Faculty

"How a Flu Epidemic Helped Me Choose My Major" Tom Havens, Professor Emeritus, History and East Asian Languages & Cultures

Tom Havens is Professor Emeritus, History and East Asian Languages and Cultures. Learn about Professor Havens' background by visiting his Emeriti Academy Member Profile.

"How a Childhood Experience Shaped My College Major" Junko Habu, Professor, Anthropology

Junko Habu is a Professor of Anthropology. Her research includes prehistoric archaeology of Japan and East Asia, human environmental interaction and long term sustainability of human cultures and societies in the past and present. Professor Habu grew up in Japan and shares in her video how her childhood experiences shaped her interest in archaeology. She knew early on that she wanted to pursue archaeology but her decision to major in it was an intentional choice.

Professor Habu’s faculty webpage: ...

"How A Professor's Question Impacted My Choice of a Major" John Lie, Professor, Sociology

John Lie is a Professor of Sociology. Professor Lie's scholarly interest is social theory. In this video, he shares how a professor’s question caused him to rethink his initial interest in mathematics and eventually led him to a major and academic career in sociology.

Professor Lie’s Faculty webpage: https://sociology.berkeley.edu/faculty/john-lie

"How My Course Transcripts Revealed What I am Passionate About" Jill Duerr Berrick, Professor, Social Welfare

Jill Duerr Berrick is a Professor of Social Welfare. Professor Berrick's research focuses on the child welfare system and efforts to improve the experiences of children and families touched by foster care. In this video, she shares how a close look at her course transcript revealed a pattern of what she deeply cared about. It was this insight that ultimately determined her career choice.

Professor Duerr Berrick’s faculty webpage: https://...

"Don't Be Afraid to Try Things Out" Emmeline Chuang, Associate Professor, Social Welfare

Emmeline Chuang is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Welfare. Her research focuses on how health and human service organizations can improve service access and well-being of underserved populations. In this video, Professor Chuang discusses how she choose her major by taking advantage of a wide variety of different opportunities (e.g., doing research in a lab, volunteering at a hospice, teaching free SAT classes to high school students, interning at a public service law firm). She eventually decided to go to graduate school in a new field....

"How to Choose a Major When You’re Interested in Two Different Disciplines" Steven Vogel, Professor, Political Science

Steven Vogel is a Professor of Political Science and Political Economy. In this video, Professor Vogel discusses his undergraduate experience at Princeton University and how he chose between two diametrically opposed disciplines, Public and International Affairs and Comparative Literature.

Professor Vogel’s faculty webpage: https://polisci.berkeley.edu/people/person/steven-vogel

"How Indiana Jones Got Me Hooked on Archaeology" Lisa Maher, Professor, Anthropology

Lisa Maher is a Professor of Anthropology who has been working in the eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia for twenty years. In her video, she discusses how watching “Indiana Jones” and a high school teacher passionate about the past and archaeology shaped her interest in studying prehistory archaeology.

Professor Maher’s faculty webpage: https://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/faculty/lisa-maher

"How Inspiring Teachers Guided Me Towards My Major" Joan Bieder, Professor Emerita, Journalism

Joan Bieder is a Professor Emerita of Journalism. In this video, Professor Bieder talks about how a high school teacher she admired and her subsequent good experiences with her professors influenced her choice of majoring in history.

Professor Bieder’s faculty webpage: https://journalism.berkeley.edu/person/bieder/

"Choosing a Major in the UK" Ruth Tringham, Professor Emerita, Anthropology

Ruth Tringham, Professor Emerita, Anthropology, was born and raised in the UK. In this video, she shares how some of the same qualities of serendipity, opportunities and the discovery of passion cut across differences of educational systems between the UK and the US.

Professor Tringham's webpage: https://www.ruthtringham.com/

"Passion Matters!" Amy Block Joy, Professor Emerita, Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology

Amy Block Joy is Professor Emerita in Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology. Her research focuses on strategies to improve the health and well-being of diverse audiences. In her short video, she shares a pivotal moment in her undergraduate experience at UC Berkeley. “I found my passion when I, a female undergraduate, helped a male graduate student prepare and then pass his oral exam In bacteriology. I knew nothing about bacteriology but then became passionate about the subject. By challenging the idea that a female can succeed in science, I learned my first life lesson:...