Associate Professor Benjamin Safdi with Dean of College of Letters and Science, Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Steven Kahn. Photo by Keegan Houser
May 21, 2026
UC Berkeley's College of Letters & Science is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 L&S Faculty Awards. This distinguished award recognizes each awardee's exceptional scholarship, service to the College and community, and transformational teaching. These extraordinary individuals not only embody the excellence of the College of Letters & Science, but they also serve as an inspiration to the entire campus community. The recipients were recently honored at a private ceremony on Thursday, May 14.
The L&S Faculty Awards recognizes three categories of faculty who have recently been promoted. Each category has been named for an L&S faculty member who has had a tremendous impact on the College: the David Blackwell Award, given to newly tenured faculty; the Beatriz Manz Award, given to faculty recently promoted to full professor; and the Jessica Blanche Peixotto Award, given to faculty recently promoted to professor above-scale.
Benjamin Safdi, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics is one of two UC Berkeley faculty to receive the 2026 David Blackwell Award
Safdi joined UC Berkeley in 2021 as a theoretical particle physics phenomenologist specializing in the search for dark matter, one of the most pressing problems in the field. He has made major contributions to axion particle theory, pioneering new experimental tests to detect these elusive particles. As one of only two faculty members at Berkeley working in this crucial field, his presence is vital to the university’s leadership in high-energy physics. Since his arrival, Professor Safdi has established an exceptional and highly visible research program. His work is widely celebrated by the international scientific community, evidenced by a steady stream of invited global lectures and his selection for the prestigious Sloan Research Fellowship. Beyond his technical achievements, he is regarded as a "remarkable citizen" of the Physics Department, known for his tremendous energy and proactive engagement in departmental life.
Read about all seven of the 2026 L&S Faculty Award recipients here: UC Berkeley Letters & Science announces 2026 L&S Faculty Award recipients