Affiliated Institutions
A truly interdisciplinary venture, the M.A. Program in Climate and Society relies on a broad-ranging set of experts, researchers, and faculty. The resources of Columbia University speak to the challenge of the problems at hand. The M.A. Program works in close partnership with the following research institutes, departments, and schools.
The International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), Columbia University
The IRI is a unique resource for our program. Established in 1996 as a cooperative agreement between the NOAA Office of Global Programs and Columbia University, the international staff of the IRI has grown to more than sixty people, who bring together physical, natural, and social science expertise. The mission of the IRI is to use a science-based approach to enhance society’s capability to understand, anticipate and manage the impacts of climate in order to improve human welfare and the environment, especially in developing countries.
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University
The staff and facilities of the Department overlap with the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory research campus. The Department and LDEO work together to understand how planet Earth works, in all of its physical manifestations. They are renowned for problem-solving innovation, unique geological and climatological archives, and the outstanding achievement of graduates. From global climate change to earthquakes, volcanoes, nonrenewable resources, environmental hazards, and beyond, the fundamental challenge is to seek to provide an adequate and rational basis for the difficult choices faced by civilization in its stewardship of our fragile planet.
The Earth Institute, Columbia University
The Earth Institute brings together the people and tools needed to address some of the world’s most difficult problems, from climate change and environmental degradation, to poverty, disease and the sustainable use of resources.
NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS)
NASA GISS is located in the Morningside Heights–Columbia University neighborhood of New York City. A key objective of GISS research is prediction of atmospheric and climate changes in the twenty-first century. The research combines analysis of comprehensive global data sets derived mainly from spacecraft observations, with global models of atmospheric, land surface, and oceanic processes. Study of past climate change on Earth and of other planetary atmospheres serves as a useful tool in assessing our general understanding of the atmosphere and its evolution. Many GISS personnel are members of Columbia’s Center for Climate Systems Research (CCSR) and also work with researchers at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
The School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Columbia University
At SIPA, a major university connects in countless ways with the nation’s largest city, and with economic and political networks that span the globe. The School offers several graduate-degree programs. Guided by distinguished scholars and policy professionals, tomorrow’s leaders define their goals and acquire the skills needed to achieve them. Through study, through discussion and analysis, through practica and workshops that bring them face-to-face with real-world clients and issues, SIPA students prepare to help shape the future of neighborhoods, programs, and policies—next door and around the globe.
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University
Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science offers programs to both undergraduate and graduate students who undertake a course of study leading to the bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in engineering and applied science.
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory seeks fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution and future of the natural world. Its scientists study the planet from the deepest interior to the outer reaches of the atmosphere, on every continent and in every ocean, providing a rational basis for the difficult choices facing humanity.