Join us in making an impact
Join us in honoring Juan Pestana’s legacy
From 1994 to 2017, Professor Juan Pestana educated, trained, mentored, and inspired generations of Berkeley geosystems students through teaching and research. Dr. Pestana was not just a brilliant engine who brought his own professional and consulting experiences to the classroom; he was full of life and passion, with a devotion to the ideals, tradition, and excellence of Berkeley.A dedicated teacher who conveyed complex concepts with clarity, Dr. Pestana taught, mentored, and inspired a generation of successful researchers and engineers. He earned the coveted UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award, the campus's highest honor for teaching excellence, recognizing faculty who inspired students through eliciting intellectual curiosity.
This fundraising effort aims to honor Dr. Pestana by raising funds for the graduate student support fund named in his honor for the GeoSystems Program. We invite all alumni and colleagues in the industry to contribute.
In addition, on Friday, May 8, 2026, as part of the 44th Annual Geosystems Engineering Distinguished Lecture Series, there will be a morning session to honor the accomplishments and many contributions of the late Dr. Pestana to the geotechnical community during his career with UC Berkeley and Geosyntec Consultants.
Our initial online fundraising drive has ended, but we continue to grow the fund to honor Dr. Pestana. Information is available on giving by check or other means; for questions, please contact Megan Hobbs, Engineering College Relations, 510.725.5811 or mhobbs@berkeley.edu
Funds
Join us in making an impact
Join us in honoring Juan Pestana’s legacy
From 1994 to 2017, Professor Juan Pestana educated, trained, mentored, and inspired generations of Berkeley geosystems students through teaching and research. Dr. Pestana was not just a brilliant engine who brought his own professional and consulting experiences to the classroom; he was full of life and passion, with a devotion to the ideals, tradition, and excellence of Berkeley.A dedicated teacher who conveyed complex concepts with clarity, Dr. Pestana taught, mentored, and inspired a generation of successful researchers and engineers. He earned the coveted UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award, the campus's highest honor for teaching excellence, recognizing faculty who inspired students through eliciting intellectual curiosity.
This fundraising effort aims to honor Dr. Pestana by raising funds for the graduate student support fund named in his honor for the GeoSystems Program. We invite all alumni and colleagues in the industry to contribute.
In addition, on Friday, May 8, 2026, as part of the 44th Annual Geosystems Engineering Distinguished Lecture Series, there will be a morning session to honor the accomplishments and many contributions of the late Dr. Pestana to the geotechnical community during his career with UC Berkeley and Geosyntec Consultants.
Our initial online fundraising drive has ended, but we continue to grow the fund to honor Dr. Pestana. Information is available on giving by check or other means; for questions, please contact Megan Hobbs, Engineering College Relations, 510.725.5811 or mhobbs@berkeley.edu