A public school located in the Bay Area, in California.

University of California, Berkeley

110 Sproul Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720

"Let there be light”

Public land-grant research university

Why CS at Berkeley?

Berkeley is the go-to university for Computer Science students, and this is due to several factors. Firstly, the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) department is certainly one of the most renowned in the world. They developed groundbreaking technologies, such as the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), and most recently, the open-source CPU architecture RISC-V. Studying there means getting to meet the legends that built most of today’s kernels and drivers. Also, the fact it’s located in the Silicon Valley would surely help me in the professional field, given the proximity to important companies.

Research and Faculty

Berkeley is at the forefront of CS research, with several memorable projects. One that’s very interesting to me is the development of the California Earthquake Early Warning System - a network ran by the Cal OES, the Governor of California, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), powered by a network of seismographers and several innovative technologies, such as the Wireless Emergency System, which has been adopted by Department of Homeland Security to modernize the US civil warning network (IPWAS).

Top 3 professors (in my opinion):

1. Duncan Callaway: his research is around electrical power systems development, which interests me. He is also a researcher at the Lawrence National Laboratory and works in the development of sustainable energy;
2. Sylvia Ratnasamy: some interesting work within the OS field - more specifically, she’s done research on the networking layer and congestion protocols

Community Engagement

The campus is home to over 1,200 student organizations, including academic clubs, cultural groups, and special interest societies. For computer science die-hard fans, clubs like the Berkeley Computer Science Undergraduate Association (CSUA) and the Artificial Intelligence at Berkeley (AI@Berkeley) provide platforms for networking, skill development, and hands-on projects. There are also cultural and identity-based organizations, such as the International Student Association and the Queer Alliance Resource Center.

Student Support and Diversity Centers

There are several organizations to aid in student support. Firstly, there's the Gender Equity Resource Center (GenEq), a key resource for LGBT+ students, providing programs, services, and events that promote gender and sexual equity. GenEq offers confidential support, advocacy, and educational workshops. Outside the mental health area, there's also the Multicultural Community Center (MCC), serving as a space for students from diverse backgrounds to connect and collaborate. It offers programming that addresses issues of social justice, equity, and cultural awareness. Finally, the Berkeley International Office (BIO) assists international students with visa and immigration advising, cultural adjustment support, and academic advising.