BERC Undergraduate
Environmental/Sustainability·Research·Community Service/Nonprofit·Education
BERC-U is the undergraduate arm of the Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative, a free, student-run network spanning 11 colleges and 28 departments. Members attend monthly BERCshop panels on topics from nuclear energy to plastic pollution, the annual Energy Summit and Resources Symposium conferences, career treks to Bay Area energy companies, and Climate Change 101 each fall. Undergrads can also get paired with a graduate student mentor and access a Slack workspace with job postings and career resources.
40+
Annual events hosted
11
Colleges represented across UC Berkeley
28
Departments represented across UC Berkeley
2006
Year founded
8-10
BIS Consulting project length in weeks
3-8
BIS Consulting weekly hours per student
Events They Host
Energy Summit
Annual spring conference featuring industry panels, an Innovation Exposition showcasing student research, and a career fair. The 2023 edition drew 400 attendees and is described as one of the largest student-run conferences nationwide.
Resources Symposium
Annual fall one-day conference focused on the resources space, featuring panel discussions, a student research exposition, startup pitch competition, and career fair. The 2023 edition drew over 350 attendees across two days.
Climate Change 101
Annual fall kickoff event open to Berkeley students offering an introduction to climate change and the broader sustainability landscape, with breakout sessions covering energy, policy, funding, and more.
BERCshops
Monthly panel events bringing in industry leaders to discuss topics in energy, resources, and climate. Topics have ranged from nuclear energy to plastic pollution.
Career Fairs
Two career fairs per year, tied to the Energy Summit (spring) and Resources Symposium (fall), featuring companies in climate tech, renewable energy, and natural resources.
Clean Energy Speaker Series (CESS)
Fall semester course at Haas (MBA 294, 1 unit credit) featuring speakers from utilities, energy software, transportation, investing, startups, Big Tech, and more. Past speakers have included representatives from PG&E, Tesla, Google, Rivian, Brookfield, and others.
Clean Energy Case Competition
Competition where participants act as decision-makers analyzing data and proposing strategies for real energy challenges. Held in conjunction with the Energy Summit.
AgTech and FoodTech Against Climate Change Conference
Conference organized by BERC in April 2023 addressing food and agriculture's role in climate change, with support from AgFunder and Swissnex San Francisco.
Member Experiences
Career Treks
Visits to Bay Area companies and startups in the energy and resources space. Past treks have included a visit to Altamont Pass Wind Farm.
Climate Dinners
Small, casual dinners with 4-6 students, held throughout the summer and early fall.
Happy Hours and Mixers
Social gatherings for BERC members to connect with classmates interested in energy and resources.
BERC Research Monthly Meetings
Monthly meetings where student members share research, discuss articles, and get feedback on their work.
Lunch and Learns
Fall series of lunch events introducing students to the basics of the energy and resources space.
Graduate Student Mentorship Program
Pairing of undergraduate BERC-U members with graduate student advisors.