Alumni

Jonathan uses earthquake waves to study the structure and dynamics of Earth’s mantle, analyzing waves from distant earthquakes recorded by seismometers across the globe. Jonathan’s work on deep Earth dynamics informs science questions such as how Earth has evolved over time to become a habitable planet, how material flows inside Earth, how this flow relates to surface processes such as plate tectonics, and how dynamic processes influence the Earth system as a whole. To explore these science questions, Jonathan will use massive global datasets during his time as Miller Fellow.

Hosts: Weigiang...

My research focuses on time domain astronomy and high energy astrophysics. I use sky surveys and multi-wavelength observations to study the most energetic transient phenomena in the Universe, such as the explosion of stars, and the extreme environments around compact objects. At UC Berkeley, I aim to combine observations with theory to understand the accretion and jet physics during the tidal disruption of stars by massive blackholes. I also hope to use these transients to probe the demography of black holes.

Hosts: Wenbin Lu, Raffaella Margutti

Ph.D. Institution: Caltech

Reuse and recycling of polyethylene is vitally necessary, but current strategies are prohibitively expensive and paradoxically entangle deterioration of materials’ properties with the processes intended to increase their value. A key factor in solving this problem lies in fundamental mechanistic investigations and catalyst design. As a Miller fellow, I will conduct research to reduce the world’s most abundant plastic waste by converting it to more valuable, useful products via catalytic C–H functionalization of the polymer backbone, thereby incentivizing commercial efforts for plastic waste...

Practically as a Water-Energy-Environment Nexus Expert, Energy Access and Sustainable Development enthusiast, my research of over a decade have been involved in quantifying energy needs with a view of establishing baseline for energy use or need sustainably. My Doctoral study, supervised by Professor O.C. Izinyon and Professor J.O. Ehiorobo at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Benin City, Nigeria, scientifically developed and applied an optimization model named Small Hydropower Resource Assessment and Sustainability Analysis (SHPRASA). This research provides valid hydrological data and...

The research in Zhang group at UC Berkeley lies at the interface of chemistry, biology and engineering, with special interest in discovery, biosynthesis and functional study of microbial natural products. Current research themes include discovering novel enzymes for natural product biosynthesis, investigating new enzyme mechanisms, engineering biosynthesis and biocatalysis, discovering new bioactive natural products from microbiomes, and developing new research toolkit to promote the above-mentioned research. As a Miller Professor, Dr. Zhang is interested in discovering novel small-molecule...

Markita Landry develops molecular imaging technologies to study neuromodulation in the brain. Her lab engineers near-infrared nanosensors for real-time imaging of neurotransmitters, enabling unprecedented insight into neuromodulator dynamics in health and disease. She also develops nanoscale delivery systems to transport genetic material across biological barriers and plants to expedite the process of sustainable crop bioengineering. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges physics, chemistry, neuroscience, and bioengineering to advance both fundamental neuroscience and applied biotechnology.

Michi Taga is a microbiologist and a Professor in the Department of Plant & Microbial Biology. Her research investigates nutrient-sharing interactions among bacteria, using vitamin B12 as a model nutrient to understand how microbes interact in complex communities such as the gut and soil. She has recently begun to explore how microbes release intracellular nutrients such as amino acids to support the growth of dependent microbes. Under the Miller Professorship, she will investigate the role of viral lysis in nutrient release and the evolution of nutritional interdependence in microbial...

Our lab studies viruses that infect bacteria—called bacteriophages—and how they shape the biology and evolution of Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera. Using clinical isolates, we investigate how V. cholerae defends itself against phage attack, and how its phages evolve to overcome these defenses. This ongoing conflict plays out in both aquatic reservoirs and the human gut, with direct consequences for cholera transmission and outbreak severity. By understanding these interactions, we aim to uncover new ways to track, predict, and potentially control the spread of this deadly...

Albert Ruhí is an Associate Professor of Freshwater Ecology in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley. His group combines field experiments, chemical tracers, and time-series analysis to study how river ecosystems respond to climatic extremes. A frontier in this field is understanding how drought is altering the movement of organisms and nutrients between groundwater, rivers, and adjacent forests. During the Miller Professorship, he will examine the extent to which drought can disrupt the production and transfer of critical omega-3 fatty acids along...

I am a mathematician working on nonlinear Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) arising from physics, such as general relativity, astrophysics, and fluid mechanics. My research is often directly connected to fundamental physical issues: during my Miller Professorship, I plan to investigate problems that will elucidate (i) the structure of generic gravitational singularities inside black holes, (ii) the evolution of stars, and (iii) violent instabilities of plasma on the Sun. By studying these problems, I aim to uncover the intricate mathematical structures that underlie complex physical...