science
James Nuñez, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology
Eric Ma, Assistant Professor of Physics
Mathematics that Matter
Wednesday, April 5, 2023 | 5:00 PM
Register

High-level mathematics research is intricate and complex, and it can be difficult to understand how it translates into real-world problem solving. Our panel of mathematicians will discuss their work in applied mathematics, and what it means to apply mathematics to things such as physical and biological systems, fluid and solid mechanics, and computing.

Moderated by
Per-Olof Persson, Professor of Mathematics
Olga Holtz, Professor of Mathematics
Jon Wilkening, Professor of Mathematics
Repair and Regeneration of the Body
Monday, April 17, 2023 | 5:00 PM
Register

Our bodies are resilient organisms, with remarkable capabilities to heal themselves from trauma. Our panel of biologists will discuss their research in the ways that the body repairs itself, from PTSD recovery to regrowing heart cells.

Moderated by
Richard Harland, Senior Associate Dean of Biological Sciences; C.H. Li Distinguished Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development
Andrea Gomez, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology
Dirk Hockemeyer, Associate Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology
Megan Martik, Assistant Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development
Great Events in Evolution
Monday, May 8, 2023 | 5:00 PM
Register

Life on Earth has come a long way in the last few millennia. Berkeley’s brightest paleontologists and evolutionary biologists will come together to discuss their insights into how humans and other animals have evolved over the ages, and where we might be headed.

Moderated by
Mary Firestone, Professor of Environmental Science, Policy, Management
Rasmus Nielsen, Professor of Integrative Biology
Daniel Rokhsar, Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development
Charles Marshall, Philip Sandford Boone Chair in Paleontology; Director of the University of California Museum of Paleontology; Chair of the Berkeley Natural History Museums; Professor of Earth & Planetary Science
View our past lectures

Contact

To connect with us, please fill out this form or contact External Relations at . If you require an accommodation for effective communication in order to fully participate in this series, please provide as much advance notice as possible and at least seven days before a specific event date.