UC Berkeley marked a year of significant achievements in 2025, including two Nobel Prize wins, advancements in medical research, and the launch of a Mars mission. The university also received top rankings from several organizations and continued its efforts to support social mobility and innovation.
In October, John Clarke, emeritus professor of physics at UC Berkeley, was awarded the Nobel Prize for his foundational work on superconducting quantum bits used in quantum computers. The following day, Omar Yaghi received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for creating reticular chemistry, which allows scientists to assemble molecular structures with applications such as extracting water from air and removing carbon from the atmosphere. After receiving his award, Yaghi stated: “This recognition is really a testament to the power of the public school system in the U.S.”
Berkeley secured the No. 1 spot among public schools in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings. This marks the 16th time in two decades that Berkeley has led this annual evaluation. The university also topped Pitchbook’s 2025 university rankings for producing more venture-backed company founders than any other undergraduate institution globally. Other outlets such as Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Times Higher Education recognized Berkeley’s academic programs.
Chancellor Rich Lyons commented on these accolades: “The data here are independent confirmation that we’ve built something truly remarkable here at Berkeley.”
A Mars mission led by UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory launched twin satellites named Blue and Gold aboard a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket in November. These satellites will map Mars’ magnetic fields and upper atmosphere in three dimensions to help scientists understand how Mars lost its atmosphere and inform future human missions.
Leadership changes occurred within Cal Athletics as Ron Rivera was appointed general manager of California Golden Bears football program in March. Rivera is expected to enhance fundraising efforts and provide leadership both on and off the field. In December, Tosh Lupoi was named head football coach. Rivera said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Tosh and his family back home to Berkeley as our head football coach.”
Governor Gavin Newsom visited UC Berkeley’s Campbell Hall in October to sign legislation aimed at developing a statewide strategy for quantum research. He toured campus labs focused on quantum computing research during his visit and remarked: “It was amazing to walk in the labs downstairs and to see the world here at UC Berkeley.”
A new book titled Startup Campus was released this fall by Mike Alvarez Cohen, director of innovation ecosystem development at UC Berkeley. The book explores how entrepreneurship became central to campus culture through firsthand accounts from faculty and alumni.
Efforts continue on campus to foster diverse political perspectives through organizations like Heterodox Academy. Student Nathan Tang explained: “Ultimately, I came to Berkeley to be intellectually challenged, inside and outside of the lab… We need to be willing to disagree with each other openly, but to do so civilly.”
Berkeley researchers introduced a new color called “olo” using laser techniques that manipulate photoreceptors in human eyes—potentially advancing understanding of vision disorders.
The California Language Archive enabled graduate student Tyler Lee-Wynant to connect with his family history through linguistic recordings used for Indigenous language revitalization projects on campus. Lee-Wynant said: “It’s such a trove of information about … my family’s history… I always get the chills whenever I listen to it because you never know what story is gonna come up.”
In medical research, doctors developed a custom CRISPR gene therapy for an infant with a rare genetic disorder within six-and-a-half months after birth; researchers at UC Berkeley’s Innovative Genomics Institute helped test its safety alongside physicians from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia—a collaboration praised by IGI founder Jennifer Doudna as “a remarkable team effort.”
To address declining numbers of journalists across California due largely to shifts in advertising revenue toward major tech companies over two decades, the California Local News Fellowship based at UC Berkeley School of Journalism has placed over 70 full-time reporters since 2023 throughout state newsrooms.
In January, Indigenous leaders joined university officials for the naming ceremony of xučyun ruwway—the first campus building named using an Indigenous language after consultation with local communities—signaling increased collaboration between campus administration and Native groups.
Additional infrastructure developments included opening Grimes Engineering Center; progress on People’s Park student housing (to be named after disability rights leader Judith Heumann); approval for new laboratory space supporting CRISPR gene editing research; and expansion plans for entrepreneurial startups.
Research by anthropology student Liam McEvoy revealed that blue lotus flowers marketed online differ chemically from those revered in ancient Egypt despite visual similarities—a finding he described as “my Berkeley thing.”
