International Women's Day Archives - State of the Planet

Cutting Confederate Ties, the U.S. Navy Names Ships for a Pioneering Female Oceanographer and a Daring Enslaved Pilot

Marie Tharp was a marine scientist in a man’s world. Robert Smalls was a skilled sailor, but held as a slave. Both are now being honored by the U.S. Navy.

by |March 16, 2023
women in saris hold a certificate

A Just Transition for Women: Working Toward Digital Literacy in India

As the digital divide grows, women in India are dropping out of the workforce. Columbia Climate School’s Center for Sustainable Development and the non-profit Mahashakti Seva Kendra are working together to reverse this trend.

by Radhika Iyengar and Pooja Iyengar |March 7, 2023
thalia balkaran headshot

Thalia Balkaran: Working to Protect Children in the Caribbean From Disasters

Balkaran is helping communities in the Caribbean to develop disaster preparedness plans that focus on some of their most vulnerable residents: children.

by |March 8, 2022
Yohana Tesfamariam Tekeste headshot

Ground-truthing With Yohana Tesfamariam Tekeste

Tesfamariam Tekeste helps farmers reduce their vulnerability to climate change. She tells us about her work, as well as some hard truths about why those vulnerabilities exist in the first place.

by Elise Gout |March 8, 2022
dean linda fried in front of a white board

Linda Fried: From Redefining Aging to Spearheading Research on Climate and Health

She helped establish the nation’s first program in a school of public health that delves into the complexities of climate change’s health impacts, and she continues to be a leader in the field.

by |March 8, 2022
faye mcneill headshot

Faye McNeill Combats Air Pollution, From the Molecular to the Global Scale

The first woman to earn tenure in Columbia’s chemical engineering department, McNeill is working for cleaner air in developing countries.

by |March 8, 2022
nicole davi headshot

Learning From Tree Rings: An Interview With Nicole Davi

A dendrochronologist explains how tree rings can teach us about our past, present, and future.

by Nataley Williams |March 8, 2022
haein shin headshot

Q&A With Haein Shin on Advancing Educational Equity

Shin develops educational content that empowers learners to contribute to building a more inclusive and sustainable future.

by Elise Gout |March 8, 2022
illustration of women forming a circle around the earth for international womens day

How These Women Are Contributing to a Sustainable Tomorrow

For International Women’s Day, we highlight a few women in the Columbia Climate School who are leading on climate science and adaptation, and helping to promote equity, sustainability, and resilience.

by |March 8, 2022
lisa goddard speaking into a microphone

Q&A With Lisa Goddard on Leadership in Climate Science

Originally one of few women in her field, Goddard transformed her difference into an advantage. Today she is internationally recognized for her research and leadership in climate science.

by |March 8, 2021