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Student Profile: Semee Yoon
It was by chance that Semee Yoon, a Columbia College junior studying economics, ended up working toward the undergraduate special concentration in sustainable development. Her first introduction to the field occurred while working as a translator for the Korean Federation of Environmental Movement. There she acquired exposure to sustainable development firsthand as she translated for…
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Student Profile: Marta Vicarelli
When Marta Vicarelli first heard the term “sustainable development,” she was in high school. “At that time, environmental concerns were not a priority in the international agenda,” explains Marta, a fourth year Ph.D. candidate in Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) program in sustainable development. The Ph.D. program, which started five years…
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Student Profile: Nathan Chan
After graduating from college with a dual degree in earth and environmental engineering and English literature from the California Institute of Technology, Nathan Chan searched for a program where he could effectively apply his technical skills while gaining knowledge and experience about management and policy. He found he was looking for in Columbia’s Master of…
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Student Profile: Hannah Lee
Hannah Lee, a senior in the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), has shown a powerful passion for sustainability, developing countries and leadership during her three years at Columbia. Lee’s interest in the environment was sparked at an early age, influencing her decision to apply to Columbia and to pursue environmental studies,…
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Why Conservation is Not Condescension: A Case Against Eco-imperialism
Western ecologists and conservationists have been portrayed at times as modern imperialists, forcefully imposing a radical ideology of environmentalism on the developing world. These so-called “eco-imperialists” are depicted as arrogant and uncaring elites, concerned with the protection of pristine nature, but indifferent to human welfare. But the future of wild places is entwined with human…
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Student Profile: Victoria Rosoff
When you hear “Client Service Manager for JPMorgan Chase,” you may not think of the interactions between climate and society. Yet, that is the position that Victoria Rosoff held when she applied for the M.A. Program in Climate and Society. Victoria said, “My classes and my program-related internship throughout the year at Columbia’s International Research…
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Faculty Profile: Peter Coleman
Peter Coleman, Co-Executive Director of the Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict and Complexity (AC4), created four short and engaging videos about intractable conflicts for AC4, an interdisciplinary research consortium led by Coleman and housed at the Earth Institute, Columbia University. To watch Coleman’s comfortable and dynamic on-camera performance, you might think that he was an…
AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More
