Each year, the Climate School Office of Undergraduate Programs celebrates graduating students with the Departmental Honors Award for their outstanding academic achievement in the Sustainable Development program. This year, four students were selected: Rachel Brzezicki, Harrison Gerson, Esha Karam and Yoon Kim. As recipients of Departmental Honors, all students maintained a 3.7 GPA in their major courses and received at least a B+ in two semesters of the senior thesis seminar.
For this spotlight, we caught up with Brzezicki, Gerson and Karam about their time at Columbia and post-graduation plans.
Q&A With Rachel Brzezicki
Originally from Kent County, Delaware, Brzezicki comes to Columbia with a strong interest in environmental and climate justice, coastal resilience, and green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. As an undergraduate student at Columbia, Brzezicki was president of the Student Union for Sustainable Development and a member of Gamma Phi Beta and Consilience. She also worked in two research groups, Jerry McManus’ paleoceanography lab at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and with Malgosia Madajewicz at the Climate School’s Center for Climate Systems Research.
This summer, Brzezicki will be working at the Columbia Climate School’s Green Mountains High School Program as a program facilitator before heading west to Colorado to travel, work and volunteer. In her free time, Brzezicki enjoys finding new shows and movies to watch, hiking, camping and trying new things. After graduation, she is most excited to take time to slow down, experiment with new hobbies and learn more about herself.
Which classes within the Sustainable Development department have been the most impactful in shaping your academic trajectory?
The Bangladesh capstone workshop was unforgettable. It was a great course to culminate my time in the program, especially because it brought together aspects and nuances of both the physical science and social dimensions of climate change. We got to spend the entire break with an amazing cohort of students from Dhaka University, which made the experience particularly special.
Additionally, Building Climate Justice with Paul Gallay allowed us to collaborate with real organizations in NYC working to improve their communities. The class consisted of a semester-long project where we learned and applied various skills, like GIS and statistical analysis, to real environmental justice issues and coastal resilience planning efforts. Environmental Data Analysis with Elizabeth Cook was challenging but it also exposed me to tools that have already proven useful in my projects.
How did your senior thesis, a requirement for Departmental Honors, impact your view of sustainable development and your future goals?
For my senior thesis, I explored how public participation has shaped planning for the restoration of Tibbetts Brook in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, currently the largest green infrastructure project in the U.S. It brought to my attention just how important local organizing and activism can be in envisioning better alternatives for a community, yet how long these efforts can take even when widely supported and beneficial. Working on this project has solidified for me that I enjoy doing research and would like to pursue a doctoral degree at some point!
What would you like SDEV freshmen to know as you leave Columbia?
You will figure out how to be successful here, so don’t worry if you take some time initially to find your footing. Imposter syndrome is real! But try not to let it keep you from underestimating yourself. Don’t over-prioritize your classwork and GPA to the point that you don’t take advantage of all the other unique opportunities of being at Columbia.
Take advantage of the classes that allow you to learn and build skills (GIS, R, Python), as well as those that offer travel opportunities! The project-based classes I have taken have been the most transformative and have given me great tangible examples to talk about in job interviews.
Q&A With Harrison Gerson
Gerson, who majored in sustainable development with a minor in Hispanic cultures at Columbia College, was recently featured in State of the Planet after receiving the Stuart Gaffin Prize for Sustainable Development Leadership this year.
Currently, Gerson is managing the publication of a chapter on the circular economy in cities with Barnard College’s Office of Sustainability, as well as working with the Laidlaw Scholarship Foundation to develop and execute a sustainability plan. Gerson plans to pursue a master’s degree related to environmental policy. You can read more about him here and in the interview below.
Which classes have been the most impactful in shaping your academic trajectory?
I really enjoyed the workshops and my capstone. I took the NYC Watershed course with Paul Gallay, which really excited me as I’m from the Hudson Valley. I had the opportunity to learn about the waterways that unite my region for sustainable and equitable water use. I also really enjoyed the group dynamic of my workshop with Jenna Lawrence and the Cape May Point Science Center.
The thesis course helped me explore the impact of sustainability projects abroad and become a better researcher. I appreciated my mentor Jacqueline Klopp. I really enjoyed the Cuttyhunk Island Workshop with Jason Smerdon and Sandra Goldmark. Since we spent three nights together in close quarters, I learned a lot about my peers’ interests and how to work together with shared leadership in sustainability. I also enjoyed Michael Gerrard’s Climate Change Policy and Law class at the Law School, since it gave me a better understanding of what graduate school may look like. I really enjoyed my education.
How did your senior thesis impact your view of sustainable development and your future goals?
My senior thesis focuses on the impact of university global centers on sustainability and climate leadership. I discussed the role of universities abroad with 25 university staff members across 10 cities and six universities. This work inspires me to continue pursuing a career in climate mediation, working with different parties to prioritize sustainability and community empowerment. My work continues to be interdisciplinary.
What was your biggest accomplishment while at Columbia?
My biggest accomplishment is that I’ve become more myself. From a physical perspective, I was able to travel through 20 countries through the support of Columbia. My first international flight was through Columbia! I’ve done this all in three years.
Q&A With Esha Karam
Esha Karam always knew she was interested in sustainability. In high school in Nashville, Tennessee, Karam was involved in building a green roof for the building. At Columbia, aside from her major in sustainable development, Esha served as the managing editor of the Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University’s newspaper.
Karam will be attending Harvard Law School starting in the fall.
Which classes within the department have been the most impactful in shaping your academic trajectory?
Three classes stick out to me the most: Sustainability and the Meaning of Place, Workshop in Sustainable Development, and Energy Law. The practicum course, Sustainability and the Meaning of Place, was a great way to meet other sustainable development majors while gaining first-hand knowledge. Our class took a trip to Cuttyhunk Island, where we got to experience beautiful scenery and learn from locals. I enjoyed the Workshop in Sustainable Development for a similar reason—getting to meet fellow majors and work on a project that had a tangible element outside of our Columbia bubble. Lastly, I enjoyed Energy Law, which is a Columbia Law School course offered through the sustainable development program, because it allowed me to cement my desire to pursue a legal career and get a feel for the law school environment.
How did your senior thesis impact your view of sustainable development and your future goals?
My senior thesis focused on how universities implemented decarbonization strategies. As the broader economy looks to pursue decarbonization and net-zero goals, I decided to use my familiarity of how U.S. colleges and universities function to investigate a small subset of that decarbonization work. I learned a lot from the process of writing a thesis—not only about the subject matter of my research but also about different research strategies and methods. My work also gave me a more holistic understanding of how to make change within institutions.
What tips do you have for students who wish to complete the Sustainable Development program?
Sustainable development is one of the more customizable majors at Columbia—it gives you the freedom to explore different avenues depending on your individual interests. Make sure to strike a balance of finding your niche and broadening your reach.
Don’t feel like you need to have everything figured out! Take the time to explore your interests inside and outside of the classroom.
Although Kim was unavailable to provide a personal statement, we want to recognize and celebrate her outstanding achievements. Kim completed her senior thesis for the Sustainable Development program, “The Influence of U.S. State Policies on Community Solar Development,” and received Departmental Honors in recognition of her academic achievements in the major.