Where is the event venue?

The venue is Spieker Forum on the 6th floor of Chou Hall at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley.

Is parking available?

Yes, parking is available at the California Memorial Stadium, which is a 5-minute walk from the event venue. Parking is not free, so we recommend taking public transportation

What bus stops outside of the venue?

Take the AC 52, F, or 7 bus to Stop 55967 (Piedmont Ave & UC Faculty), or the AC 36 bus to Stop 53278 (Piedmont Ave & Bancroft Way).

What time is the event?

Check-in starts at 8:30 AM. Consult the full agenda for individual event start times.

Is there a dress code?

There is no specific dress code, but attendees are encouraged to wear business casual attire.

Will tickets be available at the door?

All tickets must be purchased online (through Eventbrite), and we strongly encourage doing so in advance. However, a QR code will be available at the registration desk for ticket purchases at the door.

What is your refund policy?

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds.

Thursday, October 30

BERC 2025 Resources Symposium: Water as a Resource

By BERC

The Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative Fall Symposium is a dynamic one-day, student-run conference at UC Berkeley

Date and time

Location

Spieker Forum, Chou Hall

2220 Piedmont Ave Haas School of Business Berkeley, CA 94720

Lineup

Agenda

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Coffee and Pastries

Enjoy coffee and pastries before our opening keynote in Spieker Forum

9:30 AM - 10:15 AM

Opening Keynote: Sanda Ojiambo - Assistant Secretary-General UN Global Compact

Sanda Ojiambo

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM

Beyond the Cloud: Data Center Water Consumption and Sustainable Solutions

Eli Tan - The New York Times

Oliver Browne - Westwater Research

Amardeep Dhanju - Aspen Environmental Group

This panel will delve into the significant and often overlooked water footprint of data centers. Together, we'll explore innovative cooling technologies, water recycling and reuse strategies, and the...

10:30 AM - 12:15 PM

Solutions Expo: Research Presentations

The Research Expo is a research poster exhibition and prize contest, where attendees and participants can enjoy light refreshments and drinks while learning about innovative water research from the s...

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Resilient Waters: Cross-Sector Pathways for Climate Adaptation

Peter Fiske - National Alliance for Water Innovation

Aaron Tartakovsky - Epic Cleantec

Christine Boyle - Burnt Island Ventures

Annalise Blum - PPIC Water Policy Center

This series of lightning talks will address how communities and ecosystems can adapt to the water-related impacts of climate change, such as more intense floods and longer droughts. Discussions will ...

12:15 PM - 12:30 PM

Solutions Expo: Winners Announcement

The winners of our Solutions Expo will be announced, and prize money will be awarded.

12:30 PM - 1:15 PM

Lunch

1:15 PM - 2:00 PM

Collaborative Water Governance: Cooperation and Conflict over Water Resources

Sarah Sarfaty Epstein -Berkeley Energy & Resources Group

Newsha Ajami - Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Abby Lindsay Ostovar - Montgomery & Associates

Gemma Smith

This panel examines the challenges and opportunities of collaborative approaches to water governance. It highlights how diverse stakeholders, including governments, communities, civil society, and th...

1:30 PM - 2:15 PM

Preview Screening: Nature's Guardians

Adam Leipzig - Producer,

Mustafa Santiago Ali - EVP National Wildlife Federation

Holly Doremus - Professor, UC Berkeley Law School

This special hour-long event features a preview screening of Nature’s Guardians, a new documentary from the Executive Producer Adam Leipzig (March of the Penguins) that follows four inspiring individ...

2:00 PM - 2:45 PM

From Risk to Resilience: Advancing Corporate Water Stewardship

Jason Morrison - Pacific Institute

Marlies Michielssen - Amazon

Alua Suleimenova - Marvell Technology

Byron Thayer - Levi Strauss & Co

Water underpins life, economies, and business, yet its value is often overlooked. New research shows water stewardship is critical to corporate sustainability, but programs remain siloed. This sessio...

2:30 PM - 3:15 PM

Healing Waters: Indigenous Leadership in California Watershed Restoration

Seren Pendleton-Knoll - Blue Forest

Molli Myers (Karuk) - Ridges to Riffles

Dr. Sibyl Diver - Stanford Environmental Justice Group

Tribal nations across California are leading watershed restoration efforts that revitalize ecosystems, cultures, and communities. Projects like dam removals, salmon recovery, and land return are root...

2:45 PM - 3:30 PM

The Next Drop: Future of Water Use in California Agriculture

Ellen Bruno - UC Berkeley

Richard Howitt - UC Davis Agriculture Markets

Aaron Fukuda - General Manager Tulare Irrigation Dist.

Kathryn Beros - KAP Industry

This panel will explore the complex challenges and opportunities at the nexus of water and food systems, focusing specifically on California's agricultural sector. The discussion will investigate the...

3:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Closing Keynote: Wade Crowfoot - California Natural Resources Secretary

Wade Crowfoot - California Natural Resources Secretary

4:15 PM - 5:30 PM

Networking Happy Hour

Exclusive networking happy hour to connect UC Berkeley’s brightest minds with industry game-changing companies in water, natural resources, energy, and climate.

Good to know

Highlights

9 hours
In person

Refund Policy

No refunds

About this event

Science & Tech • Other

💧 Half of the world’s population experiences water scarcity each year — and California’s future is on the line.

As climate change and the explosive growth of data centers strain our resources, UC Berkeley is bringing together global and local leaders to chart a path forward.

🌊 Join BERC on Thursday, October 30 for the Resources Symposium: Water as a Resource — a full day of ideas, innovation, and action.

Hear from: ⭐ Sanda Ojiambo, CEO & Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Global Compact ⭐ Wade Crowfoot, California Secretary for Natural Resources

Experts from Amazon, The Pacific Institute, The New York Times, and the National Alliance for Water Innovation.

🎬 Exclusive preview: Nature’s Guardians — the new documentary from Adam Leipzig (March of the Penguins)

🔬 Student Solutions Expo: Berkeley research powering the next era of water resilience.

🍻 Networking Happy Hour – Connect with professionals, students, and sustainability leaders to wrap up the day

Panels Include:

Beyond the Cloud: Data Center Water Consumption and Sustainable Solutions

Resilient Waters: Cross-Sector Pathways for Climate Adaptation

Collaborative Water Governance: Cooperation and Conflict over Water Resources

From Risk to Resilience: Advancing Corporate Water Stewardship

Healing Waters: Indigenous Leadership and Collaboration in California Watershed Restoration

The Next Drop: Future of Water Use in California Agriculture

More details: https://www.bercresourcesymposium.com/

Organized by

BERC

Followers

Events

Hosting

Early bird discount

$25 – $1,000

Oct 30 · 9:00 AM PDT