Meet the Inaugural Dean’s Graduate Scholars at Columbia Climate School – State of the Planet

The 2025 cohort of Columbia Climate School’s M.S. in Climate program is composed of 58 students, representing 17 different countries and various academic and training backgrounds, including the social sciences, natural and Earth sciences, business, engineering and humanities fields. This two-year professional degree provides in-depth training in specific areas of climate expertise and prepares students to be climate leaders. The program’s diversity is a cornerstone of the Climate School’s success.

Eight full-time M.S. in Climate students were honored with the inaugural Dean’s Graduate Scholarship, a prestigious award reserved for recognizing academic and professional excellence in the field. The $50,000 scholarship aims to financially support students as they continue their academic journey at the Climate School. 

One recipient, Tracy Obirika from Kenya, said receiving the award and coming to study at Columbia is “like a testimony that greatness can happen, and we can take that greatness with us back home.” She and the other inspiring students profiled below exemplify the school’s mission to advance climate knowledge, promote sustainability and ensure climate justice. 

Adrianna Leon, a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in environmental science, policy and management, has long been passionate about atmospheric sciences. Growing up in Northern Virginia, she was always fascinated by natural disasters, which fueled her dreams of becoming a meteorologist. Leon’s interests in climate deepened during her internship with the Minneapolis Climate Adaptation Partnership, where she worked with climate models and projections, and saw the impacts of climate change on agriculture, the built environment and human health. Now, Leon is excited to be pursuing an M.S. in Climate with an advanced certificate in climate systems and analytics. She hopes to continue working in the climate field post-graduation, with an emphasis on making climate science more accessible to underrepresented communities. Receiving the Dean’s Scholarship has affirmed Leon’s mission to enact meaningful change, and she hopes to serve as an inspiration for others, especially women.

Angie Sillah is originally from Liberia, where she has witnessed an abundance of infrastructure damage and environmental problems stemming from 14 years of civil war. These experiences led her to pursue a B.S. in civil engineering at the University of Liberia, and an M.S. in Sustainability and Development from the University of Michigan, where she focused on nutrient recovery from waste. Sillah believes the Columbia Climate School will complete her academic journey, allowing her to synthesize her background in infrastructure and the environment with her interest in climate science. She is excited about the opportunity to pursue an advanced certificate in food systems, which she hopes to integrate into her work in climate justice and the circular economy. After completing her degree, Sillah plans to work at the intersection of research, policy and community engagement. The financial support from the Dean’s Graduate Scholarship has allowed Sillah to attend Columbia and learn from a diverse group of individuals who have made significant contributions to the climate field. “It’s so powerful,” she said, “being rewarded for my work that I’ve been doing over the years.”

Dheeraj Babariya earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, followed by a master’s degree in public policy and engineering. He has worked in climate research and consulting at various government institutions in India, and most recently, Babariya has been collaborating with energy companies, including utilities, regulators, investors and renewable energy companies, to support the Indian electricity sector in transitioning to renewable energy. Babariya decided to continue his education at the Columbia Climate School to gain a global outlook on the energy system. With a focus on the renewable energy transition, Babariya is pursuing his advanced certificate in climate systems and analytics. After graduation, he would like to continue his work in energy policy, fostering an equitable transition to renewable energy sources.

Growing up in Arizona, Madison Malthaner developed a deep connection to the environment early on, leading her to pursue a B.S. in environmental science with minors in Chinese and environmental economics and policy at the University of California, Berkeley. While Malthaner initially focused on the biological sciences, she quickly found her passion for data science and its applications to climate science. Her senior thesis, where she used predictive modeling to assess water security under different climate scenarios, was a pivotal moment, sparking her interest in climate system analytics. Malthaner was drawn to the M.S. in Climate program because it presented an opportunity to strengthen her technical skills. Receiving the Dean’s Graduate Scholarship was both a surprise and an honor for Malthaner, allowing her to continue her education without interruption. She hopes to use her knowledge in data science and environmental economics to support climate action through modeling, cost-benefit analysis and policy-relevant insights.

Tracy Obirika grew up in Kenya, where her parents were smallholder farmers. Witnessing the firsthand effects of climate change on the farms around her drove Obirika to find solutions. With a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurial leadership from the African Leadership University, Obirika wants to help smallholder farmers prepare for drought and other climate change impacts. Two years ago, Obirika began a startup where she builds artificial intelligence (AI) tools for solar power irrigation systems. She hopes to apply the knowledge she gains in the climate systems and analytics advanced certificate to her work in Kenya, leveraging AI tools to help smallholder farmers build up climate resilience using renewable energy technologies. Obirika and her community back home are honored by the opportunity the Dean’s Scholarship presents for her progress in the field. “Being in America just shows how some of us are privileged to come this far, but so many people where I come from don’t get these opportunities…me coming here is like a testimony that greatness can happen, and we can take that greatness with us back home,” she said. 

Fabricio Correa Lara grew up in Michoacán, Mexico, where he watched the lakes in his hometown disappear and environmentally driven social conflicts take a toll on his community. The connection between environmental degradation and violence drove him to pursue environmental activism in Latin America. With a B.B.A. in international business, Correa Lara is fascinated by the interconnectedness of systems. He decided to pursue his graduate studies at the Climate School to gain a broader understanding of environmental knowledge and justice. For Correa Lara, the Dean’s Scholarship not only assists with tuition, but it also gives him a strong sense of responsibility to achieve. After graduating, Correa Lara hopes to do research and go the extra step to collaborate with communities in Latin America to address environmental degradation and organized crime.

Zachary Desrosiers-Victorin is from New York City and recently completed his B.S. in environmental and sustainability science with minors in climate change, international trade and development, applied economics and business at Cornell University. Desrosiers-Victorin first got involved with climate and sustainability when he was 13 years old, after participating in beach cleanups with the nonprofit 4ocean. For Desrosiers-Victorin, these experiences instilled a strong concern for environmental stewardship and encouraged him to home in on environmental science and sustainability during his undergraduate experience. After taking different courses related to the environment at Cornell, he found himself drawn to atmospheric sciences and climate. Now, Desrosiers-Victorin is at Columbia, pursuing an advanced certificate in disaster management. “It means the world to me to be able to talk to and be in the room with all these professionals and not have to worry about financial barriers,” he said. After graduation, Desrosiers-Victorin aims to work with the climate and the environment instead of against it to mitigate loss and damage.

Alyssa Plascencia was born and raised in Salinas, California. As she grew up, Plascencia started to observe the disparities between the wealthier individuals and low-income agricultural workers in her city. This noticeable divide ignited her passion for social justice. While attending the University of California, Berkeley, Plascencia discovered her interest in climate and earned her B.S. in environmental sciences with a minor in energy resources. Now at Columbia, she is pursuing an advanced certificate in climate systems and analytics to strengthen her technical skills, including quantitative analysis, modeling and risk assessment, to complement her interests in climate science and social justice. Plascencia is grateful to be a recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship: The award “reminds me that I’m on the right path…I’m excited to continue my degree here at Columbia,” she said. After graduation, Plascencia hopes to help empower frontline communities by fostering a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

The 2025 Dean’s Graduate Scholars all exemplify the Climate School’s commitment to advancing climate knowledge, promoting equity and cultivating innovation. The diverse backgrounds and aspirations of the scholars reflect the school’s belief that addressing the climate crisis requires collaboration across disciplines, cultures and perspectives. As they continue their studies and careers, these students will play a vital role in shaping a more sustainable and just future.