About Science@Cal


Science@Cal is a networked, cross-disciplinary effort to inform and engage the public about the diversity and depth of science research at Berkeley and the resulting contributions to society. The formation of Science@Cal coincides with the Year of Science 2009—a yearlong, national celebration of science taking place in communities from coast to coast.

Our campus will celebrate science by highlighting Cal scientists and the work they do. Visitors to the Science@Cal website will gain insight into who our scientists are and why they love what they do, and learn about opportunities on campus and in the community to join the celebration.

The Year of Science 2009
The Year of Science 2009 is a national, yearlong, grassroots celebration of science shining the spotlight on “How We Know What We Know.” Activities and events are led by a wide variety of scientific organizations under the umbrella of the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) — and it started right here at Cal!. The organizations are uniting in response to growing concerns about increased antievolution activities, apparent public confusion about stem cell research and climate change, and reports from the National Science Board that “most Americans do not understand the scientific process.” The scientific community is leveraging the opportunity to increase promotion and engagement of their activities that will improve public understanding of how science works, who scientists are, and why science matters. The 12-month event is organized along the following scientific themes:

  • January—The Process and Nature of Science
  • February—Evolution
  • March—Physics and Technology
  • April—Energy Resources
  • May—Sustainability and the Environment
  • June—Ocean and Water
  • July—Astronomy
  • August—Weather and Climate
  • September—Biodiversity and Conservation
  • October—Geosciences and Planet Earth
  • November—Chemistry
  • December—Science and Health

The Year of Science 2009 is an initiative of the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS). COPUS is a growing, grassroots effort whose goal is to engage sectors of the public in science to increase their understanding of the nature of science and its value to society. A key objective of COPUS is to create new forums for communication and to develop new opportunities for engaging the public with science. The coalition is made up of a network of more than 430 universities, scientific societies, science centers and museums, government agencies, advocacy groups, media, schools, educators, businesses, and industry—basically, anyone who cares about science and is concerned about national scientific literacy. You can learn more about the origins of COPUS by visiting the COPUS Website.

Please contact us to learn more about Science@Cal and how you can participate in the Year of Science 2009!

Science@Cal gives special thanks to the UC Berkeley Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Whitman Institute for their generous support of this initiative.