Jennifer Chayes

Associate Provost, Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society; Dean, School of Information; Professor

Dept of Mathematics

Dept of Statistics

Division of Computer Science (EECS)

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Research Bio

Jennifer Chayes is Associate Provost of the Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society, and Dean of the School of Information. She is Professor of EECS, Mathematics, Statistics, and the School of Information. Before joining Berkeley, she was at Microsoft for over 20 years, where she was Technical Fellow, and founder and managing director of three interdisciplinary labs: Microsoft Research New England, New York City, and Montreal. Chayes has received numerous awards for both leadership and scientific contributions, including the Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Leadership Award, the John von Neumann Award of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, and an honorary doctorate from Leiden University. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences.

Chayes’ research areas include phase transitions in computer science, and structural and dynamical properties of networks including modeling and graph algorithms. Chayes is one of the inventors of the field of graphons, which are widely used for the machine learning of large-scale networks. Her recent work focuses on machine learning, including both theory and applications in cancer immunotherapy, ethical decision making, and climate change.

Research Expertise and Interest

phase transitions in computer science, structural and dynamical properties of networks, graphons, machine learning, ethical decision making, climate change

In the News

A photo illustration showing an eye in clouds, overlayed with numbers from computer code. The image symbolizes the increasing human-like power of AI systems and their effect on society.

11 Things UC Berkeley AI Experts Are Watching for in 2026

Berkeley professors go over the developments they’ll be monitoring in 2026.

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Researchers Propose Evidence-Based AI Policy Recommendations

Berkeley researchers have joined with other scientists and policymakers to recommend opportunities to develop evidence-based AI policy.

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California Agencies, UC Berkeley, Stanford to Study Generative AI Impacts

California agencies will collaborate with UC Berkeley and Stanford University to study the impacts of generative AI on the state and its workforce.

Zhiling Zheng holding a MOF-powered water harvester in the desert

ChatGPT Accelerates Chemistry Discovery for Climate Response, Study Shows

UC Berkeley experts taught ChatGPT how to quickly create datasets on difficult-to-aggregate research about certain materials that can be used to fight climate change.

New Institute Brings Together Chemistry and Machine Learning to Tackle Climate Change

A new UC Berkeley institute will bring together top machine learning and chemistry researchers to make this vision a reality, and a Bay Area foundation is providing a substantial gift to launch and enable this work at UC Berkeley over the next five years.

a graphic illustration with storm clouds on the outer border with blue sky and sun rays at the center, surrounding the name "Our Better Web"

As Online Harms Surge, Our Better Web Initiative Advances at UC Berkeley

With the U.S. midterm elections approaching and political disinformation posing a continued threat to democracy, UC Berkeley’s ambitious new Our Better Web initiative, launched on a small scale in April, is advancing efforts to study and combat online harms including deception, discrimination and child exploitation.

Chancellor Christ (center left) and President Morris (center right) with the Tuskegee Scholars at the Berkeley-Tuskegee Data Science Initiative Reception at University House on June 21, 2022. (Photo/ KLCfotos)

UC Berkeley and Tuskegee University Announce Data Science Partnership

Tuskegee University and UC Berkeley recently announced the Berkeley-Tuskegee Data Science Initiative, a multi-year partnership to develop curriculum and collaborative research opportunities for students and faculty at both institutions.

Students in the UC Berkeley Digital Accountability class

Taking Aim at Disinformation and Misinformation, Deans and Center Heads Reach Out Across Campus at UC Berkeley To Launch “Our Better Web”

Together with a leadership team with specialties in law, algorithms, computer science and public policy, Berkeley Journalism has formed a multipronged initiative, “Our Better Web” to study and inform legislation on disinformation and illegal activities on social media platforms.

Two students look at a laptop while standing outside in a wooded area

New UC Berkeley Center Will Apply Data Science to Solving Environmental Challenges

A new research center at the University of California, Berkeley, funded by alumni Eric and Wendy Schmidt, will tackle major environmental challenges including climate change and biodiversity loss by combining data science and environmental science.

An artistic rendering shows a large open space of a building, featuring two-story tall windows. Inside the space, people sit at desks and walk through the area.

Trio of gifts, $75 million, accelerates transformation of computing and data science at Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley, today (Monday, June 7) announced three gifts of $25 million each that will reinforce Berkeley’s position as a leader in computing and data science research and education, and help create a visionary new home for the Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS).

Teaching

Courses taught during the three most recent terms

2026 Spring

Individual Research [COMPSCI 299]
Individual Research [COMPSCI 299]
Individual Study Leading to Higher Degrees [STAT 299]

2025 Fall

Individual Research [COMPSCI 299]

2025 Spring

Individual Research [COMPSCI 299]
Individual Study Leading to Higher Degrees [STAT 299]