Berkeley EECS has established a Distinguished Alumni Award to recognize the valuable contributions of its most distinguished alumni. The 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awards were presented at the Berkeley EECS Annual Research Symposium (BEARS) on February 11, 2021.
Electrical Engineering
Hsing Kung
Ph.D. 1975, advisor: William Oldham
Managing Partner of Acorn Campus Ventures
For the foundation of influential optoelectronics companies, and civic engagement as Trustee of California State University and Board Director of United Way Bay Area.
George Pappas
Ph.D. 1998, advisor: Shankar Sastry
UPS Foundation Professor and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania
For influential contributions to the field of control theory and in particular, hybrid systems, embedded systems, hierarchical and distributed control systems, and for leadership in setting strategic directions for ECE departments in the USA and abroad.
Computer Science
Ralph Merkle
B.A. 1974 / M.S. 1977
Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Molecular Manufacturing
For groundbreaking work in cryptography, including the co-invention of public-key cryptography and the creation of other foundational methods in cryptography, including Merkle trees, Merkle signatures, and Merkle-Damgaard hashing.
Hari Balakrishnan
Ph.D. 1998, advisor: Randy Katz
Fujitsu Professor of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at MIT, Founder and CTO of Cambridge Mobile Telematics
For leadership in research of networked computer systems that reach out to the physical world and span the globe, and for applications including products to improve transportation safety.