The 2021 EECS Distinguished Alumni

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.