Mark Asta, UC Berkeley Engineering dean designate. (Photo by Adam Lau/Berkeley Engineering)Where ideas come to life
I have the tremendous privilege of writing to you as the incoming 14th dean of Berkeley Engineering. I’ve held many roles at this university — former student, researcher, faculty member and college leader. Through every phase of my journey, what I’ve found so rewarding is the environment of opportunity that shapes the mindset of our community. At Berkeley Engineering, we continually nurture the conditions that enable our students to apply their education and experiences to tackle pressing, real-world challenges.
Berkeley Engineering’s programs empower students to innovate.
Berkeley Engineering’s programs, such as those offered at the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, empower students to innovate. Our Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership equips students with the skills needed to be leaders who can transform society for the better. And because UC Berkeley offers a breadth of excellence across campus, there are additional resources students can access from units beyond our college.
A powerful example of this ecosystem in action is our story of Todd Roberts (MEng’20 ME) and Owen Kent (B.A.’17 Film), co-founders of assistive technology company ATDev. The pair came together through a biomechanics course, Designing for the Human Body, taught by mechanical engineering professor Grace O’Connell. Kent, a lifelong wheelchair user, provided invaluable mentorship for Roberts, and together they developed Reflex, a lightweight robotic knee brace designed to enable at-home physical therapy.
Transforming a classroom concept into a life-changing device requires a village, and Roberts and Kent received crucial support at key steps along the way:
- They secured a seed grant from the Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation at Berkeley Engineering to fund their initial prototypes.
- Grace O’Connell provided grant writing assistance that helped them land their first federal award through the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program.
- They took advantage of services offered through the Haas School of Business to get free legal counsel and fundraising advice.
- They connected with campus’s startup accelerator, Berkeley SkyDeck, which provided networking opportunities and their very first venture investment.
Reflecting on his journey, Kent perfectly captured the spirit of our campus: “Berkeley has an endless list of resources for entrepreneurs. So it’s about taking advantage of those opportunities and networking as much as you can. You never know who you’ll meet that will enable you to do your next thing.”
Today, the pair is scaling ATDev, bolstered by participation in a $41 million ARPA-H initiative, to build the future of assistive technology. Reflex received FDA approval just over a year ago and is being deployed to Veterans Affairs hospitals and private therapy clinics.
This is where UC Berkeley excels. As dean, I am committed to ensuring that Kent and Roberts’ experience remains the norm. As our newest graduates embark on their next phase of life, they go armed with the passion of entrepreneurship and the values of serving society that are ingrained in our DNA as a public institution.
We have incredible momentum, and I am ready to build the future with all of you.
Go Bears!
—Mark Asta
Dean Designate and Roy W. Carlson Professor of Engineering