On December 4, 2023, the BIDS community gathered at the Alumni House to celebrate the winter holidays and Saul Perlmutter's tenure as BIDS Founding Faculty Director. Professor Perlmutter spearheaded the effort to found the Berkeley Institute for Data Science (BIDS) in 2013 and developed a vision for its future, creating a vital, new community where data science at UC Berkeley could flourish.
The appreciation and respect for him and his work were palpable, with tributes by BIDS Faculty Council Members Professor Sandrine Dudoit and Professor Henry Brady, as well as many others on video who could not be present. CDSS's Dean Jennifer Chayes presented him with a unique art glass piece by Alix Schwartz as a token of appreciation, and incoming faculty director Fernando Pérez gave a toast to which the guests happily raised their glasses. The speeches were thoughtful and humorous, reflecting the joy, passion, and brilliance Professor Perlmutter has brought to his work with BIDS.
