State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

education news66

  • Faculty Profile: Vance Merolla

    Faculty Profile: Vance Merolla

    MS in Sustainability Management faculty member Vance Merolla has worked over the past thirty years as an environmental and sustainability professional for the private sector. As the instructor for SUMA K4170 Sustainable Operations, Merolla focuses on the importance of incorporating sustainability at each step along the value chain, including product design, procurement, distribution, manufacturing, product/service…

  • Improving Buildings to Reduce Energy Demand

    Improving Buildings to Reduce Energy Demand

    Maya always had an interest in sustainable cities and passive building design. Because buildings make up a third of the world’s energy consumption, she believes that focusing on improving our buildings can have a significant effect on our global energy demand.

  • Faculty Profile: Marianne Lado

    Faculty Profile: Marianne Lado

    “In today’s world, whether we think about the local, regional, national or even international settings, tackling sustainability requires consideration of the communities most affected by environmental degradation and ensuring that community members have meaningful opportunities to participate in decisions affecting their lives.”

  • Faculty Profile: Susan Blaustein

    Faculty Profile: Susan Blaustein

    With more than half of the world now living in cities, and well over half of that number living in urban poverty, Professor Blaustein believes that humanizing the city – making it livable for women and families- is a key factor in ensuring its sustainability.

  • Executive Director’s Office Internship

    Executive Director’s Office Internship

    Are you an undergraduate or graduate student at Columbia or Barnard interested in sustainability and the environment? Are you looking for a paid internship for the spring semester? Apply by Friday, January 15, 2016, to intern in the Executive Director’s office at the Earth Institute.

  • Focusing on Ecosystems to Reduce Disaster Risks

    Focusing on Ecosystems to Reduce Disaster Risks

    Current Master of Science in Sustainability Management student Alia’a Harun was drawn to the program because of the interdisciplinary approach towards a pragmatic implementation of sustainability. Alia’a has a background in Ecology and is looking for ways to apply hard value onto the natural environment and its services.

  • Student Profile: Danny Giddings

    Student Profile: Danny Giddings

    After two years of service with the United States Peace Corps, Danny Giddings was eager to expand his knowledge of the various environmental, economic, and social issues involved in agricultural production. For Danny, the MPA ESP program offered the perfect combination of environmental policy with education in hard sciences.

  • Teaming Technology and Clean Energy

    Teaming Technology and Clean Energy

    Alum James Kocher (MSSM ‘13) works in the photovoltaics monitoring sector where he helps clients measure and analyze photovoltaic (PV) solar production. James currently designs and implements data monitoring systems for large commercial and utility scale PV projects.

  • MPA-ESP Alum Serves as Earth Institute Postdoctoral Fellow

    MPA-ESP Alum Serves as Earth Institute Postdoctoral Fellow

    For Justin Mankin, the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program helped expose his passion for environmental science. Mankin is currently serving as an Earth Institute postdoctoral fellow and research scientist, where he is focusing on climate variability.

Blue banner with kids and Earth photos. Text: "Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House, Saturday, October 17, 2026, 10am-4pm.

On Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10am to 4pm, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House—our biggest, best science fun and discovery event of the year—will take place on our beautiful campus in Palisades, NY. Mark your calendar and join us for this free, family-friendly celebration of science! RSVP Today!

  • Faculty Profile: Vance Merolla

    Faculty Profile: Vance Merolla

    MS in Sustainability Management faculty member Vance Merolla has worked over the past thirty years as an environmental and sustainability professional for the private sector. As the instructor for SUMA K4170 Sustainable Operations, Merolla focuses on the importance of incorporating sustainability at each step along the value chain, including product design, procurement, distribution, manufacturing, product/service…

  • Improving Buildings to Reduce Energy Demand

    Improving Buildings to Reduce Energy Demand

    Maya always had an interest in sustainable cities and passive building design. Because buildings make up a third of the world’s energy consumption, she believes that focusing on improving our buildings can have a significant effect on our global energy demand.

  • Faculty Profile: Marianne Lado

    Faculty Profile: Marianne Lado

    “In today’s world, whether we think about the local, regional, national or even international settings, tackling sustainability requires consideration of the communities most affected by environmental degradation and ensuring that community members have meaningful opportunities to participate in decisions affecting their lives.”

  • Faculty Profile: Susan Blaustein

    Faculty Profile: Susan Blaustein

    With more than half of the world now living in cities, and well over half of that number living in urban poverty, Professor Blaustein believes that humanizing the city – making it livable for women and families- is a key factor in ensuring its sustainability.

  • Executive Director’s Office Internship

    Executive Director’s Office Internship

    Are you an undergraduate or graduate student at Columbia or Barnard interested in sustainability and the environment? Are you looking for a paid internship for the spring semester? Apply by Friday, January 15, 2016, to intern in the Executive Director’s office at the Earth Institute.

  • Focusing on Ecosystems to Reduce Disaster Risks

    Focusing on Ecosystems to Reduce Disaster Risks

    Current Master of Science in Sustainability Management student Alia’a Harun was drawn to the program because of the interdisciplinary approach towards a pragmatic implementation of sustainability. Alia’a has a background in Ecology and is looking for ways to apply hard value onto the natural environment and its services.

  • Student Profile: Danny Giddings

    Student Profile: Danny Giddings

    After two years of service with the United States Peace Corps, Danny Giddings was eager to expand his knowledge of the various environmental, economic, and social issues involved in agricultural production. For Danny, the MPA ESP program offered the perfect combination of environmental policy with education in hard sciences.

  • Teaming Technology and Clean Energy

    Teaming Technology and Clean Energy

    Alum James Kocher (MSSM ‘13) works in the photovoltaics monitoring sector where he helps clients measure and analyze photovoltaic (PV) solar production. James currently designs and implements data monitoring systems for large commercial and utility scale PV projects.

  • MPA-ESP Alum Serves as Earth Institute Postdoctoral Fellow

    MPA-ESP Alum Serves as Earth Institute Postdoctoral Fellow

    For Justin Mankin, the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program helped expose his passion for environmental science. Mankin is currently serving as an Earth Institute postdoctoral fellow and research scientist, where he is focusing on climate variability.