Urban Environment Lab
Today's Research on the Challenges of Sustainable Development
The current social context surrounding climate change is ushering in a new era of land use, planning, and development, one that reconsiders the role of natural disasters, natural resources, and environmental impacts on the communities in which we live. The Urban Environment Lab engages students, policy-makers, and research partners in collaborative projects and discussions on the determinants of hazard vulnerability, community resilience, sustainable development, and infrastructure adaptation at the intersection of the natural, social, and built environments.
State of the Planet
- Women in Science: Paleoceanographer Apollonia Arellano February 12, 2026Arellano uses geochemical analyses to reconstruct deep ocean circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean.Olga Rukovets
- Women in Science: Geochemist Terry Plank February 12, 2026Award-winning geochemist and volcanologist Terry Plank studies the phenomena shaping the Earth’s crust and how they affect the world’s volcanoes.Olga Rukovets
- Women in Science: Disaster Preparedness Researcher Das Dores Ngueussie Ngamini February 12, 2026Ngamini uses her background in atmospheric sciences and climate modeling to support research and solutions for climate adaptation and disaster preparedness.Olga Rukovets
- Women in Science: Climate Impact Researcher Sanketa Kadam February 11, 2026In honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re featuring Kadam, who researches compound extreme events in India and their impacts on crops and farmland.Olga Rukovets
- Celebrating the 2026 International Day of Women and Girls in Science February 11, 2026In honor of this year’s theme, “Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls,” we're highlighting just some of the exceptional women researchers from the Columbia Climate School.Columbia Climate School