Recent Events
Yardi Scholar Spring Semester Speaker Salon | Thursday March 14, 2024
Professor Stuart Russell in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Berkeley and Dr. Elaine Korzak from UC Berkeley’s Center for Long Term Cybersecurity joined all 16 scholars for a riveting conversation around Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and their implications. Faculty Director Kirk Bansak facilitated the conversation between Dr. Korzak and Professor Russell. The scholars engaged across what A.I. means in its current state, where it is going, and what if anything they can do to continue to learn more. The scholars and the two leading experts in their fields enjoyed dinner and got to connect across a myriad of topics beyond the themes of the conversation. The event was a great success!
Yardi Scholar Spring Semester Welcome Back Dinner | Thursday, January 25, 2024
The Yardi Scholarship Program welcomed the scholars back to campus from winter break and celebrated the start of a new semester with dinner at a local restaurant near Berkeley’s campus, Berkeley Social Club. The scholars walked to the restaurant together after their Berkeley Connect class. At dinner, the scholars talked about their classes, shared their plans for summer, and enjoyed one another’s company. It was great for the scholars to see one another outside the classroom setting and connect in an informal setting.
Jennifer Pan | Speaking Event | Thursday, November 2, 2023
Professor Jennifer Pan from Stanford University was the keynote speaker for the second event with the Yardi Scholars. Professor Pan’s research focuses on political communication, digital media, and authoritarian governments. Professor Pan specifically spoke about the research that she conducted with Meta on their algorithms and how they may or may not have effects on election outcomes. The Scholars in attendance were able to learn about her background and the work that she did beyond Meta.
Carolina Reid | Speaker Salon | Thursday, October 26, 2023
Professor Carolina Reid was the keynote speaker for the Yardi Scholarship Program’s first speaker salon held in the Faculty Club. Professor Reid’s research focuses on housing and community development with a specific focus on access to credit, housing and mortgage markets, urban poverty, and racial inequality. Kirk Bansak, faculty director for the Yardi Scholarship Program, facilitated the conversation between Professor Reid and the scholars. Professor Bansak asked one initial question of Professor Reid and the conversation immediately took off from there.
The scholars were asking their own questions of Professor Reid, having discussions with one another across the dinner table, and engaging throughout. The group grappled with difficult, complex issues and demonstrated strong critical thinking around topics that are both important and relevant, such as homelessness, environmental racism, values on public funds and what those issues mean in BIPOC communities. Professor Reid truly made the space feel safe to learn and ask questions, so much so that a few students even shared their own stories of experiencing homelessness. The Yardi Scholars continued to engage as they walked Professor Reid out of the Faculty Club. The event was a great success!
