alumni profiles Archives - State of the Planet

Alumni Profile: Working With Labor Unions to Create a More Sustainable Future

Avalon Hoek Spaans, an alumnus of the Columbia Climate School’s Climate and Society program, is channeling their personal experience and education to build a more just and sustainable world within the U.S. workforce.

by |August 17, 2023

Alumna Profile: Lauren Faber O’Connor

Lauren Faber O’Connor was recently awarded the 2023 GSAS Dean’s Award for Distinguished Achievement, which recognizes recipients for their profound impact on academia and on the world at large.

by |July 19, 2023

Alumni Spotlight: Jonathan Rubin Takes Vertical Farming to New Heights

In 2021, Rubin launched Fresh Florida Farms, which grows non-GMO hydroponic lettuce, microgreens, sprouts, herbs, and other leafy greens in Boca Raton.

by Brett Essler |June 6, 2023
madeleine traynor and shangtong li

Climate and Society Alumni Work Together to Build Coastal Resilience

Working in the same think tank but in different roles, two alumni show how the Climate and Society program prepares students for a variety of career paths.

by |March 27, 2023

From Pre-med to ESG: It’s Never Too Late for a Career Change

William Hsu, who graduated from the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program in 2019, brings together different fields to advance an equitable and green future.

by Deanna Coleman |March 2, 2023
A smiling girl gives the thumbs-up next to a microphone.

Climate and Society Alumna Suzie Hicks Teaches Climate Science to Kids of All Ages

Suzie Hicks, “The Climate Chick,” talks about how she is using television and film to inspire young learners to form healthy relationships with environmental science and help improve the world around them.

by |February 23, 2023
kimono made with bioearth fabric, seen from multiple angles and in motion

Let Them Wear Dirt: Penmai Chongtoua Turns Soil Into Textiles

An artist and alumna of the Climate and Society program, Chongtoua is exploring a variety of ways to wear earth on our bodies. Her work seeks to shape how we view our relationship with the planet.

by |February 14, 2023
cassidy childs headshot

From Columbia to COP27 in Six Months: Cassidy Childs

Inspired into action by the Tubbs Fire in 2017, this Environmental Science and Policy alum is helping to bring justice and equity issues into environmental policy.

by Deanna Coleman |February 8, 2023
Mahak Agrawal portrait image

Alumni Spotlight: Mahak Agrawal

An alumna of the MPA-ESP program, Mahak elaborates on her time at Columbia, discusses her career path in sustainability, and provides advice to current students.

by Sophie Capshaw-Mack |October 15, 2021

Alumni Spotlight: Julia Koppman Norton, District Supervisor at California Coastal Commission

The Environmental Science and Policy program gave Norton the tools she needed to become a protector of, and advocate for, California’s beaches.

by Taylor Goto |October 14, 2021