2026 University Medal finalists: Eyes on the stars, feet on the ground
Each of the four finalists for the 2026 University Medal embodies UC Berkeley’s core values: remarkable academic achievement and a deep commitment to public service. This year, all four come from the realms of science.
Neil Freese/UC Berkeley (Source: photos courtesy of subjects)
May 11, 2026
Each of the four 2026 University Medal finalists has studied in the fields of science, and each has achieved remarkable academic accomplishments. But among them, a striking pattern is clear: In addition to academic excellence in advanced disciplines, they embody an unwavering commitment to public service and education.
This commitment to service defines the academic experience of the 2026 University Medal finalists: Madeleine Bardy, Emma Berman, Eli Gendreau-Distler and Mye Pinmada Makornwattana.
The finalists have a strong international orientation. Two work in fields related to space exploration. One has applied bioengineering to conditions of hearing loss, and another has led initiatives to improve care for vision-impaired people, seniors and those with substance abuse disorders.
Extraordinary skill has propelled all four of them to successes achieved only rarely among people so young. Each of them has embraced teaching, and for each, humility is an unmistakable characteristic.
The University Medal was established 155 years ago, in 1871, three years after the University of California was founded. Candidates must have achieved a GPA of 3.96 or higher while overcoming significant challenges and making a positive impact on the lives of other people.
This year’s finalists:
Madeleine Bardy (she/her)
Photo by Blaise Curtis
Hometown: Adelaide, Australia
Major: Aerospace engineering
Important extracurricular associations and activities:Space Enterprise at Berkeley (student-led engineering team aiming to be the first college team to send a liquid bipropellant rocket to space); Berkeley Fire Research Lab (researched microgravity combustion for the NASA MIST and SOFIE projects).
What’s next? Working full-time as a design release engineer at Lucid Motors on the Interior Electronics Team for the company’s upcoming midsize platform electric vehicles.
What has been the biggest challenge you faced at Berkeley? How did you address it?
“Learning how to pick and choose between all of the opportunities presented at Berkeley was one of the biggest challenges I faced. When given so many possibilities, it is often easy to fall into the trap of trying to do everything, and consequently achieving nothing. Becoming critical about what opportunities were going to take me closer to where I ultimately wanted to end up was important.”
If you could re-live your UC Berkeley experience, what one thing would you do differently?
“I would explore more beyond my field of study. I was fortunate to delve deeply into aerospace engineering and research as an undergraduate, but I would have loved to see how these fields connected with the humanities and the arts.”
So much advanced modern science is all but inaccessible to a vast majority of humanity — and to many taxpayers who fund much of the research. How can science bridge that gap with the non-scientific public?
“Science should inherently be focused on progressing the vast majority of humanity. Unfortunately, it is not always immediately apparent how some fields will contribute to our day-to-day lives in five, 10 or 15 years. But looking back at the history of aerospace, we can see so many examples of science which seemed bleeding edge at the time, but which are now deeply integrated into society.”
You’ve been doing profoundly interesting research across a range of fields, but all related to space exploration. How do you imagine your own future relationship to space and space exploration?
“In the future, I see myself contributing to development of the hardware and systems that will take human beings beyond Earth. I’m currently focused on electromechanical assembly design and hope to continue working in this area in the aerospace field. To be a part of building systems that inspire another generation of engineers would be an ultimate goal of mine.”
Emma Berman
Photo by Kaneiya Desai
Hometown: San Diego, California
Majors: Bioengineering; Spanish and Portuguese, with a focus on Spanish linguistics
Important extracurricular associations and activities: Research in the Messersmith Lab at UC Berkeley and Chen Lab at UC San Diego; Donald A. Strauss Scholar and founder of “Listen Up: Hear Here!,” a community education program for hearing health; Bioengineering Honor Society outreach committee; co-facilitator and adviser to Breaking Down Bioengineering (BDB) DeCal.
What’s next? Medical school in the fall.
What has been the biggest challenge you faced at Berkeley? How did you address it?
“Learning to navigate the size of Berkeley was initially challenging. I sought smaller spaces within the large lecture-style classes, including office hours, discussion section and study groups with friends. I learned the size is what’s so special: Berkeley has such an incredible range of opportunities and experiences because of it.”
If you could re-live your UC Berkeley experience, what one thing would you do differently?
“I would explore more opportunities outside of my main focus on bioengineering and Spanish. Some of my favorite experiences came from the Intro to Surgery DeCal freshman year, learning how to suture, and an education course, working at a kindergarten classroom every week. Also, I wish I discovered Yali’s cafe (pumpkin chocolate cake + smoothies) sooner!”
So much advanced modern science is all but inaccessible to a vast majority of humanity — and to taxpayers who fund much of the research. How can science bridge that gap with the non-scientific public?
“I believe research carries a responsibility to ensure that its progress is understandable, accessible and meaningfully shared with the non-scientific public. Scientific innovation that democratizes access and expands scientific literacy can help close this gap. Through cost-effective solutions and more accessible implementation, science should center the communities most affected by its outcomes, including those often underrepresented in scientific discussions.”
In your University Medal essay, you wrote about the power of bringing people together across disciplines, languages and lived experiences. Was there a specific moment or an episode at Berkeley when you saw the power of such convergence?
“I witnessed this most clearly through Listen Up: Hear Here! (LUHH). LUHH is a hearing health community outreach initiative I lead as a Strauss Scholar through the Strauss Foundation. While designing novel hearing aid cases and designs in group workshops, students from colleges of Engineering, Letters and Sciences and Natural Resources came together, each with different goals in mind. This is a real-life demonstration of the tangible impact that comes when people with diverse backgrounds and expertise work toward a shared goal of translating scientific innovations.”
Eli Gendreau-Distler (she/her)
Hometown: San Diego, California, and Boston, Massachusetts
Majors: Astrophysics, physics and applied mathematics
Important extracurricular associations and activities: Mentor for middle school students in Be a Scientist program; observing volunteer for UC Berkeley Astronomy Nights; undergraduate representative on the Astronomy Department Small Council; facilitator of Astronomy/Physics Undergraduate Research Colloquium; head undergraduate student instructor for Introduction to General Astronomy (Astro C10); research on exoplanet transit timing, machine learning for experimental high-energy physics, and supernovae identification and follow-up observations.
What’s next? Pursuing a Ph.D. in physics at Stanford University, focusing on astrophysics and cosmology.
What has been the biggest challenge you faced at Berkeley? How did you address it?
“When I arrived on campus, I was nervous about being able to find my place at such a large school. Reaching out to professors and more experienced students was intimidating at first, but learning how to put myself out there has also made me a far better student and scientist.”
If you could re-live your UC Berkeley experience, what one thing would you do differently?
“I would put less pressure on myself to figure out exactly what I wanted to do so early on.
“It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to optimize everything for a particular outcome, but that’s not really what college is about. All the highlights of my Berkeley experience came about when I let go of that pressure and allowed myself to follow my curiosity, even when it wasn’t clear where it would lead.”
Throughout your undergraduate years, you’ve spent one or two nights a month observing supernovae and exoplanets on telescopes at Lick Observatory. What goes through your mind during those nights?
“In practice, I might be thinking about the technical details of collecting data and making sure the telescope is working properly. But it’s impossible to overlook that the photons we’re seeing came from stars or galaxies out there in space — some of them so far away that the light arriving today has been traveling toward Earth for millions of years. 5-year-old me wouldn’t believe how lucky I am to be part of this exciting work.”
You’ve been deeply committed to teaching — whether teaching basic astronomy to other undergrads, or mentoring 7th-graders, or talking with stargazers at informal UC Berkeley astronomy nights. What’s the appeal of teaching, as compared with research?
“I love the technical work that goes into research, but I also find that teaching is an important way to reconnect with the reasons we do this work in the first place. Pairing research with teaching creates an exciting cycle where the big picture questions we discuss in the classroom both motivate and are motivated by the day-to-day research work. Perhaps more importantly, I’ve met so many incredible students and learned a lot from them in the process.”
Mye Pinmada Makornwattana
Hometown: Nonthaburi, Thailand
Majors: Molecular and Cell Biology
Important extracurricular associations and activities: Founder of “Bridge to Care” Opioid-Patient Support Project and Fung (Health x Innovation) Fellow; addiction neuroanatomy research at UCSF Margolis Lab; competitive delegate at UC Berkeley Model United Nations (Model UN Travel Team); D&I officer at Pre-Medical Honor Society; president at Brain Exercise Initiative; Substance Abuse DeCal facilitator; tutor at Biology Scholars Program; crisis counselor at Lumina Alliance; Thai Student Association; founder of Science for the Blind, developing braille science models.
What’s next? A gap year before medical school for lots of travel, time with loved ones and either a masters in London or a research position in the US.
What has been the biggest challenge you faced at Berkeley? How did you address it?
“Being half-way across the globe from home, I had to adapt a lot. I initially found all the possibilities overwhelming, because I wanted to experience it all. Now, after learning how to prioritize what truly matters, Berkeley feels like home and I get to do all I’d ever wished!”
If you could re-live your UC Berkeley experience, what one thing would you do differently?
“I would put less pressure on myself. A class that I didn’t do as well in as I’d hoped ended up helping me grow the most as a student and being one of the most fulfilling. I would tell my freshman-year self that it’s important not to view falls as setbacks, but instead, as moments for redirection.”
You’ve worked in Thailand and Berkeley, among substance use patients, senior citizens and visually impaired people. How do you manage to move so effectively between such diverse people and cultures?
“Growing up in Thailand and attending college here, I’ve seen how culture and context can shape a person’s needs. Despite people’s differences, all seem to be receptive to compassion. In listening to lived experiences and meeting people where they are, I’ve been able to truly connect with them. Through my mentors, from physicians and professors to my parents, I have seen how empathy helps people open up, allowing us to support them in the ways they need.”
One of the professors who recommended you for the University Medal described you as “fearless.” What advice would you have for students who have big goals but feel intimidated?
“Embrace imperfection. Taking initiative can come with resistance, but that’s not because it won’t work — it’s just because you’re in new territory. Appreciating the process of trial and error, celebrating small triumphs, and believing that it would be worth it, was what kept me going. Also, let yourself recharge: Sometimes I spent the whole day studying, some days I just sat on the glade — you should feel pulled by your ambitions, not pushed by pressure.”
The University Medalist will be announced on UC Berkeley News later this week.