Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter: January 27th, 2026
Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter
UPCOMING@JACOBS
Jacobs Institute-organized events, news, and announcements—straight from the source.
TOMORROW! Jacobs Makerspace Spring 2026 Open House
Wednesday, January 28 ⋅ 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM ⋅ First Floor, Jacobs Hall (Makerspace)
Curious about making at Berkeley? Join us for the Jacobs Hall Makerspace Open House! Explore UC Berkeley’s 8,000 sq. ft. design and prototyping hub, meet the staff and community, and see the tools in action through equipment demos and project displays.
✨ What’s happening:
Guided Makerspace tours at 12:30, 1:30, and 2:30 PM
Hands-on demos and project showcases
Play Makerspace Bingo for your chance to win a FREE Maker Pass (3 winners!)
This event is free and open to all UC Berkeley students, staff, and faculty. Come get inspired and discover how Jacobs Hall can help bring your ideas to life!
DESIGN FIELD NOTES SP26: JOE SPEICHER
Tuesday, February 3rd, 6:30-7:30 PM ⋅ 310 Jacobs Hall (3rd Floor)
RSVP
Join us for a presentation by Joe Speicher, who leads Autodesk’s global Impact strategy—guiding how one of the world’s most influential design and engineering platforms helps shape a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future. From embedding sustainability into products and go-to-market strategies to advising enterprise customers and Autodesk’s Board on ESG risks and opportunities, Joe brings a practical perspective on how design operates at scale. Drawing on a career spanning global health, finance, development economics, and public service, he’ll share how design can move beyond vision to real-world impact. Drinks and snacks and conversation to follow!
EXPAND YOUR SKILLS WITH WORKSHOPS in the Jacobs Makerspace
Various Times⋅ First Floor, Jacobs Hall (Makerspace)
Workshops are a great way to become acquainted with a new skill, learn more about the resources and materials available at Jacobs, and connect with our community! FREE but Maker Pass required..
2/12: OPSEC: Big Data and Privacy
2/19: RoboDRAW
2/23: Jewel of my (Laser) Eye
2/26: Intro to Rhino
3/5: Intro to Grasshopper
3/12: Advanced RoboDRAW
3/18: Making a Chess Set
Learn more and reserve your spot today!
2026 Jacobs Student Innovation Council Applications NOW OPEN
The Jacobs Student Innovation Council is seeking dedicated, diverse undergraduate and graduate students to serve as the authentic voice of the Jacobs community for 2026. As a member, you will directly influence strategic planning, program development, and resource evolution by bringing student perspectives to the forefront. This is a unique opportunity to act as a change agent, leading crucial Student Community Town Halls, analyzing data to propose and implement solutions, and offering vital feedback to Jacobs staff and leadership. Commit just 1-2 hours per week to regular meetings and engagement programming, and you'll play a vital role in fostering an equitable, inclusive, and collaborative environment, ultimately empowering students to excel in designing technologies that benefit people and the planet. Learn more about the program here.
Submit an application by Monday, February 2nd, 9AM PST. Friday, February 6th, 9AM PST.
DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES DIGEST
non-Jacobs Institute-affiliated events, opportunities, and programs—at your fingertips.
UC Berkeley Entrepreneurship Mixer
Monday, Feb 2 | 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
📍 Raw Thrills Lounge, Grimes Engineering Center
We are excited to announce that the UC Berkeley Entrepreneurship Mixer is back! The last three times we've held this event, nearly 300 students attended. It's a great way to network at the beginning of the semester, learn about opportunities in entrepreneurship at Berkeley and perhaps meet your future co-founder! All Berkeley students, as well as alumni and friends are welcome to attend, so long as they RSVP. Pizza and light refreshments will be served.
Contact Keith Joseph McAleer (kmca...@berkeley.edu) if you have any questions.
DanceHack 2026 - RESONANT BODIES
DanceHack is a 3 day festival with workshops, collaborations and mini performances created on the spot!
Join Kinetech Arts at the University of California, Berkeley for DanceHack 2026 - Resonant Bodies on Feb 20-22, 2026!
This in-person event will bring together dancers, choreographers, scientists, enginners, and interdisciplinary artists to explore the intersection of dance, science and technology. Whether you are a seasoned pro or just curious, this event is perfect for anyone interested in pushing boundaries, exploring new creative possibilities and adding their voices in the development of humancentric technologies.
Don't miss out in this unique opportunity to connect, collaborate, and create with like-minded individuals.
We offer sliding scale prices so that everyone can participate! Honestly, pick the tier that is appropriate to you. No questions asked! We trust our community! Student registration is $50 for a limited time.
Learn details at www.dancehack.org. Register here.
Interested in volunteering? Complete this form. It is first come first serve, with a max of 10 sign up spots and registration is free.
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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.
Get your Jacobs Maker Pass and get access to a world-class prototyping and fabrication facility — training and mentorship by professional staff included.
If you require accommodation for a disability for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Jacobs Institute staff at jacobsi...@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.
The Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation strives to be a welcoming home for all members of the Berkeley community. We value your ideas, suggestions and concerns. Complete our Jacobs Institute Anonymous Feedback Form.