Energized for real-world impact
01/25/23 — Founded by Berkeley Engineering alumni, Gridware uses sensors to tackle the threat of wildfires
Energy
Scientists develop a cool new method of refrigeration
01/04/23 — Berkeley Lab: Berkeley engineers Drew Lilley and Ravi Prasher hope ionocaloric cooling can someday replace current refrigerants and provide safe, efficient cooling and heating for homes
Berkeley Engineering alumni help achieve decades-long quest for nuclear fusion
12/22/22 — Andrea Kritcher (M.S.’07, Ph.D.’09 NE) and Brian Spears (Ph.D.’04 ME) share their thoughts on the future of fusion research and how their time at Berkeley shaped their careers
Two from Berkeley Engineering named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list
12/09/22 — Magazine cites Ph.D. candidate Jiachen Li for work on an all-season, smart-roof coating, and MEng alumna Alison Burklund of Nanopath for diagnostics that speed treatment of pelvic and gynecologic infections
To battle climate change, scientists tap into carbon-hungry microorganisms for clues
11/30/22 — Berkeley Lab: Scientists led by Peidong Yang have developed a nature-inspired technique for converting carbon dioxide into solar fuels
Ultrathin capacitor could enable energy-efficient microchips
06/24/22 — Berkeley Lab: Scientists led by materials science professor Lane Martin turn century-old material into a thin film for next-gen memory and logic devices
Solar beats nuclear at many potential settlement sites on Mars
04/27/22 — The high efficiency, light weight and flexibility of the latest solar cell technology means photovoltaics could provide all the power needed for an extended mission to Mars, or even a permanent settlement there, according to a new analysis led by Berkeley engineers
Researchers discover pathway to safer lithium-ion batteries
04/13/22 — New study describes materials that offer stability and high conductivity in solid-state batteries
Engineered crystals could help computers run on less power
04/07/22 — New negative capacitance material reduces energy needed to control advanced silicon transistors
Campus drills 400-foot borehole to explore geothermal heating
03/30/22 — If successful, a geothermal heat pump system to help heat and cool buildings more efficiently could become part of UC Berkeley’s plan to decarbonize the campus
New smart-roof coating enables year-round energy savings
12/16/21 — Berkeley Lab: Rooftop material that automatically switches between radiative cooling in the summer to heat retention in the winter could lower household energy costs
Daniel Kammen named senior adviser to USAID
10/21/21 — Kammen, who holds joint appointments in energy and resources, public policy and nuclear engineering, will serve as senior adviser for energy, climate and innovation for the U.S. Agency for International Development.
With a damp TV, Berkeley engineers demonstrate the potential of a green energy harvester
09/06/21 — Researchers report that moisture-induced energy harvesting could be a potential new source of power, particularly in areas of naturally high humidity
It that a flying saucer? Nope, it’s CalSol’s Zephyr
07/19/21 Bay Area News Group — The CalSol student team departs in a week for the Midwest, solar car in tow, to compete in the 5-day, 1,000-mile American Solar Challenge — the team’s first return to competition after more than a year sidelined by the pandemic
Earth Day message for California: Move faster on climate change
04/22/21 Los Angeles Times — Scientists led by Berkeley energy professor Dan Kammen urge aggressive action to confront the climate crisis
10 years after Fukushima, Berkeley monitoring still in use
03/11/21 Berkeley Lab — Response to earthquake, nuclear plant disaster led Kai Vetter and colleagues to new programs and technologies
Eight Berkeley engineers honored as 2021 Siebel Scholars
09/23/20 — Graduate students from bioengineering, computer science and energy science are among more than 90 selected worldwide.
The Clean Air Car Race turns 50
08/26/20 — In 1970, Berkeley Engineering students envisioned low-emission cars of the future
Berkeley researchers develop highly efficient, energy-dense capacitor
08/19/20 Berkeley Lab — New material could ultimately combine the efficiency and robustness of capacitors with the energy storage capabilities of larger-scale batteries for use in consumer electronics.
Why the U.S. leads in power outages
08/19/20 Popular Science — Our grid is outdated, run down and vulnerable to climate change, says Berkeley electrical engineer Alexandra von Meier; microgrids are one potential solution