Dean's Report
Dear Supporters of the College of Chemistry,
Our researchers, educators, students, and staff in the Berkeley College of Chemistry continue to innovate and excel in these rapidly changing and demanding times, and we continue to be celebrated for blending exceptional research and academic excellence with an unwavering dedication to the public good and to creating a better, more equitable, world. In 2023-24, both departments in the college admitted their most diverse classes of graduate students since such records have been kept – one testament to our focus and our triumphs in upholding Berkeley's overarching values and mission. And for that, our faculty, among others in the college, are continually recognized at the highest levels of success; for example, Professor David Schaffer was just elected as a Member of the National Academy of Engineering, and earlier this year, Professor Jennifer Doudna received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the nation's highest honor for technological achievement. In the words of President Joe Biden, "Those who earn these awards embody the promise of America by pushing the boundaries of what is possible."
The 2023-24 fiscal year was also an outstanding success in terms of philanthropy in the College of Chemistry. Thanks to 2,600 unique donors and $20.5M raised, the community's dedication to sustaining the college as the global leader in chemical sciences research and education remains unparalleled.
Advisory Board member and UC Berkeley alum Bobby Sheng (B.S. Economics '94) and his wife, Charlotte Kuo, made a significant gift to support Heathcock Hall, our new state-of-the-art academic building that will house research laboratories, offices, and collaborative meeting spaces. Construction on the building began in the summer of 2024, and to honor their generous commitment, the first floor of Heathcock Hall will include community space bearing the name Sheng Commons.
In another donor-supported project, the new Pines Magnetic Resonance Center was launched in the fall of 2023, in honor of the late Professor Alex Pines. This new center advances Berkeley's prominent position in the vital methodology of nuclear magnetic resonance.
Although we have raised over $150M for Heathcock Hall, there is still more work to be done! The College of Chemistry community's incredible generosity is crucial to bringing our vision for a revolutionary research facility to life. Your support will leave a lasting impact on our faculty, students, and researchers—paving the way for more groundbreaking discoveries in chemistry and chemical engineering. Thank you for your essential partnership in helping to solve global challenges and in working to shape a better future for generations to come.
Douglas S. Clark
Dean and Gilbert N. Lewis Professor
College of Chemistry
Dean's Report Highlights
Heathcock Hall Groundbreaking
The College of Chemistry celebrated the groundbreaking of its new research and teaching facility, Heathcock Hall, on Thursday, May 2, surrounded by staff, faculty, advisory board members, international benefactors, and even Oski the Bear. The event marked a key milestone towards creating a vibrant hub for new highly interdisciplinary research and education. Heathcock Hall will be named in honor of renowned organic chemist, former Dean of the College of Chemistry, and Terry’s research director, Clayton H. Heathcock.
In a wonderful display of generosity and community support, PMP Tech Founder and longtime College of Chemistry supporters, Rubber and Joy Chen, made an additional commitment of $5M to Heathcock Hall, bringing their total support of our newest building to $15M.
Sheng Commons Signing
Bora Pharmaceuticals CEO Bobby Sheng '94, along with his wife Charlotte Kuo, made a significant gift to support Heathcock Hall, the new state-of-the art facility that will house UC Berkeley's College of Chemistry. Construction on the new building, which will be located at Gayley Road and University Drive, began in the summer of 2024. To honor this generous commitment, the first floor of Heathcock Hall will be named Sheng Commons.
"We talk about AI, but the continuation of humanity really relies on the next generation of innovators, who are hopefully going to gather in a place like Sheng Commons," said Sheng. "I've always remembered, I always wanted a place to kind of hang out at Berkeley. If we can have a common area where people can just sit and there's no need to buy coffee, it's just a common area indoors, I thought that was a great opportunity for me to give back to the college and to the next generation of people who will help solve the world energy crisis, help cure Alzheimer's, and can contribute to world peace. Yeah, I think if we can have those people collaborate in the Sheng Commons, it'd be amazing."
Pines Magnetic Resonance Center Launch
Alex Pines, Glenn T. Seaborg Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, had a remarkable career as a groundbreaking researcher and beloved teacher. Pines was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society; held honorary degrees from the Universities of Rome, Paris, Marseilles, Amritsar, and the Weizmann Institute of Science; and his many awards included the Wolf Prize in Chemistry. In his honor, the Pines Magnetic Resonance Center (PMRC) was launched on November 28, 2023, at a gathering for the Alexander Pines Endowed Lecture in Physical Chemistry, presented by Lyndon Emsley, professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. The new center advances Berkeley's prominent position in the vital methodology of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
Thanks to this generous investment, the Pines Magnetic Resonance Center will no doubt generate new insights and applications for NMR. The College of Chemistry will continue to hum and resonate with game-changing insights and launch remarkable careers.
Student Testimonial
When I arrived at UC Berkeley, I wasn't fully aware of the vast scope of its research programs or the incredible contributions many of the researchers here have made to their fields. However, I distinctly remember how overwhelming it was to come to that realization. It's hard to describe the feeling of growing up studying various techniques and discoveries throughout history like the Lewis octet rule and then being part of the very college where Gilbert N. Lewis once served as dean.
I planned to apply for research opportunities in my second year at Berkeley, and I was a bit nervous. I had heard stories of the countless "cold emails" sent by peers and classmates that went unanswered. Additionally, I depended on my work-study job and scholarships to be at Berkeley, and I worried that committing to research might conflict with my classes and work schedule. Thanks to the SURD program, none of these concerns became an issue.
With the support of SURD, I had one of the best summer research experiences I could have hoped for, fulfilling both my academic and personal goals in ways I hadn't imagined. I was delighted to work in a fascinating lanthanide separation project in Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and was gratefully invited to continue this research intendedly until my graduation.
Research is demanding in many ways, and I had hesitated to "sacrifice" a summer that could have been a time to rest from the hectic semesters I faced as a Chemical and Nuclear Engineering major. However, the stipend from SURD, made possible by the generous donors, would cover my needs and allow me to focus entirely on my research. The summer turned out to be one of the best summers of my life. My favorite take away from the experience is the confidence it gave me to pursue future research projects. I feel I now have the skills and motivation to continue my passion for research with grace and dedication.
Aly M. Montiel Mendoza
Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Highlights
Thanks to the support of 2,600 unique donors and $20.5M raised, the community's dedication to maintaining the College as a global leader in chemical sciences education is unmatched.
