State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Education89

  • Author Elizabeth Kolbert Coming to Class

    Author Elizabeth Kolbert Coming to Class

    Author Elizabeth Kolbert, who writes about nature and the environment for The New Yorker, will talk about her new book, “The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History,” at a special class on Feb. 10 at Columbia University.

  • Faculty Profile: Pedro A. Sanchez

    Faculty Profile: Pedro A. Sanchez

    Pedro Sanchez attributes the roots of his life’s work in soil sciences to the fact that he always liked to “play with dirt.” That boyhood pastime was nurtured by the fact that his family owned a fertilizer blending business in Cuba, and it eventually led Sanchez to become a world-renowned soil scientist. He is now…

  • This Dance Class Could Be Worth $1 Million

    This Dance Class Could Be Worth $1 Million

    You could be dancing a Dollu Kunitha in Karnataka, or a Kpanlogo in Ghana, or a samba in Rio. Dance is integral to most cultures, and it’s also a social and fun way to improve physical fitness. It can help prevent cardiovascular disease and control weight, among other health benefits. And that is the point…

  • A Whole New Way of Seeing…Mantis Shrimp

    A Whole New Way of Seeing…Mantis Shrimp

    Mantis shrimp are marine crustaceans inhabiting the shallow sunlit waters of tropical seas, where they make a living as voracious ambush predators. This week in Science, new research sheds light on their fascinating visual system, and reveals a novel form of color vision, previously unknown in the animal kingdom.

  • Hundreds of Ways to Measure Sustainability

    Hundreds of Ways to Measure Sustainability

    Private companies and organizations in the public and non-profit sectors have begun to embrace the idea of sustainability: How to operate in ways that reduce consumption of water, energy and other resources, and help keep from depleting the planet’s natural resources. But how do we measure progress? Reliable metrics are needed – to understand what…

  • Student Profile: Erin Stahmer

    Student Profile: Erin Stahmer

    During my time at Columbia, the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development has challenged me to take courses that have sharpened my philosophical, mathematical, and scientific modes of thinking. I have learned to organize and manipulate large databases using spatial mapping software, and have developed quantitative methods to analyze data in the context of international development.…

  • Student Profile: Richard Sun

    Student Profile: Richard Sun

    The Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development has given me the opportunity to connect a broad range of subjects, from environmental science to urban economics, and to learn about the fundamentals of environmental valuation. Using skills gained in the program, I researched the impact that energy efficiency technology and policy will have on the US Electricity…

  • Student Profile: Tal Lee Anderman

    Student Profile: Tal Lee Anderman

    Through the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development, I have been able to study what intrigues me most: the nexus between environmental conservation and poverty alleviation. I believe this bridge forms a key connection necessary to help both people and the planet. The Senior Seminar Thesis Workshop allowed me to dip into the true value of…

  • Student Profile: Diana Sierra

    Student Profile: Diana Sierra

    Diana Sierra believes in opportunity.  Sierra, a student in the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program, believes that having access to opportunities can make a big difference in someone’s life.  Sierra is an industrial designer with more than seven years of experience and is a summer intern working with the Millennium Villages Project in…

  • Author Elizabeth Kolbert Coming to Class

    Author Elizabeth Kolbert Coming to Class

    Author Elizabeth Kolbert, who writes about nature and the environment for The New Yorker, will talk about her new book, “The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History,” at a special class on Feb. 10 at Columbia University.

  • Faculty Profile: Pedro A. Sanchez

    Faculty Profile: Pedro A. Sanchez

    Pedro Sanchez attributes the roots of his life’s work in soil sciences to the fact that he always liked to “play with dirt.” That boyhood pastime was nurtured by the fact that his family owned a fertilizer blending business in Cuba, and it eventually led Sanchez to become a world-renowned soil scientist. He is now…

  • This Dance Class Could Be Worth $1 Million

    This Dance Class Could Be Worth $1 Million

    You could be dancing a Dollu Kunitha in Karnataka, or a Kpanlogo in Ghana, or a samba in Rio. Dance is integral to most cultures, and it’s also a social and fun way to improve physical fitness. It can help prevent cardiovascular disease and control weight, among other health benefits. And that is the point…

  • A Whole New Way of Seeing…Mantis Shrimp

    A Whole New Way of Seeing…Mantis Shrimp

    Mantis shrimp are marine crustaceans inhabiting the shallow sunlit waters of tropical seas, where they make a living as voracious ambush predators. This week in Science, new research sheds light on their fascinating visual system, and reveals a novel form of color vision, previously unknown in the animal kingdom.

  • Hundreds of Ways to Measure Sustainability

    Hundreds of Ways to Measure Sustainability

    Private companies and organizations in the public and non-profit sectors have begun to embrace the idea of sustainability: How to operate in ways that reduce consumption of water, energy and other resources, and help keep from depleting the planet’s natural resources. But how do we measure progress? Reliable metrics are needed – to understand what…

  • Student Profile: Erin Stahmer

    Student Profile: Erin Stahmer

    During my time at Columbia, the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development has challenged me to take courses that have sharpened my philosophical, mathematical, and scientific modes of thinking. I have learned to organize and manipulate large databases using spatial mapping software, and have developed quantitative methods to analyze data in the context of international development.…

  • Student Profile: Richard Sun

    Student Profile: Richard Sun

    The Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development has given me the opportunity to connect a broad range of subjects, from environmental science to urban economics, and to learn about the fundamentals of environmental valuation. Using skills gained in the program, I researched the impact that energy efficiency technology and policy will have on the US Electricity…

  • Student Profile: Tal Lee Anderman

    Student Profile: Tal Lee Anderman

    Through the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development, I have been able to study what intrigues me most: the nexus between environmental conservation and poverty alleviation. I believe this bridge forms a key connection necessary to help both people and the planet. The Senior Seminar Thesis Workshop allowed me to dip into the true value of…

  • Student Profile: Diana Sierra

    Student Profile: Diana Sierra

    Diana Sierra believes in opportunity.  Sierra, a student in the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program, believes that having access to opportunities can make a big difference in someone’s life.  Sierra is an industrial designer with more than seven years of experience and is a summer intern working with the Millennium Villages Project in…