Lisa Alvarez-Cohen is the Vice Provost for Academic and Space Planning at UC Berkeley. With decades of experience in higher education leadership and research, Lisa brings extensive expertise in environmental engineering, academic strategy, and faculty governance.
Previously, she served as Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and as Chair of the Berkeley Faculty Senate, where she guided major initiatives across academic planning and university policy. Lisa is also the Fred and Claire Sauer Professor at UC Berkeley, known for her pioneering research in environmental microbiology, bioremediation, and water contaminant biotransformation.
Lisa holds a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering and Applied Science from Harvard University and both an M.S. and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and Science from Stanford University. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and the recipient of numerous honors including the ASCE Simon W. Freese Environmental Engineering Award, the China 1,000 Talents National Award, and the NSF Young Investigator Award.
