Celebrating 15 Years of Innovation in Engineering Leadership at the Fung Institute

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership, a bold academic initiative that has grown into the cornerstone of Berkeley Engineering’s mission to prepare the next generation of technical leaders. Since its founding, the Institute has pioneered interdisciplinary education at the intersection of technology, business, and leadership, equipping engineers to not only innovate, but to lead.

Students at the 15-Year Anniversary Celebration on Sunday.

A Legacy of Leadership

The Fung Institute launched in 2010 with a singular vision: to develop engineers who could navigate the complexities of global challenges with both technical mastery and leadership skill. The flagship Master of Engineering (MEng) program was the first of its kind at Berkeley Engineering, blending advanced engineering coursework with leadership training in innovation, entrepreneurship, and management.

Over 15 years, the MEng has graduated nearly 6,000 alumni, many of whom now hold leadership roles at top technology companies, research institutions, and startups around the world. Their work spans critical fields including artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology, biotechnology, sustainability, and more, demonstrating the Institute’s enduring commitment to preparing engineers to address society’s most pressing problems.

The Institute’s reach expanded in 2016 with the launch of the Fung Fellowship, designed for undergraduates not only at Berkeley, but also other Bay Area schools. The Fellowship teaches students to collaborate across disciplines and apply their skills to health, climate, and social impact challenges. Hundreds of Fellows have since carried this experience into careers and graduate studies, bringing a unique blend of technical expertise, design thinking, and social responsibility to the organizations they join.

From left: Anthony D. Joseph, Faculty Director, Fung Institute; Mark Asta, Interim Dean, College of Engineering; John Robichaux, Executive Director, Fung Institute; Coleman Fung, Founder & Advisory Board Member, Fung Institute.

Leading the Way

As the Fung Institute enters its next chapter, it is charting bold new directions to meet the evolving needs of students, industry, and society:

• Expanding Opportunities for Students and Partners: Beginning this year, the Fung Fellowship is offered in a one-semester format, making this transformative experience accessible to more undergraduates across all majors. Students can join a community of changemakers, build leadership skills, and gain hands-on experience tackling real-world challenges alongside community and industry partners. The Fellowship is also exploring new tracks, expanding opportunities for collaboration with a broader range of partners and opening new avenues for organizations to engage with Berkeley students.
• Preparing Graduate Leaders: The MEng program continues to adapt, with focus areas in AI, sustainability, and the semiconductor revolution. Through its integrative curriculum and Capstone projects, MEng students work at the cutting edge of technology while developing the leadership skills to guide organizations and industries through rapid change.
• Executive Education & Partnerships: The Institute is extending its expertise to mid-career professionals and organizations with custom executive education programs that empower executives in technology and engineering fields to lead with confidence, purpose, and innovation, ensuring that leaders at every stage of their careers are prepared to guide their organizations through rapid change. We are also offering new partnership opportunities designed to help companies strengthen their engineering leadership pipelines, advance innovation, and align with national imperatives such as the CHIPS Act and the clean energy transition.

MEng students and alumni connecting at the event.

Interim Dean Mark Asta addresses the crowd.

From Milestone to Momentum

Fifteen years in, the Fung Institute has become a global leader in engineering leadership education. Its programs embody the ethos of Berkeley Engineering: excellence in research and education, applied to serve society.

To undergraduate students, the message is clear: whether through the Fung Fellowship or as a future MEng student, you have the opportunity to lead at the intersection of engineering, innovation, and impact. To early-career engineers, the MEng offers a direct pathway to pair advanced technical depth with leadership skills that accelerate your career.

And to the engineering industry that is undergoing a profound transformation, from the AI revolution and the semiconductor renaissance to the urgent demands of climate resilience, the need for technically fluent leaders has never been greater. The Fung Institute is your partner in shaping that future. Through our graduate, undergraduate, and executive programs, we provide a proven model for cultivating the leadership talent needed to drive innovation, strengthen engineering pipelines, and solve the challenges of the 21st century.

As we celebrate this milestone, the Fung Institute reaffirms its founding vision: to develop leaders who engineer not only solutions, but a better future for Berkeley students, for the engineering profession, and for society.

Thank you to everyone who attended the event!

PARTNER WITH US Contact: John Robichaux, Executive Director, Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership, johnr@berkeley.edu

Written by Shannon Farrelly, Director of Marketing & Communications at the Fung Institute.