A career-focused affinity group is a group of people with a common career interest or goal (e.g. biotech, entrepreneurship, consulting, product design, tech+social justice, energy, automotive, etc.). With the support of the program, affinity groups may put on programs, arrange events, invite speakers and more. Affinity groups celebrate the diversity of our student cohorts, while also offering a space to share, support, and learn about/from each other.
Groups are open to all students from the Master of Engineering, Master of Translational Medicine, and Fung Fellowship programs and must uphold both UC Berkeley’s principles of community and Fung Institute values. Affinity group leads bring together students with similar professional interests, and the groups serve as a community to share knowledge and offer professional development. Group leads will coordinate with alumni in their area to provide advice and mentorship to their members. Students can sign up for multiple groups and join at any time, however, we encourage participation early in the program to get the most out of the experience.
The Analytics & Data Science group is for MEng students who share a particular interest in Data Science, wish to learn about, network within, and form mentorship relationships with other Data Scientists, Data Analysts, ML Engineers.
We aim to gather people with the same interest in Analytics & Data Science and grow together.
- Host networking events and meet people from the industry
- Learn more about potential careers in Data Science & Analytics
- Connect and network with other students and alumni who share this passion for Data Science & Analytics
- Share articles and stories that you believe are helpful to the community
Leader: Linhan Cai (IEOR)
The Artificial Intelligence group will help students who are interested in AI get connected with other students and alumni, get familiar with different subfields in AI and get information about news, competitions and potential careers.
Activities include:
- Invite alumni speakers per semester to introduce their focused subfields in AI while also sharing their job experience in AI companies
- Host events (competitions/projects) to help improve skills in AI
- Host events (presentations/workshops) to introduce different subfields in AI
Leader: Puyuan Yi (EECS)
The BioTech Affinity Group’s mission is to expand student networks and learn more about the industry. Our goals include:
- Connect students to industry alumnus to build relationships while also facilitating guidance on job applications to help enter the medical device and biotech sectors.
- Educate our community about various aspects of the BioTech and Life Sciences industry through professional speaker events, panels, and social community-building events.
- Invite professional recruiters and establish workshops to help students prepare for job searching.
Our members can expect to:
- Explore potential careers and gain new perspectives in BioTech, Life science and other health-related industries.
- Connect and network with other alumni and industry professionals with similar backgrounds and interests.
- Utilize event platforms to pose questions and gain insights from experienced industry professionals.
- Share resources for networking, professional development, and industry hiring trends with the community.
- Identify skills necessary for job applications and interviews.
Leaders:
Peter Chang (BioE)
Christian Mast (ME)
Consulting is an interesting industry, and we are happy to help students discover their potential and explore opportunities in the space. Through the Consulting Affinity Group, we aim to help members understand more about consulting and provide resources that will support their job exploration and interview process.
Some of the goals of this Affinity Group are:
- Educate members about the different opportunities in the field of consulting
- Help students collaborate together and prepare for consulting interviews
- Provide opportunities to network with like-minded people in the student community as well as alumni network
- We are eager to bring people together that want to practice case-prep, learn about job expectations, improve interviewing through different strategies, exchange experiences, and a lot more.
Leaders:
Andika Pandu Nugroho (MSE)
Karan Raja (IEOR)
The Digital Health Affinity Group focuses on introducing and enlightening prospective engineers to digital health through attendance at hackathons, technical and informational workshops, and guest speaker talks. Every month, there will be a focus on a different aspect of digital health, which is reflected in our workshops and guest speakers for that month.
Topics include: Digital Health Mobile Apps, Wearables and Big Data, Telehealth, Digital Therapeutics, and more!
Leaders:
John Ventura (MTM)
Karthik Raj (BioE)
Do you have an idea to change the world? Do you want to meet people who share your dream? Do you want to get more exposure to the Bay Area start-up ecosystem?
This Affinity Group is for all students and alumni with an interest in learning about, networking within, and forming mentorship relationships with others in entrepreneurship/start-ups and other related industries.
- Learn more about potential careers in this community
- Connect and network with other students and alumni who share your background and interests
- Pose general questions to the community for expert review and response by group mentors
- Share articles and stories related to cutting-edge trends in your field
- Identify and promote talents
There are a wide range of careers associated with this community. This group will help you explore the various career pathways and resources.
Leaders:
Phoenix Ding (BioE)
Edwin George Joseph (ME)
The FinTech Affinity Group is for all students and alumni with an interest in learning about, networking within, and forming mentorship relationships with others in Financial Technology and other related industries.
- Learn more about potential careers in this community
- Connect and network with other students and alumni who share your background and interests
- Pose general questions to the community for expert review and response by group Mentors
- Share articles and stories related to cutting-edge trends in your field
Leader:
Gopal Kumar (IEOR)
Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is a multidisciplinary field of study that focuses on the design of computer technology and, in particular, the interaction between humans and computers. It forms a basis for almost all forms of information technology design, and the purpose of the HCI Affinity Group is to provide a platform for its members to be aware of the recent developments in the field and the various career options they have to get into this field from their current disciplines.
Our Mission
- To explore the power of HCI which combines different areas and applications.
- To learn and keep up with the topic of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) through networking, events & speakers.
- To stay in touch with what is being done in companies and research.
Our Goals
- Connect with alumni in HCI roles at a networking event at least once each semester.
- Bring industry and/or academic speakers for a networking and learning event at least once each semester.
- Explore different sub-topics of HCI and learn from experts and innovations in the industry (i.e. find and follow start-ups).
Leaders:
Irina Hallinan (EECS)
Tanel Petelot (ME)
This group is for all students with interest in learning about, networking within, and forming mentorship relationships with others in Inclusive Technology and other related industries.
Group Vision: To spark discussion and build a skillset to design for underrepresented groups and communities.
Group Goals:
- Hold inclusive technology events every month, both social and educational.
- Gain exposure to a wide variety of inclusive technology applications, tools, and impacts.
- Encourage members to think inclusively and seek out different perspectives in design.
Leaders:
Zhongpu Diao (EECS)
Liberty Hudson (ME)
The mission of the Product Design Affinity Group (or “Product @ Cal”) is to support and build a community around UC Berkeley students and alumni with a common interest in product design, and other related functions. We will help members:
- Develop new skills design skills
- Explore career opportunities related to product design available in industry,
- Connect and network with others who share similar backgrounds and/or interests,
- Interact with the extended community of experienced mentors and professionals in the industry
- Share resources related to recruiting, technology trends, and general professional development
Leaders:
Ruizhe Jin (ME)
Siddhant Kaushik (ME)
Shiv Makim (ME)
The Product Management Affinity Groups is for all students and alumni with interest in learning about, networking within, and forming mentorship relationships with others in Product Management and other related industries.
- Learn more about potential careers in this field and the steps to become a product manager
- Connect and network with other students and alumni who share you background and interests
- Pose general questions to the community for expert review and response by group Mentors
- Share articles and stories related to cutting-edge trends in your field
Leaders:
Daksh Aggarwal (ME)
Alex Rivero (ME)
The purpose of the Robotics Affinity Group is to gather people with a common interest in robotics, controls, and automation to explore career opportunities and the skills required in the industry.
Join us to:
- Connect and network with students and alumni with a common interest in robotics, controls, and automation
- Attend exciting and interactive events which includes presentations and/or workshops from students/alumni and industry speakers (possibly on-site visit as well)
- Receive and share news about competitions and projects related to robotics, controls, and automation
Leaders:
Tingyu Guo (ME)
Rafael Rivero (ME)
The purpose of this Affinity Group is to bring together people with a common interest in sustainable energy for industry exposure, practical knowledge, and community creation.
Our goals for 2022-23:
- Engage sustainable energy industry experts in fireside chats for educational purposes.
- Facilitate a group excursion to a renewable energy organization for on-site experience.
- Bring people together from culturally diverse backgrounds and create an intellectually stimulating community around sustainable energy.
Leaders:
Johnny Ma (MSE)
Armand Parada Jackson (NE)
The focus of the Transportation Affinity Group is to connect students with professionals within the Aerospace and Automotive industries. This group is for all students and alumni with interest in learning about, networking within, and forming mentorship relationships with others in the Aerospace & Automotive industries.
Our goals include:
- Hosting virtual/in-person chats with alumni working in the sector
- Visiting local companies within the Bay Area and developing relationships with professionals in the industry
- Sharing applicable information on industry trends, hiring opportunities, and any relevant knowledge
Leaders:
Brady Johnson (ME)
Aemon Li (ME)
Archit Srivastava (ME)
Learn more and connect with our affinity group student leaders!
To connect with the student leads, contact Julie McShane, Director of Career Development and Alumni Relations, at jmcshane@berkeley.edu.
