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Berkeley Talks

Booking Overview

An institutionally produced university lecture-and-conversation show focused on scholarship, technology, public policy, and social justice, with external guests typically appearing as invited lecturers or participants in UC Berkeley events. PR agencies could credibly pitch established academics, authors, public intellectuals, technology leaders, and policy experts with substantial research or public-impact credentials; booking is likely high difficulty because the show is tied to Berkeley’s curated speaker programming.

Metrics

Episodes: 261

Frequency: Every two weeks

Rating: 4.8/5.0

Estimated listeners: 100 - 1,000

Gender skew: Neutral

Listener location: USA

YouTube: 76.0k subscribers

Instagram: 435.0k followers

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

abrice@berkeley.edu

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Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

high
Typical Credentials:  
Established academics, authors, public intellectuals, technology leaders, and policy experts with recognized research, creative, institutional, or public-impact credentials.
Required Achievements:  
Published books or influential research, Leadership of major academic, technology, or policy institutions, Recognition for significant public scholarship or creative work, Participation in prominent lectures, symposia, or public-facing research programs

Recent Guest Discussions

W. Kamau Bell - Artificial Intelligence, Creativity, Automation, Technology’s Social Effects, And Race And American Culture.

Jens Ludwig - Gun Violence, Behavioral Economics, Public Safety, De-escalation, Youth Programs, And Evidence-based Prevention.

David Chalmers - Artificial Intelligence, Large Language Models, Agency, Consciousness, And The Ethical Status Of AI Systems.

Recent Topics

Education, Higher Education, Artificial Intelligence, Public Policy, Social Justice

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
Berkeley Talks
:

Michael Pollan and Christof Koch talk psychedelics and consciousness

October 16, 2026

During a psychedelic experience in his garden, Michael Pollan became convinced that the plants around him were conscious. They seemed to be returning his gaze, he said — benevolent and perhaps grateful for his gardening. Back in ordinary consciousness, the author and UC Berkeley journalism professor emeritus faced a harder question: What should he do with that conviction? Was it an insight into reality, or simply an effect of the drug?In this episode of Berkeley Talks, Pollan joins Christof K...

W. Kamau Bell on AI, creativity and resisting the pull of automation

September 18, 2026

When W. Kamau Bell was a child, his mother bought the family a Commodore VIC-20, a popular home computer of the early 1980s. He also had Pong, a ColecoVision and, later, a MiniDisc player. Today, he is still the person his family calls when the TV stops working — and the father who sees technology’s potential to connect his introverted 11-year-old with cousins over FaceTime. “I am not a technophobe,” Bell said at a recent UC Berkeley Journalism event. “If you say, ‘We’re going there, the...

Leaping robots, AI companies and a NASA mission

August 21, 2026

When Aravind Srinivas arrived at UC Berkeley in 2020 hoping to join Pieter Abbeel’s robotics lab, he encountered an immediate obstacle: The lab was already full.Undeterred, Srinivas proposed that he and Abeel work together for six months so he could prove himself. What followed was such a prolific stretch of research that Abbeel found himself repeatedly asking about his new student’s well-being.“Honestly, the only big advice I ever had to give Aravind was the question, ‘Did you sleep?’” Abbee...

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Frequently asked questions

Here's some frequently asked questions for
Berkeley Talks
:

How do I get in touch with Berkeley Talks?

Its publicly listed email is abrice@berkeley.edu. For guest bookings, the host or producer is usually the best person to reach. Podseeker helps you find direct host and producer contacts and pitch from your own inbox.

What is the email for Berkeley Talks?

The publicly listed email for Berkeley Talks: abrice@berkeley.edu.

How many listeners does Berkeley Talks have?

Podseeker estimates Berkeley Talks reaches 100 to 1,000 listeners per episode. Only the publisher has exact numbers.

Who is an ideal guest for Berkeley Talks?

Berkeley Talks typically books well-known public figures. Typical guest background: Established academics, authors, public intellectuals, technology leaders, and policy experts with recognized research, creative, institutional, or public-impact credentials. Common among recent guests: Published books or influential research; Leadership of major academic, technology, or policy institutions; Recognition for significant public scholarship or creative work. Recent guests include W. Kamau Bell, Jens Ludwig, and David Chalmers.

How hard is it to get booked on Berkeley Talks?

High. It mostly books established leaders in its field.

What topics does Berkeley Talks cover?

Recent episodes cover Education, Higher Education, Artificial Intelligence, Public Policy, and Social Justice. Pitch an idea tied to one of these topics and mention a recent episode.

Publicly listed emails

abrice@berkeley.edu

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

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