A decade-long effort to expand classes and better serve the university's AAPI students culminated in a "cluster hire" that spans various schools and disciplines. Based at the Asian American Research Center, the new Asian American and Pacific Islander Transpacific Futures cluster focuses on expanding faculty and graduate student networks in AAPI research, building new partnerships with community organizations, and increasing the university's public impact. The intiative is featured in this Berkeley News article. "One of the things I'm really proud of, with the cluster hire, is its expansion beyond L&S to other colleges, which increases the footprint of Asian American studies and Pacific Islands studies across the campus," said Colleen Lye, chair of the Asian American Research Center.
March 13, 2026