When Michelle Gallaga moved to the U.S. from the Philippines with her two young kids in 2010, she didn’t know anyone in her new home. “We had to start a life and really try to navigate being an immigrant and all the hardships that come with it,” she says. “When Read more
World Water Week is an annual conference and global observance focused on addressing the world’s most pressing water-related challenges — calling on policymakers and innovators to take action on sustainable water solutions. This year’s theme is “Water for Climate Action,” which aims to address the crucial role that water plays Read more
When Longyu Gong describes life in Shanghai, China, she doesn’t just talk about the scenery but about connection, or rather, the lack thereof. “It’s a very beautiful, modern city,” Gong said. “But people aren’t interacting with their neighbors or building an identity together.” She would know — she studied urban Read more
This past summer, UC Berkeley School of Education Ph.D. student Jessica Benally returned to the high deserts of her youth in New Mexico, just an hour away from her childhood home in Tohatchi in the Navajo Nation. As one of six UC Berkeley students invited to take part in a Read more
With support from the Blum Center, the Berkeley Lab scientist and his colleagues provided the first substantive analysis of how electric lighting — specifically, high-efficiency solar-powered electric light sources unattached to an electrical grid — improves the lives and well-being of people using fuel-based lighting. The post How Dr. Evan Read more
World Water Week is an annual conference and global observance focused on tackling the world’s most pressing water-related challenges — urging policymakers and innovators to take bold action on sustainable solutions. This year’s theme, “Water for Climate Action,” highlights the essential role that water plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions Read more
As this year’s Global Poverty and Practice (GPP) graduates stepped onto the stage to receive their diplomas, they carried with them a hard-earned insight: the injustices they spent years studying weren’t distant or theoretical — they were urgent and unfolding all around them. Their time in the program has prepared Read more
AgriSolar — a mobile and scalable solar-powered irrigation system designed for smallholder farmers’ accessibility and affordability — took home top honors and the first-ever Biggie trophy in the 12th annual Big Ideas Grand Prize Pitch Day on May 7. The post AgriSolar’s Winning Pitch Earns $20,000 to Fund their Big Read more
Ekta Raghuwanshi and Maria Denna, her MDevEng classmate, worked at A Better Education Club as part of an internship pilot program that DevEng and ABE Club look to expand in the coming years. The organization, based in Kenya’s southwestern region of Kasigau, supports youth education and women’s empowerment by focusing Read more
Every summer, UC Berkeley’s Development Engineering students create global social impact. The 2024 DevEng Photography Contest showcased their work, highlighting projects from digital education in Kenya to climate justice in Nigeria. Winning submissions emphasized human-centered technology, community-driven financial practices, and sustainable development, capturing innovation and resilience through powerful visual storytelling. Read more