State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Alumni News6

  • Students Learn from Faculty, Alumni about Energy Efficiency Careers

    Students Learn from Faculty, Alumni about Energy Efficiency Careers

    The Earth Institute is expanding its professional development program with the addition of mini-career workshops that focus on particular areas of sustainability. The first of these workshops, which took place on April 17, focused on energy efficiency. The purpose of the workshops is to provide opportunities to students to learn from faculty and alumni who…

  • Sustainability Management Alums Create Award Winning Sandy Rebuild Design

    Sustainability Management Alums Create Award Winning Sandy Rebuild Design

    The word resiliency has emerged as the new gold standard for designing the built environment. Its meaning may be interpreted as design that not only maintains self-sufficiency throughout extreme environmental scenarios, (e.g. heat waves, power outages, extreme storm events, etc.) but also allows communities to quickly recover in the aftermath of such an event. It…

  • Alums Recruit Students at All-Ivy Fair

    Alums Recruit Students at All-Ivy Fair

    On Feb. 28, the All-Ivy Environmental and Sustainable Development Career Fair marked its 11th year. The eight Ivy League schools – Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale – teamed up once again to host the fair at Columbia University in New York City. This year’s event attracted 69 recruiting…

  • MPA Alum Focuses on Disaster Response and Recovery

    MPA Alum Focuses on Disaster Response and Recovery

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy alum Maham Ahmed (’13) is combining her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science with her new MPA degree while serving as a Presidential Management Fellow at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Washington D.C. Maham hopes to bring change to disaster response and recovery for future generations.

  • MS Alum Transitions to Sustainable Healthcare

    MS Alum Transitions to Sustainable Healthcare

    Lindsey Clark originally joined the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program with the intention of going into sustainability consulting after graduation, but an internship with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center led to an unexpected opportunity.

  • ESP Alum Leads Sandy Relief Efforts

    ESP Alum Leads Sandy Relief Efforts

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) alumnus Todd Miner (’10) has always been heavily involved in work at post-conflict and disaster areas, both abroad and in the United States. He puts the management and planning skills he acquired from the MPA-ESP program to good use in his current role as director of Friends of…

  • ESP Alum Focuses Career on Clean Energy Solutions

    ESP Alum Focuses Career on Clean Energy Solutions

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy alumnus James Vener (‘07) entered the program with the intention of transitioning his career from environmental engineering to environmental policy, but was surprised to discover an interest in clean energy.

  • Connecting Students, Alumni at Annual Networking Day

    Connecting Students, Alumni at Annual Networking Day

    On Nov. 16, the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy program held its annual Alumni Networking Day. The event, hosted by The Earth Institute, welcomed more than 70 alumni, current students and faculty for a panel and networking reception held at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.

  • ESP Alum Pursues Career in Environmental Law

    ESP Alum Pursues Career in Environmental Law

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy alum Haydée Rodríguez (’12) has always wanted to work in environmental law. Having started the program with a law degree and prior work experience as a program associate for the Fresh Water Action Network in Costa Rica, Haydée’s current job as an environmental advisor for the Inter-American Association for…

Colorful icons representing nature, sustainable living, and renewable energy with text "Earth Day 2026"

The first Earth Day in 1970 ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. Today, our scientists and experts are tackling the most pressing challenges to achieve real-world impact. This Earth Day, join us in our commitment to realizing a just and sustainable future for our planet. Visit our Earth Day website for ideas, resources, and inspiration.

  • Students Learn from Faculty, Alumni about Energy Efficiency Careers

    Students Learn from Faculty, Alumni about Energy Efficiency Careers

    The Earth Institute is expanding its professional development program with the addition of mini-career workshops that focus on particular areas of sustainability. The first of these workshops, which took place on April 17, focused on energy efficiency. The purpose of the workshops is to provide opportunities to students to learn from faculty and alumni who…

  • Sustainability Management Alums Create Award Winning Sandy Rebuild Design

    Sustainability Management Alums Create Award Winning Sandy Rebuild Design

    The word resiliency has emerged as the new gold standard for designing the built environment. Its meaning may be interpreted as design that not only maintains self-sufficiency throughout extreme environmental scenarios, (e.g. heat waves, power outages, extreme storm events, etc.) but also allows communities to quickly recover in the aftermath of such an event. It…

  • Alums Recruit Students at All-Ivy Fair

    Alums Recruit Students at All-Ivy Fair

    On Feb. 28, the All-Ivy Environmental and Sustainable Development Career Fair marked its 11th year. The eight Ivy League schools – Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale – teamed up once again to host the fair at Columbia University in New York City. This year’s event attracted 69 recruiting…

  • MPA Alum Focuses on Disaster Response and Recovery

    MPA Alum Focuses on Disaster Response and Recovery

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy alum Maham Ahmed (’13) is combining her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science with her new MPA degree while serving as a Presidential Management Fellow at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Washington D.C. Maham hopes to bring change to disaster response and recovery for future generations.

  • MS Alum Transitions to Sustainable Healthcare

    MS Alum Transitions to Sustainable Healthcare

    Lindsey Clark originally joined the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program with the intention of going into sustainability consulting after graduation, but an internship with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center led to an unexpected opportunity.

  • ESP Alum Leads Sandy Relief Efforts

    ESP Alum Leads Sandy Relief Efforts

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) alumnus Todd Miner (’10) has always been heavily involved in work at post-conflict and disaster areas, both abroad and in the United States. He puts the management and planning skills he acquired from the MPA-ESP program to good use in his current role as director of Friends of…

  • ESP Alum Focuses Career on Clean Energy Solutions

    ESP Alum Focuses Career on Clean Energy Solutions

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy alumnus James Vener (‘07) entered the program with the intention of transitioning his career from environmental engineering to environmental policy, but was surprised to discover an interest in clean energy.

  • Connecting Students, Alumni at Annual Networking Day

    Connecting Students, Alumni at Annual Networking Day

    On Nov. 16, the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy program held its annual Alumni Networking Day. The event, hosted by The Earth Institute, welcomed more than 70 alumni, current students and faculty for a panel and networking reception held at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.

  • ESP Alum Pursues Career in Environmental Law

    ESP Alum Pursues Career in Environmental Law

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy alum Haydée Rodríguez (’12) has always wanted to work in environmental law. Having started the program with a law degree and prior work experience as a program associate for the Fresh Water Action Network in Costa Rica, Haydée’s current job as an environmental advisor for the Inter-American Association for…