Dr. Joel Wanek

Instructor

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Biography

Joel Wanek is a film and audio artist working in the realms of creative non-fiction. Over the years, he has developed a practice that celebrates and investigates spatial poetics and racial dynamics, exploring the immaterial possibilities of sound and image. His film work has been screened internationally at venues such as the International Film Festival Rotterdam, ICA London, Union Docs, Doclisboa, Images Festival, and Winterthur. His film 'Sun Song' won top prizes at the International Short Film Festival Hamburg, ICDOCS, and FCDEP. He also won the Cinematography Award at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, with the film distributed worldwide on MUBI. In his career, Joel has worked as a video journalist, producing an Emmy Award-winning video series for Art School on KQED/PBS San Francisco, as well as creating unscripted work for NY AJ+, News, PBS NewsHour, and the ACLU.

Research Interests

Experimental Film Practices Documentary Film Practices Field Recording Street Photography Spatial Poetics Racial Dynamics

Courses

GEOG 126, Sonic Geographies GEOG 127, Geographic Film Production GEOG 172, Sonic Geographies Oakland: Field Exploration GEOG 189, Visual Geography

Requirements for University of California, Berkeley

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
GRE Subject
Overall Score
Required:500
Overall
Required:500
TOEFL
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent Preparation comparable to undergraduate major at Berkeley in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics 2 full years lower-division work (Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Multivariable Calculus) 8 one-semester upper-division courses (Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Abstract Algebra, Linear Algebra)
Application Checklist
  • Graduate Application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal History Statement
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Unofficial Transcripts
  • C.V./Resume
  • Course and Textbook List
Specialization Notes

The Mathematics Subject GRE is required for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle. General GRE is optional.