Student Directory

BA Middle Eastern Cultures, Environmental Studies | Barnard College

Zoe is based in Brooklyn and has worked in various environment and sustainability-focused industries. Zoe graduated from Barnard College in 2021 with a degree in Middle East Studies & Environmental Science, Zoe has continued to focus on high-level climate action, from leading research at Changing Room, a sustainable fashion-tech start-up, to the Special Assistant to the CEO of the Climate Investment Funds.

BS Economics and Finance | Xi’an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Zixin studied Economics in her undergrad. Learning about rationality in her undergrad, she found curiosity in the facts and the future of the climate and humanity. She has been trying to promote education and individual behaviors towards sustainability, and she loves the meaning of sustainability in many senses.

BA Anthropology | Georgetown University

Zega is passionate about integrating socioecological thinking into business strategy and public policy. He is curious about how governments and organizations can coordinate effective responses to the climate crisis, focusing on the applications of renewable energy in emerging markets. He is from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and graduated from Georgetown University.

BA Co-op City and Physical and Human Geography | University of Toronto

Yutong earned double majors in Co-op City Study and Physical and Human Geography at the University of Toronto during her undergraduate studies. She was eager to gain the knowledge that fits the dynamic global sustainable cycle. She likes to travel and each time she will learn about the local features and customs, which further stimulate her interest in environmental sustainability.

BFA | The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

Yumi has a deep love for animals, exploring, and the natural world. Yumi works in a range of disciplines including circus arts, visual arts, veterinary medicine, mental health, and climate justice. Through the convergence of arts communication and the sciences, she develops unconventional strategies that empower marginalized communities on the forefront of the climate crises.

Yue is a 2015 C+S graduate and heads EcoAct’s advisory services in North America. Yue has worked with Fortune 500 companies in the retail, IT, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and chemicals sectors, supporting clients with their transition to a net-zero world. Prior to this, Yue was an Account Manager at CDP, formerly known as Carbon Disclosure Project, where she led the organization’s disclosure engagement with financial and CPG companies in North America.

BS Geography | University College London

Yiyan was born in a small city of China and did his undergraduate study in University College London (UCL) in Britain (might have some weird British tone). Other than climate the most attractive topics for him would be video games and British history.

MS Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management | Lund University, Sweden 
BA Asian and International Studies | City University of Hong Kong 

Born and raised on the vast Inner Mongolian grassland, Yifei is curious about how to combat desertification and biodiversity loss under the changing climate. Before joining Columbia, she completed her internship at the Biodiversity and Land Branch at UNEP. Beyond her academic pursuits, Yifei enjoys horseback riding, dancing, and solving the Rubik's Cube.

BS Environmental Science and Policy | University of Maryland

Yasmeen completed her undergraduate studies in environmental science and policy at the University of Maryland with specializations in remote sensing and international development. She hopes to advance climate solutions through innovation, collaboration and creative thinking. She recently interned at Sembcorp Industries in Singapore and witnessed first-hand the untapped potential of green cities and climate technology.

BS Economics | South China University of Technology

Yanyu is from China and graduated with a B.S. in Economics. She has previously worked on corporate sustainability, energy transition, biodiversity and is interested in building upon climate analytics and climate-aligned investments. 

BA Earth and Environmental Science | Wesleyan University

Yaiza Kinney seeks to bridge her scientific and communication background into effective policy surrounding ecosystem restoration/protection and food justice. She has three years of undergraduate Antarctic paleoclimate research and is a proud McNair alumni from Wesleyan University. She is passionate about the often neglected human element in the geosciences. She is a new New Yorker from VA.

BA Anthropology | University of California, San Diego

Xiaoyi is a Climate & Society major student with a strong interest in environment protection and ancient city preservation.

BA Political Science | York College at the City University of New York

Wayne studied Political Science and Environmental Science at York College, in CUNY. While there he did research to test residential soil for lead and other toxic substances in South East Queens. While participating in AmeriCorps through the Gowanus Canal Conservancy he engaged the local community as an environmental justice advocate and leader through the role of Volunteer Coordinator. Wayne moved to Washington DC to work in Resource Development for a Social Impact organization before coming to Columbia to focus on ESG, Climate Resilience Planning, and Water Resource Management.

MA Law and Diplomacy | Tufts University
MA English Literature | Mumbai University
BA Mass Media & Journalism | Mumbai University

Vishy is a former journalist with over 8+ years of reporting experience across AFP, BBC, and Global Voices. He is a May 2023 graduate from The Fletcher School specializing in climate and technology policy and Interned with UNFCCC for Cop 27 and attended the LDC5 conference in Doha. Interests: Sustainability consulting, ESG frameworks, and the role of climate finance and technology in emissions reductions. Fun tip: He interviewed the anti-Kremlin band Pussy Riot in 2019 in Serbia. Another serious tip: He was part of Ash Carter's last class at HKS on technology policy. 

BA Data Science | University of California Berkeley

After graduating from Berkeley with a degree in Data Science and Inequalities in Society, Varun spent a few years working at Citi and Amazon on social impact solutions.

BA Human Sciences | University of Oxford, St Hugh’s College

Vanshika has just finished her BA in Human Sciences at the University of Oxford. Her interests lie at the intersection of climate vulnerability and socioeconomic injustice, focusing on bolstering climate resilience across marginalised communities.

BA International and Public Affairs | Brown University

Tucker is from Rye Brook, New York. He graduated from Brown last year and is particularly interested in studying climate law and climate economics.

Greer is a 2016 C+S graduate with over fourteen years of business development and structured origination experience in the renewable energy sector. He currently serves as the Chief Commercial Officer for Arevon Energy, a company focused on utility-scale solar, battery storage, and other sustainable energy applications.

BEng Chemical Engineering | Swansea University

Timi recently graduated from Swansea University in Wales with a BEng in Chemical Engineering. Originally from London, Timi is interested in the intersection of climate science and film production. Timi worked as a student ambassador and subject rep at uni. To pass time, Timi enjoys watching films, playing netball and taking long walks.

BA Environmental Studies | Hamilton College

Tenzin is a recent graduate of Hamilton College from NYC who majored in Environmental Studies. Her interests within the field are climate justice and its intersections with global food systems as well as urban planning. Tenzin also is passionate about climate storytelling and its applications in the visual and performing arts. In their free time, they enjoy climbing, crocheting, and exploring different parts of the city.
 

BA Interdisciplinary Arts | University of Washington

Taylor was born and raised in the Seattle area. Her climate passion is to reduce waste so she loves to talk trash.

BA Culture and Media | The New School

Tara is a scuba diving instructor and climate justice activist from Manila, Philippines. Her current research is focused on marine plastic waste and its intersections between capitalism, colonialism, and classism in the Philippines.

BA International Relations and Journalism | Syracuse University

Tamara stems from a development and journalism background, most recently working in research on socioeconomic issues and political engagement in Lebanon. Previously, Tamara worked on gender equity in the media, focusing on at-risk international journalists. She graduated from Syracuse University with a dual degree in International Relations and Journalism.

MA Finance | University of Aberdeen
Bachelor of Economics in Finance | South China Normal University

Stephanie is thrilled to be here as part of the Columbia Climate School community. She has a passion for travel and outdoor adventures. Over the past year, Stephanie wrapped up her studies in the UK and embarked on an incredible journey across Europe, exploring ten cities in four countries. From attending the Cannes Film Festival in the south of France to witnessing the breathtaking collapse of glaciers in Iceland, her experiences have deeply connected her to the urgent need for climate action. Now, as she finds herself in New York, she is excited to join everyone in the collective pursuit of environmental change.

BA American Studies, Ecology, and Environmental Policy | University of California, Davis

Sophia graduated from UC Davis with a BA in American Studies, Ecology, and Environmental Policy. A Northern California native with a deep love for nature, Sophia is excited to utilize her breadth of experience in outdoor education, food management, and public relations to further highlight and manage climate mitigation and resilience efforts. 

Somayya is a 2009 C+S graduate and former Associate Director of the Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN) at Columbia University/NASA GISS. She has worked closely with urban climate scientists, Mayors’ offices, and stakeholders across the globe, helping provide climate risk information to key city decision-makers. Somayya is Co-Editor of the Second UCCRN Assessment Report (ARC3.2), a global, interdisciplinary, science-based assessment that examines climate risk, adaptation, and mitigation efforts in cities.

Simon Mason has been involved in seasonal climate forecasting research and operations since the early 1990s. He has published numerous papers on seasonal climate forecasting and verification, climate change, and southern African climate variability. He has extensive experience in the production of seasonal climate forecasts in contexts such as the Regional Climate Outlook Forums, and works closely with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to promote the definition and adoption of forecasting and verification standards through engagement in relevant WMO Expert Teams and through the WMO CLIPS Capacity Building Workshops. Mason joined the IRI in 1997, working initially at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and moving to Columbia University in 2003. Prior to joining the IRI, Mason was deputy director of the Climatology Research Group at the University of the Witwatersrand, in South Africa, where he developed empirical models for predicting southern African rainfall variability. Mason is a Visiting Senior Fellow in the Centre for Analysis of Time Series at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Mason is chief climate scientist, taking a lead role in international outreach from the IRI’s Climate Program, and leading the IRI’s disaster work. He was a member of the drafting team for the High-Level Task Force on the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), is an overall author for the GFCS Implementation Plan, and is a focal point for the IRI’s Partnership to Save Lives with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). He has been heavily involved in capacity building activities, including leading the development and support of the Climate Predictability Tool (CPT).

BSc Sustainable Development  | XIM University

Shagun recently graduated from XIM University, Bhubaneswar, India with her Bachelors in Sustainable Development. Being born and brought up on the east coast of India, Shagun is very interested in climate policy and youth engagement in climate action at various levels. She has worked on different projects that revolve around creating sustainable solutions to various environmental issues, engaging key stakeholders and front lining  youth as agents of change.

MS Environmental Policy | Sciences Po, Paris School of International Affairs
BA Social Studies | Sciences Po, Paris School of International Affairs

Born and raised in France but with a multicultural background, she has been interested in climate and sustainability from a young age. She has previously worked in various organizations including the UN Environment Program and the COP21. She is currently managing community solar programs and leading community outreach initiatives in a New York based solar company. She is especially interested in renewable energy, climate justice and equity.

BA Environmental Studies | University of Kansas

Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ryan graduated from the University of Kansas with a BA in Environmental Studies. He lived in Japan from 2017 to 2023 (Kobe, Sapporo, and Yokohama), acquiring diverse experiences and skills. He hopes to contribute to climate change mitigation and ecological awareness through nature-based solutions. He is also a musician, amateur photographer, and a lifelong learner of languages.

Roop is a Climate Risk Adviser at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre where she provides technical support to disaster managers to access, interpret and use climate risk information for decision-making. She leads the Centre's Heat Theme, advancing heat research and action planning in countries in Africa and Asia. Roop also works with the World Weather Attribution partnership on real-time extreme weather event attribution, contributing to recent studies on drought in Madagascar, heatwaves in the Pacific Northwest, and Hurricane Harvey. She is the host of the Can't Take the Heat podcast on how people can adapt to a changing climate. 

Roop holds an MA in Climate and Society from Columbia University and a BSc. in Atmospheric Science from Cornell University. 

BA International Studies | RMIT University

Riccardo is a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Australian. He completed an undergraduate program in International Studies at RMIT University and has accumulated experience working, living and studying in different countries. He aspires to work in a professional role that meaningfully addresses the climate crisis.

BA Environmental Policy | Washington University, St Louis

Raheem was born and raised in the Bronx. Raheem has always had a passion for environmental protection since a young age. Raheem studied Environmental Policy in undergrad at Washington University in St. Louis where he also advocated for various issues through protests.

BA Environmental Geoscience | University of Bristol

Poppy is from London and recently graduated from the University of Bristol with a BA in Environmental Geoscience. Poppy is interested in science and math and the application of these concepts in adapting to climate change.

BA Environmental Science and Environmental Thought and Practice | University of Virginia

Philip double majored in Environmental Science and Environmental Thought in Practice at UVA. Despite being from Virginia, he has deep roots to New York because he lived in Buffalo until 5th grade and has plenty of family who still live in New York. He has a twin who he has lived with for the past 22 years and this is the first time they will be apart; he is going to UChicago.

MA Medical Sciences | Boston University
BS Biochemistry | Long Island University

Originally from Bangladesh and now living in New York City, Nishat graduated from Boston University School of Medicine, with a Masters in Medical Sciences. After graduation, she started working in Clinical Epidemiology at Harvard Medical School, completing a two-year project to find the risk factors of a skin infection outbreak. Dedicated to public service, she founded the non-profit organization, Voices of Bangla, a movement promoting leadership skills in Bangladeshi youth around the world. During the covid19 pandemic in 2020, Nishat worked at Columbia University Public Health, in Harlem, NYC educating community members in infection control, covid 19 prevention and vaccine awareness. Currently, Nishat writes and hosts online TV programs for Turkish Journal, broadcast live from United Nations Headquarters in NYC. Her recent program is Oceans R U, covering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. She also served as Secretary of the Youth Steering Committee of the United Nations Department of Global Communication NGO Relations (UN DGC/NGO).

MA Finance | University of Aberdeen
B.Econ in Finance | South China Normal University

MA Management and Sustainable Development | University of St. Andrews

Nina just completed her undergraduate studies in Sustainable Development and Management at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Nina is originally from South Africa and currently lives in Singapore.

BA Environmental Science | Colorado College

Niko recently graduated from Colorado College with a BA in Environmental Science. Before coming to Columbia, he worked at National Ecological Observation Network in Alaska and Flathead Lake Biological Station in Montana, working on stream and aquatic ecology and biogeochemistry. Niko is looking forward to meeting all his fellow classmates and is very excited about this upcoming year!

BS Mathematical Economics and Public Policy | Gettysburg College

Nicholas' research focuses on environmental economics and the role of the environment in shaping the development of societies. Using applied econometric techniques, combined with climate science, remote sensing, and political science methods, he studies climate change's impact on community development and disaster mitigation.

BTech Agricultural Engineering | College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology
M.Sc. Water Policy & Governance | Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Navin is an engineer, researcher and a development practitioner who works at the interface of environment, agriculture and water. He has experience in planning and implementing community-based conservation initiatives and social development research projects for NGOs, CSOs and CSRs. He is an alumnus of the esteemed Tata Institute of Social Sciences(TISS); holding a master's degree in water policy & governance and also boasts a solid academic foundation in agricultural engineering.
 

MSc Culinary Leadership and Innovation | Institut Paul Bocuse and Haaga-Helia Polytechnic University
BA International Management | Warwick University

Nastassja is half Belgian, half Slovak and has been living in NYC for the past 5+ years. She has a bachelor degree in international management and a masters degree in food innovation & foodservice management. Her professional experience is in consulting; initially on commercial and sales strategies, and more recently in Sustainability. She enjoys cooking a lot and everything that goes with it; sourcing produce, finding ways to optimize your food basket etc! She is excited to start this program, which she will be doing part time, to further develop her climate change skills as it relates to agriculture and wider food ecosystems.

BA Program in the Environment | University of Michigan

Naazneen, originally from D.C., graduated from the University of Michigan this past Spring, where she majored in Environmental Studies.

Mingfang Ting joined Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in August 2003 from the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she worked for ten years as Assistant and Associate Professor. She has taught many undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Illinois, ranging from introduction to meteorology to advanced atmospheric dynamics. Dr. Ting’s main research interests include the impact of global climate change on regional scales and teleconnection dynamics, modeling and diagnostics of the climatological and anomalous stationary waves and the impact of sea surface temperatures on global climate, as well as the dynamics of the droughts and floods circulation due to both natural and anthropogenic causes. She received her Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at Princeton University in 1990

Biasutti graduated with a "laurea" diploma in physics from the University of Trieste (Italy) in 1995. After short stints at COLA (Calverton, MD) and IMGA (Modena, Italy, now INVG), she went to Seattle for graduate school. Biasutti received an MS (2000) and PhD (2003) from the Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Washington. 

Since January 2004 Biasutti has work at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, first as a post-doc under the supervision of Adam Sobel and Yochanan Kushnir, and from 2007 as a Doherty Associate Research Scientist and Lamont Associate Research Professor.

MBA | Rice University
MSc Subsurface Geoscience and Exploration Geophysics | Rice University
BS Geology | Towson University

Michael earned a BS. in Geology from Towson University, an MSc. in Subsurface Geoscience and Exploration Geophysics from Rice University, and an MBA from the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice. Michael has a decade of experience in the energy industry focused on hydrocarbon exploration and upstream operations.  

BS Business Science, Marketing | University of Cape Town

Meghan’s experience as a sustainability reporting consultant in Africa’s mineral resources sector has taken her from corporate boardroom engagements to interviewing communities in the Kalahari desert and traveling 2.6km underground. She is a certified Global Reporting Initiative Practitioner and holds the IFRS Foundation's Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting Credential. Now, by supplementing her business science background with climate science foundations, she intends to catalyze action towards the just energy transition.
 

BS Cellular Biology | University of Georgia

Maya's background in cellular biology powers her passion for protecting the natural world. She enjoys working with consumer goods brands, especially in fashion and wellness, to further sustainability strategy, material innovation, and sustainability reporting. Before coming to Columbia, Maya worked with two startups focused on skincare and product sustainability grading while completing her Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) certification. In her spare time, she enjoys mushroom foraging!

BS Environmental Science and BA Anthropology | Willamette University

Marion is originally from Molokai, HI and graduated from Willamette University with a B.S in environmental science and a B.A in anthropology. She now works as the Co-Director of the Clackamas County Chapter for a small non-profit called Unite Oregon, focusing on community-based climate justice work. 

BS International Business | Northeastern University

She is a passionate student about climate change and its impact on society. She is particularly interested in the reduction of CO2 emissions and the decarbonization of the energy and oil industries. She is very intrigued by the energy transition and looking forward to learning about how businesses have transformed into sustainable companies. 

BA Sociology | Ithaca College

Maria graduated from Ithaca College in 2020. After graduation they had the opportunity to work in the outdoor industry and sexual violence prevention. They are looking forward to fostering their love for ideas and tangible action this upcoming year.

BA Journalism and Intercultural Communication | Baruch College

Lylia Saurel is a current graduate student at Columbia Climate School, majoring in Climate & Society and a former writer for The RICC magazine, where she covered climate and science. Her work has also appeared in The Ticker, D&S Magazine and others. She is an alumni from Baruch College, where she received her dual BA in Creative Journalism and International communications and was awarded Institutional Investor in Journalism. She was born and raised in the French Alps and in her free time enjoys any outdoor activities. She also loves yoga, neuroscience reading and cats.

Lumari is a 2009 C+S graduate and a PhD in Geography from UC Santa Barbara, with experience in both academia and the private sector. She has worked on fieldwork campaigns relating to the food-water-energy nexus, as well as climate change vulnerability. She is currently working with unregulated companies in the mining, agriculture, chemical, and forestry industries to generate voluntary emission reductions.

BA Environmental Studies | Stetson University

Luma earned a BA in Environmental Studies from Stetson University (2022), along with minors in political science and sustainable food systems. She is passionate about the intersection of sustainability, climate change, urban development, and community resilience, and plans to pursue work utilizing policy and data to foster equitable, sustainable solutions.

MA Climate Change and Global Sustainability | School of International Training
BA Policy Studies and Geology | Lafayette College

Born and raised in New York City, Lucie studied Global Environmental Policy and Geology at Lafayette College. She has spent the past year traveling, studying, and researching the humanitarian intersection of the climate crisis around the world earning a Global Master of Arts from the School for International Training. She likes to play chess, ski, paint, and eat overpriced pastries from various NYC cafes.

BA Sustainable Development | Columbia University

Lucas is a NY-er who recently graduated from Columbia undergrad where he studied sustainable development and physics. While his interests range, he's primarily looking to understand how climate models factor into financing the energy transition. Lucas also likes to dance salsa and other latin styles, play volleyball, and enjoy the many things NYC has to offer.

BS Hospitality and Tourism Management | University of Massachusetts Amherst

Since graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2016, Lily has worked in the hospitality industry with Marriott, WeWork, and now FLOWERBX. Specializing in customer service, logistics, and business strategy, she plans to leverage these skills to improve food systems in developing communities amidst climate change.

BA Diaspora and Transnational Studies | University of Toronto

Leah has recently graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Diaspora and Transnational Studies with minors in Environmental Studies and African Studies. Leah’s interdisciplinary undergraduate degree led her to take interest in the energy transition and its impact on African nations, such as the D.R.C. After living in London (U.K) and Toronto, Leah is excited to see what New York has in store.

MBA Concentration in Banking and Finance | German Jordanian University
BS Management Information Systems | University of Petra

Layalee is a business professional by trade and an advocate for an equitable and just transition by choice. She has been working in business strategy for 17 years in the Middle East and North America, of which the last six were in sustainability.

BA Geography and Sustainability | Miami University

Kyle recently graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with a BA in Geography and Sustainability. Originally from New Jersey, Kyle is interested in the relationship between the built and natural environment, and how that relationship affects climate. Since graduating, Kyle has worked for an international law firm.

BA Government | Georgetown University

Kristen is originally from Denver, Colorado. She got her BA at Georgetown University in Government and Justice & Peace Studies. She has spent the past 3 years post-grad at a small consulting firm, where working with clients on their sustainability commitments catalyzed her desire to work in the climate space. She is interested in working in corporate decarbonization and sustainability, with a particular interest in circularity.

Other interests of hers include oil/acrylic painting, tennis, fashion, and French.

BA Business Administration | University of Georgia

Kevin was born and raised in Austin, TX. Kevin moved to NYC after graduating from the University of Georgia. Since then Kevin has worked in Media, Politics, and Entertainment, and through this degree Kevin is hoping to learn more about how climate intersects with both media and finance.

BA International Relations | Jagiellonian University

Katarzyna graduated from Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland and was an exchange student at SciencesPo in Paris, France. Her academic interests include synergies between climate change and urban development, human rights and accessibility of climate policy-making. Throughout the years, Katarzyna has advocated for meaningful youth participation at all levels of governance. She is an initiator and a former president of the Polish Youth Climate Council and she coordinated youth engagement at the 11th session of the World Urban Forum as the president of WUF11 Youth Council. Katarzyna is a member of the Transdisciplinary Advisory Board of JPI Climate and the Council on Environment, Energy and Natural Resources to the President of Poland. 

Karoline is a 2015 C+S graduate who specializes in sustainable finance, with a focus on climate. She currently works PwC, where she advises asset managers, banks, and insurance companies on net zero strategies and climate risk. Prior to this, she worked at KPMG, where she authored a whitepaper on green and digital start-ups in Europe for the World Economic Forum. She started her career at Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), where she developed financial instruments with the aim to catalyze adaptation and mitigation finance in developing markets.

MS Sustainable Environmental Management | University of Salamanca
BS Astrophysics | Haverford College

Karla holds a B.S. in Astrophysics from Haverford College and is completing a master’s in Sustainable Environmental Management at the University of Salamanca. With the knowledge gained at the Climate School, Karla hopes to create a protective infrastructure for small island states that allows island communities to flourish, fueled by Karla’s experiences growing up in Puerto Rico.

BS Environmental Studies | The New School

Julio’s intellectual interests lie in the social dynamics that have pushed and continue to push Earth’s ecological system into crisis. His political interests lie in implementing policy in the developing world to prevent climate caused problems like land degradation, declining crop yields, extreme vulnerability to climate, heat strokes, etc.

BA Sociology | Boston College

Julia recently graduated from Boston College with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Environmental Studies. With her undergraduate studies focusing on environmental sociology and environmental justice, she looks forward to expanding her knowledge on various climate issues in order to address climate change holistically. Her current interests lie in corporate sustainability, ESG, environmental health, and ocean-based climate solutions. With previous experiences ranging from academic research to working in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, she is eager to find her niche to champion for a healthy and sustainable world.

BS Recording and Allied Entertainment Studies | Syracuse University

Josie is an educator, activist, and documentary filmmaker. She is the co-founder of Catastrophe Media, a platform that sheds light on social and environmental catastrophes while highlighting the joy found within individuals and movements that are creatively responding to these issues. She is passionate about  climate justice, storytelling, and intersectional environmentalism. At Columbia Climate School, she is committed to gaining more scientific knowledge to integrate into her work focusing on storytelling and climate communication.

MSc International Development Studies | University of Amsterdam
LLM Finance and Law | Duisenberg School of Finance
BSc Finance | Nova Southeastern University
BSc Accounting & Finance | Cardiff University

Jonelle was born in Brooklyn, NY but grew up between there and Georgetown, Guyana. She studied abroad in Wales, UK for undergrad and later Amsterdam, Netherlands for grad school. She is now currently based in New York City working on Global Environmental and Social Risk Management at JPMorgan Chase. Historically, she has worked in the Netherlands focused on impact investing in Africa and the Middle East, as well as sustainable finance in other emerging and developed markets covering climate adaptation and responsible supply chain management. She has experience on internationally targeted research and projects specializing in financial inclusion of refugees, and is passionate about the intersection between development and finance.

Jonathan is a 2012 C+S graduate and a climate change lawyer at Resilient LLP, a boutique law firm specializing exclusively in climate change, clean energy, and Indigenous law. Jonathan assists clients on climate strategy, carbon transactions, ESG, clean energy projects, cleantech development, and climate finance, and regularly attends and advises on the UNFCCC negotiations. He lives in Toronto.

BA Environmental Science | Columbia University

Jonathan majored in Environmental Science as part of the 2023 graduating class of Columbia College. He is originally from Philadelphia where he grew up. Aside from pursuing further education surrounding climate change, he also produces and mixes music, plays electric bass, and plays the piano.

BS in Public Health | University of South Florida

Prior to coming to Columbia, Joey worked at the CLEO institute and is an AmeriCorps VISTA alum. Joey is also a veteran of the United States Navy and attended the Defense Language Institute. 


 

BS Business and Finance| New York University, Shanghai

Jiayi studied at NYU Shanghai with a major in Business & Finance. She has interned as both buy-side and sell-side research analysts. Her interest and passion for climate and energy are inspired by her professors and she can’t wait to further her knowledge in the sustainable sector for investments.

BS Economics and Finance | Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Jiangyu Yan is from the Shandong Province in China. His areas of focus include climate prediction and sustainable management.

BS Accounting | National Chengchi University

Jessica majored in Accounting and worked as a financial advisor and specialized in topics like renewable energy, government, and infrastructure before she became a student here. Besides, she has experience in social impact measurement, and sustainability reporting and assurance. Jessica is interested in climate finance, corporate sustainability, and environmental law and policy.

BA International Environmental Sciences | University of Tokyo

Jerry is a graduate from University of Tokyo in environmental sciences. Passionate about environmental protection and climate change mitigation, he aims to contribute to sustainable practices.

MS Integrated Marketing | Northwestern University
BA Advertising & Marketing and Political Science | Syracuse University

Jerry’s background is in marketing and media.  He’s interested in improving the discourse surrounding the climate crisis and seeks to lend his storytelling and brand-marketing skillset to help shape the conversation for public and private organizations.  A New York native, he resides in Westchester with his wife and three children.

BA Environmental Policy and Music | Washington University in St. Louis

Jasen is a recent graduate of Washington University in St. Louis where he majored in environmental policy and music. He is very passionate about both of these topics, particularly as they pertain to environmental justice and DIY/punk/Midwest emo music respectively.

BEng Mechanical Engineering | Dartmouth College

BA Psychology | Skidmore College

Jack is from New York City and went to Skidmore and studied psychology and physics then Dartmouth for Mechanical Engineering. His family has a dairy, hemp and cannabis farm in upstate New York and he was a chef for a year. He is really interested in energy systems and energy efficiency.

BA Theatre Arts | Butler University

Ian is a Cincinnati, OH native who studied theatre performance, playwriting, and costume design, but pivoted from making art to live in the Sierra Mountains maintaining trails, planting native habitat, installing greywater and rainwater systems, reforesting burn scars, and studying permaculture. His focus is on nature-based solutions, carbon sequestration through healthy soil, and climate storytelling.

BS Environmental Science | University of California, Berkeley

Hellas is a recent graduate of UC Berkeley, majoring in Environmental Sciences with a double-minor in Sustainable Design and Climate Science. Originally from Hong Kong, her academic interests revolve around how changing climate dynamics contribute to urban risks and consequently, strategies to improve cities' adaptation and resilience efforts. With experience in scientific research, environmental consulting and community outreach, she's motivated to create sustainable and resilient urban built environments. She also figure skates, competing in the US Figure Skating intercollegiate series. 

Gustavo is a 2012 C+S graduate, anthropologist, sound artist, and filmmaker. He has carried out fieldwork in the Andes, collaborated in scientific expeditions to obtain ice cores from mountain glaciers, worked as a field producer for BBC’s Frozen Planet II, and participated as a chapter scientist in the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report.

BA Environmental Studies | Wesleyan University

Grayson spent two years in New York working in market research at AlphaSights. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 2021 with a BA in Environmental Studies and the College of Social Studies, a multidisciplinary program in history, government, and economics. Grayson is particularly interested in renewable energy, sustainable development, and climate finance. He enjoys hiking, camping, baseball, and reading." 

BS Urban Forestry | University of British Columbia

Grace did her undergrad at University of British Columbia and graduated with a bachelor degree in Urban Forestry in 2022. She is particularly interested in sustainable urban planning and development with nature-based solutions under climate change.

Gerald provides career coaching to students in Columbia Climate School's MA in Climate & Society and oversees employer engagement. They are continually activating and expanding the employer network in order to source opportunities for students to work on climate and sustainability challenges.

Before joining the Climate School, Gerald worked in graduate career placement at Columbia Engineering for six years. They coached students from the Master of Science in Business Analytics, a highly-competitive joint program between Columbia Engineering and Columbia Business School. Gerald also cultivated hundreds of recruiting partnerships and sourced career opportunities for a third of the Engineering School.

Gerald is a Columbia alum, having graduated with a Master of Arts in Adult Learning & Leadership from the Department of Organization & Leadership at Teachers College. Through this program, they learned to design, facilitate, and evaluate learning initiatives for individuals, organizations, and communities.

BA Journalism and Mass Communication | Arizona State University

Fiona is a sustainability communicator driving sustainable change in the motorsports industry. It all started during her time in NASA’s newsroom, where she discovered that storytelling about science excites curiosity and exposes audiences to technologies that help solve society’s most pressing problems. Fiona has worked with six professional news organizations and NGOs, as well as conducted research about community media landscapes and climate change. She graduated summa cum laude from ASU in 2023.

BA Law and Political Science | Herat University

LLM Environmental Law | State University of New York, Buffalo

Farida, an Afghan Fulbright scholar holds a master's in environmental law from University at Buffalo School of Law (UBLaw) and BA in Law & Political Science from Herat University. She has actively promoted environmental justice & sustainability through roles as a program specialist at UBLaw, an environmental justice fellow at Niagara University and an environmental law lecturer at Herat University. Her research focuses on climate change, security and gender nexus.

BS in Mechanical Engineering | Universitas Indonesia

Prior to being accepted to Columbia, Fabio worked as a consultant and studied philosophy and engineering at KU Leuven as a funded exchange student.

BS Environmental Science and Policy | University of Maryland

Evan is currently a Legislative Assistant for Representative Kathy Castor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Evan is passionate about making inclusive policy for all, that addresses the climate crisis in an equitable manner. Outside of work he enjoys running, music, being outdoors, and introducing friends to Vegan food.

BS Environmental Economics and Policy and Public Policy | University of California, Berkeley

Eman is from the bay area in California and also from Lahore, Pakistan. She just completed her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley where she studied Environmental Economics and Policy and Public Policy. She is very passionate about bridging the gap between climate change research and global climate justice issues, and she wants to pursue a career that's more focused on building better international climate policy.

BS Biology | Cornell University

Elizabeth graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Biology this past May. She is excited to build upon her passion for conservation and climate policy.

BA Business and Biology | Brandeis University

Diya is very happy to join everything in Climate School for the Climate and Society program. She graduated from Brandeis University recently and has been working with environmental non-profits. Besides that, she also loves going to art museums and art fairs.

BA Business Administration | Sogang University

Dasom is a corporate sustainability professional. She has a deep passion for corporate impact and climate action and has been working at Samsung Electronics Corporate Sustainability Center and Mobile Division for about 12 years. She graduated from Sogang University in Korea with a degree in Business Administration.

BS Environmental Science | Saint Joseph's University

Daphne is a recent graduate from University of the Sciences, now Saint Joseph's University, where she studied Environmental Science and minored in Bioinformatics. With previous research experience in environmental microbiology, climate change, and soil science, she aims to collaborate with students, faculty, and experts and work in an interdisciplinary field to understand and make progress on climate change issues. Her interests focus on climate remediation and the impact of climate change on soil and agriculture. 

BA Global Affairs | Yale University

Clare is from Toronto, Canada and has spent the past two years in Amsterdam, working for Boston Consulting Group. At BCG, she has worked primarily on climate and sustainability work, including a report for the World Economic Forum on natural climate solutions carbon credits. Clare graduated from Yale University in 2021. In her free time, she enjoys seeing friends, playing squash, and writing.

MA Public Policy Leadership | Georgetown University
MPA | Texas Southern University
BA Political Science | Texas Southern University

Texas native, Christina Sanders, is the Founder of the PoliChic Engagement Fund, where she helps women get involved in electoral and policy advocacy. Christina assisted The White House in developing engagement programs and was featured in Marie Claire for successes in expanding voter rights. She is an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. member and an Alumna of Georgetown and Texas Southern Universities.

BA Sustainable Development | Columbia University

Christina is a recent graduate from the Sustainable Development program at Columbia University. With previous research experience using Geographic Information System methods, she is very interested in the intersection of remote sensing and spatial analysis techniques with conservation.

Catherine Vaughan is a senior staff associate at the IRI, where she has worked since 2008.

As part of her responsibilities at the IRI, Cathy serves as program manager for the Climate Services Partnership, an informal interdisciplinary network working to improve the use of climate information for societal decision-making around the world. In this capacity, Cathy facilitates virtual and in-person collaboration to improve the practice and performance of climate services: leading a range of communication efforts; supporting working groups on ethics, evaluation, and research priorities; and organizing the last four International Conferences on Climate Services.

BA Anthropology and Gender Studies | Columbia University School of General Studies

Cassidy has a deep interest in the intersection of gender and climate justice, which stems from her undergraduate Gender Studies degree and her work experience at a nonprofit that organizes events on global issues. As a former ballet dancer, Cassidy also enjoys finding creative ways to approach her work.

BA Comparative Cultures & Politics and Social Relations & Policy | Michigan State University

Camille graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in Comparative Cultures & Politics and Social Relations & Policy. Born and raised in Northern Michigan and surrounded by the Great Lakes, Camille's passion for environmental justice and conservation has been fostered from an early age. Before studying at Columbia, she worked on research projects with partners of the National Park Service.

BA Environmental Analysis Policy | Pitzer College

Cameron is a recent graduate of Pitzer College where she earned a bachelor's degree in Environmental Analysis with a concentration in Environmental Policy, and a minor in Political Studies. Her academic interests focus on the connection between scientific innovation and policymaking to combat global climate change and climate injustices. In her free time, Cameron enjoys cooking, swimming at the beach, and taking walks with her miniature poodle, Jasper. 

BS Astrophysics | Tufts University

Brigitte graduated from Tufts University with a BS in Astrophysics and a minor in geoscience. She has recently been living in Portland, Maine working as an educator at the Children’s Museum. With a background in planetary science, Brigitte is excited to focus on education and communication within climate science. 

Brian is a journalist covering climate change. Brian works at Earther, a G/O Media site, where he's currently the managing editor after serving as a senior reporter for two years.

In previous lives, he was an educator at the deepest lake in the U.S., a sleigh ride naturalist giving tours through a herd of 7,000 elk and a ski bum acrossthewesternU.S. He has a BA in photography and anthropology from Hampshire College. He also hold an MA in Climate and Society from Columbia University.

BA Engineering Sciences and BE Biological Engineering | Dartmouth College

Ben graduated from Dartmouth College in 2020 with a BA in Engineering Sciences and a BE in Biological Engineering. He then moved to San Francisco where he managed and taught classes at a ceramics studio for one year before working in a vegan animal protein biotech lab. He’s passionate about regenerative food systems and spends his free time rock climbing outside, organizing community dinners and making art.

As an anthropologist, Ben Orlove has conducted field work in the Peruvian Andes since the 1970s and carried out research in East Africa, the Italian Alps, and Aboriginal Australia. His early work focused on agriculture, fisheries, and rangelands. More recently, he has studied climate change and glacier retreat, with an emphasis on water, natural hazards, and the loss of iconic landscapes. In addition to numerous academic articles and books, he has published a memoir and a book of travel writing.

Orlove teaches in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Master’s Program in Climate and Society, for which he also serves as co-director. He is a senior research scientist at the IRI, and one of four co-directors of the Center for Research in Environmental Decisions.

BA Economics | Grinnell College

Ben grew up in Michigan and Virginia, and has worked in climate tech (energy/efficiency) since 2017 after graduating from Grinnell College. He became involved in the energy & environmental justice movements while living in Detroit, and hopes to learn at the Climate School how to make the global clean energy transition more equitable.

Avalon is a 2018 C+S graduate who specializes in the intersection of equity, workforce, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. They currently work on the Labor Leading on Climate Team at Cornell University’s ILR School, where they conduct climate labor research and policy development to move forward a just transition that builds equity and uplifts working people while transitioning to a green economy.

BS International Politics & Government | Bocconi University

Asya's interest in environmental issues stems from her past as a national sailor seeing plastic pollution first hand and trying to find ways to create institutional change in sailing to decrease her sport's negative impact and raise awareness. Growing up in Istanbul, she just finished her bachelors in International Politics at Bocconi University in Italy where she spent her last semester in Australia for exchange.

LLB Law | Durham University

Astha is from Beaconsfield, UK. She has a social-sciences background, with a Law undergraduate degree from Durham University, but also has several years of experience as a climate activist. She is excited to transition towards a holistic approach to climate studies.  

Arpit is a 2014 C+S graduate with nearly a decade of climate policy and environmental market experience. Currently, he is part of Amazon’s central sustainable transportation team which is responsible for coordinating company-wide efforts for transportation decarbonization to help meet the Shipment Zero and the Climate Pledge goals.

BS Human Sciences | University College London

Arpana Giritharan earned her bachelor's degree in human sciences from University College London in 2021. She is a research assistant at Columbia Climate School, exploring the landscape of blue carbon opportunities. Previously, she was a policy adviser at Green Alliance, a think tank in Westminster, London focused on ambitious political leadership for the environment, where she worked in the ‘Greening the Economy' theme with a focus on green finance and green jobs. She has worked as a research assistant at the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources on carbon offsetting and greenwashing. After her undergraduate degree, she was selected for the Molchanov Sustainability Internship at Chatham House (The Royal Institute for International Affairs) where her work focused on climate diplomacy. Additionally, Arpana has worked at UNEP-WCMC on sustainable land-use finance and Oceanswell on marine conservation and fisheries. She volunteered as a Science on a Sphere® Facilitator at the Science Museum in London over the last two years, educating visitors on ocean acidification. Arpana is from Colombo, Sri Lanka.

After graduating from the University of Leeds, UK, with a BS in mathematics and geography, Andrew Robertson received an MS from Imperial College, London in atmospheric physics and dynamics, and a PhD in atmospheric dynamics from the University of Reading in 1984, under the supervision of Brian Hoskins. He held postdoctoral and research positions at the Universities of Paris, Munich, and UCLA prior to joining the IRI in 2001.

Robertson currently leads the IRI Climate Group. He also teaches in the Master of Arts Program in Climate and Society in the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences.

Kruczkiewicz graduated from Columbia University specializing in remote sensing and mapping of atmospheric and meteorological variables. He interned for NASA and IRI developing algorithms to monitor inundation and land cover in East Africa, with a focus on applications for the health and humanitarian sectors. Before Columbia, Andrew studied finance at Fairfield University and meteorology at Western Connecticut State University.

Kruczkiewicz is part of the Environmental Monitoring Program and Disasters Team at the IRI, aiding in the development and integration of environmental remote sensing products into early warning systems for human health, agriculture and disasters. He also aids the IRI Data Library in the development of map rooms and supports the ACToday Project managing relationships with the humanitarian community, including Red Cross. Andrew is the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre focal point at the IRI.

BA Political Science | Swarthmore College

Andie is a recent Swarthmore College graduate with a BA in Political Science. She was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She is a retired D3 lacrosse player and an avid Houston sports fan. Her academic interests focus on Environmental law and policy, and she hopes to pursue a JD after Climate and Society.

BA Environmental Studies | Yale - NUS College

Amanda graduated from Yale-NUS College in Singapore with a BA in Environmental Studies. Her interests revolve around climate modeling and the intersection of climate prediction studies with AI. Outside of academics, she enjoys baking, hiking, and exploring different cafes.

BS Environment and Sustainability | Cornell University

Alora is a recent graduate of Cornell University where she earned a BS in Environment and Sustainability and minored in Law & Society. She is interested in the ways that policy can be leveraged as a tool for comprehensive climate solutions. She is originally from Northern California but has been living in New York state for the past four years while she was studying at Cornell and working at the campus' Sustainability Office where she helped to manage sustainability programs for students, faculty, and staff on campus. She can't wait to start another journey in understanding climate solutions!

BA History | Columbia University

Alexandra is a bilingual energy sector professional specialized in communications and government affairs, with work experience in four countries. Currently, she leads communications for nonprofit RMI’s work decarbonizing heavy industry and transport, covering the steel, cement, shipping, aviation and chemicals sectors, as well as green hydrogen and carbon dioxide removal technologies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Columbia College, Columbia University. Her home for the last 15 years has been Mexico City, where she lives with her husband, three kids, and giant dog.

BS Health Promotion and Disease Prevention | University of Southern California

Alessandra’s environmentalism and interest in climate change law sprung from her passion for trail and mountain running, a hobby she picked up while living in France. She was there for five years working as a musician and returned to the US a year ago. She currently works at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office on an employment misclassification case against Uber and Lyft. She is excited to gain a foundation in climate science and learn more about the intersection of law, energy, and conservation.

Aisha Owusu is the Assistant Dean of Student Services in the College of Atmospheric and Geographical Sciences at the University of Oklahoma. She was previously a Career Development Advisor for NYC-based non-profit, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, helping high-performing and achieving students of color prepare for the rigor, cultural nuances, fit, competitiveness and rewards (and disappointments) of Corporate America. She also moonlights as a Health and Climate Consultant for the World Meteorological Organization and World Health Organization where she works with meteorological agencies to help improve the quality, availability, accessibility, and use of climate data (i.e. climate services) and uses these climate services, products and tools to help countries interpret and integrate climate data into sound health policy. Additionally, she creates country-specific climate and health training for various public health agencies and ministries of health. 

She was formerly a Health and Climate Associate Researcher of the CIPHA (Climate Information for Public Health Action) team and the Deputy Lead of Senegal and Ethiopia of the ACToday (Adapting Agriculture to Climate Today, for Tomorrow) project for the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) within Columbia University’s Earth Institute. 

MSc Built Environment | International Islamic University Malaysia
BA Urban and Regional Planning | International Islamic University Malaysia

Afiqah has more than five years of experience as a Chief of Staff in the office of a Minister and a Member of Parliament, as a successful political Campaign Manager, and as a State-level political candidate with interests in Climate Resilience, Equitable City, Community Empowerment, Public Policy, and progressive Islam.