Columbia University
Recent News About Columbia University
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Statement from Columbia University President Minouche Shafik
Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has addressed the Columbia community in a statement outlining the core principles of the university and the ongoing issues faced on campus. In the statement, President Shafik expressed a commitment to ensuring the safety of all community members while upholding academic freedom and the right to express diverse viewpoints.President Shafik acknowledged the challenges faced by Jewish students and others on campus, emphasizing their value and importance within the Columbia community. Despite efforts to reach a resolution in...
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Statement from Columbia University Leaders Addressing Campus Tensions
In a joint statement released on April 26, 2024, David Greenwald, Claire Shipman, Minouche Shafik, and Angela Olinto, prominent figures at Columbia University, addressed the current tensions and disruptions on campus.The leaders emphasized their commitment to upholding the academic mission while ensuring campus safety and fairness in rule enforcement. They expressed concern about recent events and reiterated their stance on not bringing back the NYPD to campus, citing potential escalation and threats to the community.Acknowledging the challenges faced by students amidst...
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With Hybrid Brains, These Mice Smell Like a Rat
Researchers led by Columbia’s Kristin Baldwin have created mice with hybrid brains—part mouse, part rat—that sense the odors of the world with their rat neurons. The study, published in the journal Cell, marks the first time an animal has been able to use the sensory apparatus of another species to sense and respond accurately to the world.Baldwin, a professor of genetics & development at Columbia University, explains, “This research is starting to show us how we can expand the flexibility of a brain so that it can accommodate other kinds of inputs, from human-machine...
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Columbia University President Addresses Campus Encampment and Safety Concerns
Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:In a recent communication, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik addressed the ongoing situation at the Morningside campus, where student activists have established an encampment on the West Lawn for nearly four days. Shafik emphasized the importance of free speech and the right to demonstrate but highlighted the safety concerns and disruptions caused by the encampment.Shafik stated, "It is essential that we move forward with a plan to dismantle it," underscoring the need to address the encampment promptly....
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Statement from Columbia University President Minouche Shafik
Columbia University President, Minouche Shafik, addressed the Columbia community on April 22, 2024, expressing deep concern over recent events on the campus.Shafik acknowledged the challenges the community is facing, stating, "There is a terrible conflict raging in the Middle East with devastating human consequences." She emphasized the importance of open dialogue and compromise, saying, "Let’s sit down and talk and argue and find ways to compromise on solutions."In response to the escalating tensions, Shafik announced, "I am announcing that all classes will be held...
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Columbia University Commits to Reducing Food-Related Carbon Emissions by 25 Percent by 2030
Columbia University has announced its commitment to reducing food-related carbon emissions by 25 percent by the year 2030, joining forces with the NYC Mayor's Office and other institutions in the Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge. The initiative aims to tackle carbon emissions stemming from food procurement and consumption to contribute to a more sustainable future.Mayor Eric Adams expressed gratitude towards the participants, stating, “Thank you for stepping up and saying ‘we can do better,’ because we can. Together, we can do great things.”In a significant move last...
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A Statistician Shares the Best Things About Her Field
Tian Zheng, the chair of the Statistics department at Columbia University, shared insights into the field of statistics and her ongoing work in a recent interview with Columbia News. Zheng, who was recently named a fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, discussed various aspects of statistics, including its intersection with artificial intelligence and machine learning.Zheng highlighted the department's focus on the statistical foundations of artificial intelligence and data science, emphasizing the importance of integrating research and...
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Columbia SIPA’s Sadie Brownlee Aims to Help Migrants and Refugees
Columbia SIPA’s Sadie Brownlee Aims to Help Migrants and RefugeesApr 18 2024Sadie Brownlee, a student at Columbia School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), is driven by her passion for refugee advocacy and human rights. Brownlee, who is pursuing a Masters of International Affairs with a concentration in Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy, shares her journey and aspirations.Brownlee's dedication to the cause of migrants and refugees dates back to her childhood. She explains, "Ever since I was a kid, I have been passionate about the plight of migrants and...
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Postpartum Medicaid Coverage and the Black Maternal Health Crisis
Today marks the last day of Black Maternal Health week, a time to raise awareness about the deplorably high rate of maternal mortality among Black women in the United States. In response to this crisis, a key policy change has been the extension of Pregnancy Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months in 46 states. Teresa Janevic, an associate professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, acknowledges this as a major accomplishment, stating, "Such national consensus is a major accomplishment and should be applauded."However,...
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Four Columbians Win Guggenheim Fellowships
Four Columbia professors have been selected as recipients of Guggenheim Fellowships, enabling them to embark on independent projects of their choice. These scholars are part of a distinguished group of 188 individuals from the United States and Canada chosen for the 2024 fellowship from a pool of over 3,000 applicants.Bruno Bosteels, Acting Dean of Humanities, and Jesse and George Siegel Professor in the Humanities, Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures, will delve into the social function of literature and explore literature as a set of forms of reality....
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Columbians Witnessed, and Documented, Eclipse Totality
Columbians Witnessed, and Documented, Eclipse TotalityApr 12, 2024Students, faculty, and staff ventured beyond New York City to witness eclipse totality this week, and showed us what they saw. Earlier this week, hundreds of Columbians gathered on our campuses to witness the solar eclipse as it briefly blotted out most of the sun above New York City. But some of our University's most intrepid and astronomy-enthusiastic denizens decided they wanted to experience the total eclipse, and so they ventured into the path of totality, which ran diagonally across North America...
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Newly Found Genetic Variant Defends Against Alzheimer’s Disease
Caghan Kizil, PhD, a co-leader of the study at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, highlighted the significance of the discovery of a genetic variant that reduces the odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to 70%. According to Kizil, the protective variant identified in the fibronectin gene seems to prevent the buildup of excess fibronectin at the blood-brain barrier, which could lead to a new direction in therapeutic development for Alzheimer's disease.Richard Mayeux, MD, chair of neurology at Columbia University, emphasized the...
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The Associated Press in Nazi Germany
The book "Newshawks in Berlin" sheds light on the challenging environment faced by journalists reporting from Nazi Germany. Written by Larry Heinzerling, Randy Herschaft, and Ann Cooper, a professor emeritus at Columbia Journalism School, the book uncovers the compromises made by the Associated Press (AP) to continue reporting under the Nazi regime.In a recent interview with Columbia News, Ann Cooper discussed the book "Newshawks in Berlin" and shared insights into the journalistic dilemmas faced during that era. Cooper highlighted the debate journalists face in...
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New Research Highlights Inequities in Diagnosis, Treatment of Postpartum Depressive Symptoms
New research conducted by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health has revealed significant disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of postpartum depressive symptoms, as well as stark racial and ethnic inequities in the care provided to individuals experiencing these symptoms.The study, published in Health Affairs, was led by Jamie Daw, assistant professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia Mailman School, and Sarah Haight, a doctoral candidate in epidemiology at the Gillings School. The research...
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A Pulse of Innovation: AI at the Service of Heart Research
Columbia biomedical engineers have made a significant breakthrough in heart research by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The innovative tool, named BeatProfiler, promises to revolutionize the study and diagnosis of heart function. Developed by researchers at Columbia Engineering, BeatProfiler aims to streamline the analysis of heart cell function through the integration of AI and machine learning technologies."This is truly a transformative tool," expressed project leader Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, emphasizing the efficiency and accessibility of...
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Remembering Daniel Kahneman
Columbia University faculty members pay tribute to the late Nobel Laureate and Princeton professor emeritus.Last week, Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of Psychology and Public Affairs at Princeton University, passed away at the age of 90. His groundbreaking work in psychology, particularly in the field of behavioral economics, earned him the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002.Several members of the faculty at Columbia University have shared their reflections on Kahneman's influence and legacy. One faculty member expressed, "Daniel Kahneman—together with his friend,...
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Eclipses Can Be Life-Changing
Joseph Patterson, a professor of Astronomy, shared his personal experience of how the 1970 solar eclipse sparked his career trajectory towards becoming a Columbia astronomy professor. Reflecting on the transformative impact of witnessing a solar eclipse, Patterson emphasized the importance of practicing proper eye safety during such astronomical events.Recalling the pivotal moment that altered the course of his life, Patterson reminisced, "For many people in the U.S., the total eclipse of April 8, 2024, will be a life-changing event. For me, it was the eclipse of March 7,...
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Jorge Otero-Pailos’s "Analogue Sites" Advocates for Experimental Preservation of U.S. Embassies
Renowned artist and preservation architect, Jorge Otero-Pailos, has recently unveiled his public art exhibition titled "Analogue Sites" on Park Avenue. The exhibition features large steel sculptures created from the fence that once surrounded the former U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway. Otero-Pailos, who is also a professor at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, explained, "I was able to save the fence from the garbage heap by transforming it into sculptures. The fence thus acquires new meanings, while preserving the old ones."Otero-Pailos's...
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Antisemitism Task Force Co-Chair David Schizer Discusses His Work
David Schizer, co-chair of Columbia's Task Force on Antisemitism, recently discussed the task force's first report and the experiences of Jews and Israelis at Columbia. In a conversation with journalist Jen Maxfield Ostfeld, Schizer highlighted the importance of ensuring a safe and inclusive campus environment.During the discussion, Schizer shared some concerning experiences faced by members of the Columbia community, stating, "We have heard some things that are really heartbreaking." He mentioned instances where Jewish and Israeli students felt uncomfortable and faced...
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Meet Angela Olinto, Columbia’s New Provost
Angela Olinto, a pioneer in astroparticle physics, has officially assumed her role as Columbia University's new provost. Hailing from the University of Chicago, where she served as the dean of the Division of the Physical Sciences, Olinto brings a wealth of experience and a passion for unraveling the mysteries of the universe.In a recent interview with Columbia News, Olinto shared insights into her journey and aspirations. Reflecting on her career path, she expressed, "I have always been driven by curiosity about how the world works, from the simplest physical systems to...