Applied Science and Technology
From exploring nanostructures and X-ray micro-imaging to nonlinear dynamics and chaotic systems, UC Berkeley’s graduate program in Applied Science & Technology (AS&T) addresses the growing need for modern interdisciplinary research beyond the scope of a single traditional department. Since its founding in 1994, the program has grown to include a diverse student body, connecting with multiple technical departments on campus and divisions at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. AS&T features the application of physical and mathematical techniques to fundamental investigations of emerging areas within the physical and life sciences. Major fields of emphasis include applied physics, engineering sciences and mathematical sciences.
Did you know?
Graduate student research in AS&T is advancing the frontiers of knowledge across disciplines, including:
- Revealing hidden physics in superconductors
- Discovering new behaviors of electron in extreme conditions
- Building the world’s highest-resolution X-ray microscope
- Developing new materials to cool building roofs and walls
- Probing chemical dynamics with femtosecond lasers
- Building the next generation of particle accelerators
- Developing quantum computers of the future
research and education
3 colleges and 12 departments
Margaret Doyle
Ph.D.’24, AS&T
Engineering bizarre electron behavior
While most materials are three-dimensional, some special materials exist in layers that are only a single atom thick. By stacking different ultrathin materials together, AS&T researchers have created new materials with unusual and fascinating properties. In one example, they found an exotic phase of matter where the electrons are arranged in beautiful geometric patterns. Their approach provides a general method for engineering materials systems with properties not found in nature.
What does it mean to design with a critical lens?
About 20% of our total energy consumption is from heating and cooling buildings. Now, imagine a roof that keeps your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer — at zero energy consumption. AS&T student researchers have utilized a material that can sense the outdoor air temperature and automatically switch between a warming mode at low temperatures and a cooling mode at high temperatures. This smart roof material outperforms all traditional roof coatings in year-round energy savings for most climates.
