Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter: October 30th, 2025
Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter
UPCOMING@JACOBS
Jacobs Institute-organized events, news, and announcements—straight from the source.
DESIGN FIELD NOTES: GADI AMIT
Monday, November 3, 5:30-6:30 PM ⋅ 310 Jacobs Hall (3rd Floor)
More Info & RSVP
Meet Gadi Amit, founder of NewDealDesign and the designer behind some of the most influential tech products of the last two decades — including the Fitbit and next-generation robotics, AI systems, and autonomous mobility platforms. Gadi’s work continually pushes beyond “design thinking” toward a more craft-driven, radically human approach to emerging technologies: one where designers act as critical authors of technological futures, not just stylists of what engineers have already decided.
Come meet a designer actively shaping the next era of human-technology relationships — and hear how designers can (and must) take responsibility for influencing what futures get built. Free and open to the public. Casual reception and conversation to follow.
BERKELEY MASTER OF DESIGN VISIT DAY
Thursday, November 6th, 3-7 PM PDT in person at Jacobs Hall
Register by October 31st
Come experience UC Berkeley’s Master of Design (MDes) program in action! Choose one or all of these Visit Day sessions: tour our state-of-the-art Makerspace and MDes studio from 3-4pm; attend an info session from 4-5pm and meet MDes Faculty Associate Director, Kosa Goucher-Lambert; sit in on one of the required MDes courses on Technology Design Foundations from 5-7pm; and end the day with a social with current MDes students. Attend whichever part you can, and gain a first-hand understanding of UC’s only Master of Design program.
🧋MAKERSPACE BOBA MIXER WITH YOUR INDUSTRY MENTORS
Friday, November 14 from 4-6pm | RSVP here
Come on down to the Jacobs Institute Makerspace to mix and mingle over a boba with four amazing Design Fellows, our dedicated industry mentors who are here to support you in your career explorations and project and skill development.
Feel free to bring along any works in progress for feedback (class or personal projects, resumes, portfolios) or just drop by to get to know your mentors and and other Jacobs Institute affiliated students
Here are the Design Fellows that will be in attendance–they are genuinely excited to get to know you and support you in any way they can! You can learn more about them and even book additional time to meet with them here.
DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES DIGEST
non-Jacobs Institute-affiliated events, opportunities, and programs—at your fingertips.
THE DEFINITIVE LINKEDIN BOOTCAMP
Monday, November 2, 4-5 PM ⋅ Zoom
Master your LinkedIn profile and networking for career advancement at "The Definitive LinkedIn Bootcamp" on Monday, November 2nd, from 4-5 PM via Zoom. Led by Jeremy Schifeling, a former leader of LinkedIn's Education team, this interactive session will teach you how to leverage LinkedIn's special recruiter version, understand its search algorithm, and use Boolean techniques to significantly increase your interview chances. You'll receive actionable advice, participate in live roleplays, and make immediate profile changes to attract recruiters. Attendees also have a chance to win Schifeling's book, "Linked: Conquer LinkedIn. Get Your Dream Job. Own Your Future." Get a head start by obtaining a free profile grade before the session.
Doe Library Makerspace Workshops
Stylish Tile Stamps Workshop
Join our creative challenge to make a rubber stamp with a repeating tile design! We are offering two workshop dates for undergrads to join. Pre-registration is required, beginner and experienced makers are welcome!
Registration & workshop details:
Berkeley Civic Innovation Challenge
Learn more and apply by Dec 1!
What: A high-energy 7-day innovation sprint culminating in pitches to Berkeley city leaders with feedback and awards (up to $4K per winning team). The CIC pairs UC Berkeley students together to co-design solutions to pressing civic challenges.
When: The deadline to apply is December 1. The design sprint will take place from January 30 to February 6.
Who: Open to all currently enrolled UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students.
Coding it Forward Winter Fellowship for Public Interest Technologists
Coding it Forward is offering a 10-week Winter Fellowship for aspiring public interest technologists. We’ll be placing talented early-career designers with the State of New Jersey and other locations to tackle pressing challenges. It's an excellent opportunity for recent graduates or those interested in taking a semester off for full-time work experience. The program will run from January through March 2026. Applications open TODAY, Tuesday, October 14th, and the deadline to apply is Sunday, October 26th. Interested candidates can learn more and access the application link here
Edge AI Contest by Edge Impulse
Ready to build the future at the edge?
Join the Edge AI Contest by Edge Impulse, a global virtual hackathon running from October 30 – November 30, 2025! Whether you’re a student or a seasoned engineer, this is your chance to turn bold ideas into real-world solutions using machine learning at the edge.
Choose Your Challenge:
• Edge AI Application Track – Build innovative, real-world applications by integrating Edge Impulse models into hardware like Arduino, ESP32, or Raspberry Pi. Showcase your original thinking, problem-solving skills, and deployment capabilities at the edge.
• Model Development Track – Design and optimize high-performing ML models for audio, vision, or sensor data using Edge Impulse. Focus on accuracy, efficiency, and practical edge deployment.
$30,000 in prizes, plus special awards for creativity, community engagement, and real-world impact! https://lnkd.in/eaw3bCtn
This newsletter was created with assistance from artificial intelligence to help summarize events and programs.
To add your event to the Jacobs Student Newsletter, please contact Janrey Javier at janrey...@berkeley.edu.
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