News

As access barriers to in-person abortion care increase due to legal restrictions and COVID-19–related disruptions, a team of UC Berkeley researchers wondered if individuals were turning to the internet for information on out-of-clinic medication abortions. 

The Statistics commencement on May 18 at Zellerbach Playhouse honored more than 100 students who earned bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees in 2022 and those who graduated in 2021 and returned to campus for an in-person commencement. The guest speaker was Peng Zhao, CEO of Citadel Securities, who reflected on his journey studying math and statistics, including his time as a doctoral student at UC Berkeley.

UC Berkeley Professor Bin Yu responded to a nonprofit organization’s urgent call for data science experts to help distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) most effectively. Yu quickly organized a team of statistics and computer sciences students to address the challenge. Though they began with no data in hand or plans on how to find it, the team’s COVID hot spot predictions ultimately helped inform the shipment of at least 349,000 face shields to doctors and healthcare workers.

UC Berkeley formally launched this week a research lab aimed at building a new backbone for interconnected cloud computing, a milestone that would revolutionize the industry.

Graduates reflected on their journeys and heard advice from acclaimed author Neal Stephenson at the Data Science commencement on May 18. The last time Berkeley data science students lined up to receive diplomas at an in-person commencement, it was the very first time any students had graduated with that major from the university. At the 2019 ceremony in Wheeler Hall, 82 students graduated in data science. At this week’s commencement, nearly 500 graduates walked across the stage at the Hearst Greek Theatre to receive their Data Science bachelor’s degree, with approximately 700 expected total graduates this year.

Kai Koerber is a Parkland shooting survivor and mental health advocate. He’s also a UC Berkeley undergraduate student who developed a model for identifying a user’s emotional state based on their tone of voice, and he plans to use this technology as a mental health and public safety intervention.

Faculty and lecturers across the Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society are watching their students graduate in person this week for the first time in three years. Several said they were impressed by these pupils’ strength, inspired by their success at the university and excited to see them use their skills impactfully in the professional world.

On May 16, 2022, the School of Information celebrated 147 graduates of I School programs, and welcomed students back to the first in-person commencement celebration since January 2020, just before the pandemic upended so many traditions and norms.

When Kevin Miao arrived at UC Berkeley from the Netherlands, he wanted to study biology. Taking Data 8, an introductory data science course, helped Miao find a different path.

UC Berkeley’s Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS) announced its new advisory board, convening for the first time this week. Members of the CDSS Advisory Board represent a range of expertise and industries, including health care, finance and technology.