Mike Garland (BA ’72) donates to Berkeley Physics to give back to the university that helped change his life. In addition to supporting the Michael M. Garland Chair in Physics since 2008, he and his wife, Gigi Coe, recently founded the Shining Lights Program—providing leadership training to women-identifying graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in Berkeley’s mathematical and physical sciences.
“I’ve always felt women are equally capable, if not more so, than men. But there aren’t enough of them in leadership positions, especially in the physical sciences,” Garland says. “We wanted to elevate women to become more successful leaders by providing diverse leadership coaching and networking.”
Garland and Coe initiated and funded the program, with the enthusiastic support of Dean of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Steve Kahn and Assistant Dean of Development Maria Hjelm. However, Shining Lights was run by Berkeley Physics Associate Professor Gabriel Orebi Gann.
“All the credit goes to Gabriel. She grabbed the idea and ran with it. And she understands better than us what content these women need, including critical soft skills like working with an actor to learn a power stance,” says Garland.
The success of the program was clear at the graduation this spring. One thrilled graduate’s mother flew out for the ceremony. Former Chancellor Carol Christ came back to give an inspiring speech. And several graduates spoke about how the program had already made a difference in their lives.
“I was amazed at the level of camaraderie and enthusiasm at the graduation. They really lit up about the relationships they’ve developed with each other,” says Garland. “The joyful, formal celebration really showed that Berkeley was the right place for Shining Lights.”
“As far as we are concerned, the first year of Shining Lights was an enormous success. We hope to see it build and grow, maybe into other areas in science,” adds Coe. “And we may need to add additional training for young scientists to navigate these turbulent times.”
This is a reposting of my magazine alumni story, courtesy of UC Berkeley’s 2025 Berkeley Physics Magazine.
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