Growing up in Tokyo, Japan, Rose Niousha, a third-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering and computer sciences, took the train to high school every morning. From the window, she would watch thousands of people converge at Shibuya Crossing, then head off in every direction. Rose, who spoke at the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Barbara and Gerson Bakar Gateway, likened the new building to a crossroads where different computing disciplines meet. But unlike Shibuya Crossing, she said, “We are not strangers, each with our own plan for the day. We are one community, choosing a direction together. So the question is: Which way do we go?”
The new home of the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS), the Gateway is the second largest building on campus and a dedicated hub for AI-driven discovery and collaboration across disciplines. Located on the north side of campus, it includes research laboratories, classrooms, and social kitchens, along with collaborative space for more than 1,300 faculty, students, and researchers. Two levels are devoted to undergraduates. We expect to receive the certificate of occupancy this month.
Berkeley is the birthplace of a long line of world-changing computing technologies, including faster, simpler chips used in most computers today. The Gateway will accelerate the pathway of a broad set of cutting-edge technologies from idea to real-world application — in a uniquely Berkeley way. Together and ethically, with a focus on what’s best for the greater good.
In her research on tutoring systems, for example, Rose asks how AI can collaborate with humans to greatly boost learning while ensuring students maintain control over their own actions. The goal is to keep learners in the driver’s seat, with AI supporting, not replacing, their learning journey. “We could drift down a road where everything is automated,” she said, “or we could decide what should be delegated to machines, what should remain human, and how the two can work together to maximize human capability.”
Berkeley is at its best when we illuminate each other, and this beautiful building was carefully tuned to exactly that. Amazing things unfold when we make it easy for people from many different areas of expertise to communicate and collaborate. I’m grateful for the students, researchers, donors, and builders who made the Gateway real. What happens here next is going to matter.
Fiat Lux, and Go Bears!
Chancellor Rich Lyons
Chancellor’s Choice
Volunteer: Golden Bear Orientation—The university is seeking alums from the Classes of 2010–26 to welcome new first-year and transfer students at Golden Bear Orientation. Enjoy a free dinner together, and share your personal and professional experiences with the next generation of Bears. Saturday, August 22, 4:30–7:30 p.m. in front of South Hall. You will receive details after you complete this quick form
Events: Redwood Grove Summer Concerts— Enjoy a magical musical experience under towering redwoods at the UC Botanical Garden. Running June through September, the series has more than 10 shows and counting, including Jenny Gillespie Mason + The Saxophones, a Bastille Day celebration, violinist/vocalist Carla Kihlstedt, and psychedelic soul band Orchestra Gold. Shows sell out fast, so check out the lineup today.