UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society

UC Berkeley students are turning data into meaningful real-world solutions! During the Data Discovery spring symposium, more than 150 student researchers and mentors from across disciplines presented innovative tools and breakthrough ideas to a packed audience. Congratulations to all the awardees! 🎊 Research and Storytelling Awards: 🏆 Agents in the Loop for Small Molecule Drug Design: Akansha Jain, Ava Joshi, Annie Liao, Gautam Ramkumar, Shreyash Goli. Mentored by Alan Cheng, Alec Glisman, Claire Suen, David He & Xiaodong Zhu, Merck & Co. 🏆 How Much Clay? Predicting Mineral Composition from Wireline Logs: Joseph Wong, Theo Dela Cruz, Lisa Hao. Mentored by Kimberly Baldwin, U.S. Department of the Interior. 🏆 Governing the Sea: Automating Detection of Deep Sea Polymetallic Nodules: Brian Hwang, Thang Nguyen, Kailash Ramesh. Mentored by Kimberly Baldwin, Erick Huchzermeyer, Kevin Smith & Obediah Racicot, U.S. Department of the Interior. 🏆 Arctic Vegetation Classification Via Machine Learning and Remote Sensing: Jose de Jesus Ochoa Tolento, Thomás Teixeira Scarioli. Mentored by Colette Reifsnyder-Brown, Energy and Resources Group, UC Berkeley. 🏆 Training and Benchmarking AI Models for Space Biology: Abraham Westley Guan, Brian Zhou, Ishanth Hombaiah, Karen Meng, Martin Li. Mentored by Walter Alvarado, NASA Ames Research Center. Over the past ten years, the CDSS Data Discovery program has supported more than 1,100 projects, engaging students with partners across academia, government and industry. 🔗 Learn more (link in bio): https://bit.ly/4dKSYuZ 📸: Camille Roxas & Vincent Tang / UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society [Image description: Collages of student researchers and mentors smiling and holding award certificates; a presenter speaking to symposium attendees; program participants standing beside their research posters; program participants in conversation; staff standing behind a table to greet attendees; an overhead view of the symposium featuring attendees and research posters.] @ucberkeleyofficial

UC Berkeley is the birthplace of a long line of world-changing computing technologies.  The College of Computing, Data Science, and Society supports a diverse array of researchers and scholars who are not only developing cutting-edge new computing and AI technologies, but also harnessing the power of these technologies to provide ethical solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.  Opening in time for the fall semester, the Barbara and Gerson Bakar Gateway building will bring these efforts together in a beautiful and functional new space, creating a dedicated campus hub for AI-driven discovery and interdisciplinary collaboration. 
“What I’m most excited about is how the Gateway will bring different fields together and make collaboration much more seamless,” said Rose Niousha, a third-year Ph.D. student and co-president of the Computer Science Graduate Entrepreneurs student group. “For me, that means faster iteration from research ideas to collaboration and real-world applications, and more opportunities to connect my work in human-centered AI with people across domains.” 🔗 Full story linked in bio: https://bit.ly/4fjqrxO #UCBerkeley #AI

📣 The 2026 College of Computing, Data Science, and Society ceremonies are two weeks away! Here are tips to help you get ready for the big day! 🎉🎓 - Be sure to bring your PRINTED Tassel Stage Pass to the ceremony. - Arrive in your cap and gown by 8 a.m. for the 9 a.m. ceremony. Arrive in your cap and gown by 1 p.m. for the 2 p.m. ceremony. - Bring an empty water bottle – it may get hot in the Greek! - Please DO NOT bring any backpacks, purses, or other valuables with you. If you must have these items, make sure they fit in your pockets, or leave them with your family or friends. - Wear comfortable shoes. - Celebrate safely! Don’t dehydrate the night before or the day of. - Bring sunglasses – we expect sunshine during both ceremonies. �-Charge your phone to post on Instagram, TikTok or other socials. - Make sure to tag @berkeleycdss and use #CDSSgrad and #CalGrad in your posts! - Remember to complete the Career Center's First Destinations survey if you know your post-grad plans. 🔗 More details (link in bio): https://bit.ly/48B0FkI [Image Description: Group of eight graduates smiling, dressed in caps and gowns. Text reads: “10 Tips for Commencement. 2026 CDSS Undergraduate Commencement. Friday, May 22, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. PT.”] @ucberkeleyofficial | @berkeleystatistics | @ucb_eecs

Last chance to grab gear from the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society pop-up shop! Don’t miss out on these branded t-shirts, caps, and sweatshirts. Order before 8 a.m. on May 7! 🔗 Shop now! (link in bio): https://bit.ly/4865l1I [Image description: Promotional image for the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society pop-up shop featuring a t-shirt, cap, zip-up and sweatshirt branded with the college logo. Text reads: “Last Chance! CDSS Pop-Up Shop.”]

Join us on Thursday, May 7 at 1:30 p.m. for the CDSS Data Discovery Spring Symposium! Network with UC Berkeley students and faculty who are enthusiastic about data science, hear from keynote speakers and discover groundbreaking research projects that are shaping the future. 🔗 Full details (link in bio): https://bit.ly/41rvAfe 📸: Eric Xie / UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society [Image description: Collage of three photos featuring students in front of their research presentations. Text reads: “Data Discovery Spring Symposium. Student Researchers, Real-world Data Science, Community. Thursday, May 7, 1:30-3 p.m., Hearst Memorial Mining Building Lobby.]

🎓 The countdown is on! Commencement is just around the corner, and whether you're walking the stage or cheering from the crowd, we can't wait to celebrate the Class of 2026. Two CDSS commencement ceremonies will take place at the Hearst Greek Theatre in Berkeley, honoring students graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer Science, Data Science, and Statistics. 🎉 First ceremony: 9 a.m. PT 🎉 Second ceremony: 2 p.m. PT Stay tuned for important updates, event tips and ways to make the big day unforgettable. 💙💛 🔗 More details (link in bio): https://bit.ly/48B0FkI 📸: KLC fotos/Marcus Edwards [Image description: A graduate dressed in a cap and gown smiles with arms outstretched and pointing; UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society logo. Text reads: "Commencement season is here!"] @ucberkeleyofficial | @UCB_EECS | @BerkeleyStatistics

The College of Computing, Data Science, and Society kicked off Cal Day at Haas Pavilion with a welcome ceremony for all CDSS admits, prospective students and their families! 💙💛 Dean Jennifer Chayes, Associate Dean for Students Narges Norouzi, and CDSS staff offered insight into the student experience, highlighted college resources, and discussed opportunities for students to explore computing, data science, and statistics at UC Berkeley. We are thrilled to welcome the next generation of innovators to CDSS this fall. Go Bears! 🐻 📸: KLC fotos/Don Collier [Image description: Slide 1: Collage of Jennifer Chayes; Narges Norouzi; Cal Day attendees seated in Haas Pavilion behind a banner that reads: “Welcome to Berkeley. This is bear territory.” Slide 2: Collage of Cal Day attendees smiling and walking to Haas Pavilion; event attendees seated in Haas Pavilion with a view of the basketball court. Slide 3: Three Cal Day attendees seated in Haas Pavilion listening to the program; Jennifer Chayes and Heidi Green in conversation with attendees on the basketball court.] @ucberkeleyofficial | @UCB_EECS | @BerkeleyStatistics

Apply to the Fall 2026 Berkeley Global Computing and Data Science Program for visiting students! This program offers courses in data science and computing for transferable credits. Undergraduates from the U.S. and abroad can earn a Berkeley certificate. The deadline is June 5. 🔗 Learn more (link in bio): https://bit.ly/4s3YGxm 📸: Isabella Kira / UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society [Image description: A group of five students wearing UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society t-shirts, smiling and talking outside.] @UCBerkeleyIntl @ucberkeleyofficial

There is still time to purchase gear from the CDSS pop-up shop! Grab a t-shirt, cap, sweatshirt and more before the shop closes on May 7. 🔗 Shop now! (link in bio): https://bit.ly/4865l1I [Image description: Promotional image for the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society pop-up shop featuring t-shirts, caps, zip-ups and sweatshirts branded with the college ogo. Text reads: “Closes May 7! CDSS Pop-Up Shop.”]

Professor John DeNero Ph.D. ’10 is the Giancarlo Teaching Fellow in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He joined Berkeley in 2014 to focus on undergrad education in computer science and data science, and currently teaches two of the largest courses on campus, enrolling 2,000 and 3,000 students per year, respectively. As faculty director of the Data Science Undergraduate Studies (DSUS) program, DeNero established Berkeley as the premier space for world-class data science education. His leadership developed the data science major into the largest major on campus, and one that holds the No. 1 ranking in its field nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report. DeNero is also a very visible supporter of DSUS, notably sponsoring a challenge match for the program during last year’s #CalBigGive campaign. DeNero is this year’s recipient of the Fiat Lux Faculty Award, which honors a faculty member whose extraordinary contributions go above and beyond the call of duty to advance the university’s philanthropic mission and transform its research, teaching, and programs. The award will be presented at this year’s Berkeley Charter Gala in May. #AchievementAwards #UCBerkeley Photos by: Keegan Houser (@khdesign01 ), Doug Birnbaum, and Noah Berger; UC Berkeley

We are hiring a Senior College Advisor! This role will serve as the college’s academic advising expert and consultant to college advisors, deans, departmental advisors and key campus partners. 🔗 Learn more and apply now: https://bit.ly/3OjKH3J [Image description: Promotional banner with an illustrated rendering of the Gateway building on the UC Berkeley campus; UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society logo. Text reads: “Staff Job Opportunity. We are hiring! Join our team. Senior College Advisor. Apply now.”]

How do you apply data science in journalism to drive meaningful change? UC Berkeley Data Science alum Lydia Sidhom (B.A. ‘25) enhances stories at the @washingtonpost by transforming inaccessible and hidden information into verifiable evidence through data analytics. As a data journalist, she balances traditional journalism with a focus on numbers, public records and primary-source documents. Her interdisciplinary approach has led to contributions to groundbreaking projects, including a story on faculty diversity at universities. “You need to be able to web scrape and collect data, run analytics and communicate the findings,” Sidhom said. “Without those skills, many stories just wouldn't be told.” 🔗 Learn more (link in bio): https://bit.ly/4u1sydI 📸: Lydia Sidhom [Image description: Lydia Sidhom and the UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society logo. Text reads: “Alum Spotlight. Lydia Sidhom. Data Science and Political Science.”] @ucberkeleyofficial