that Columbia Climate School Undergraduate Program Office Recently, SDEV (SDEV) held the third annual alumni dialogue panel with three alumni, featuring three alumni. The event has given the opportunity to learn about various sectors and future career paths that are interested in Columbia students who are interested in pursuing climate and sustainability. Kayran Abasali (CC’13), Annie Evangelakos (Block) (CC’19) and Anthony Perez (CC’21) shared various experiences in and after the program, including tasks in both the public and private sectors.
The panel was intermediate Jason SmerdonClimate Director of Climate School, co -director of undergraduate programs in Columbia’s sustainable development field, climate professor.
In Columbia, Abasali coincides with the goal of pursuing a social affected degree as a member of the sixth class to graduate from special concentration in sustainable development. Abasali started his career in the technology sales field in IBM and later worked in ESG consulting in the technology industry. She is currently completing the MBA and has recently begun his social influence venture, which focuses on helping women in the Caribbean Sea access to STEM career.
Evangelakos is a project manager of a sustainable building in Jones Lang Lasalle, working to alleviate emissions through energy efficient building design. She was interested in sustainable infrastructure through energy and environmental design certification and undergraduate papers on Brooklyn’s green infrastructure, and she is now participating in the project with architects and builders.
Anthony Perez, who recently graduated from sustainable development programs, is currently a senior analyst at the New York Market Budget Bureau. For the senior capstone, PEREZ tried to build a financial channel for the community along the Hudson River in the north of New York. Through this experience, PEREZ learned how to apply these programs not only to be accustomed to public subsidies and budget allocation, but also to understand sustainability and climate resilience.
Three panelists chose different paths after graduation, but there were similar reasons for wanting to have a career in sustainable development. “I didn’t want to be in the lab for a lifetime. Instead [I wanted to] Still focus on science and cooperate directly with people. ”Evangelakos said.
For speakers, the SDEV program provided the opportunity to participate in science and provided the opportunity to learn how to apply to policies, business and ESG careers at the same time. Students in the audience explore the intersection and ask the panelist how the SDEV program has formed a current professional role.
PEREZ explained that the understanding of the social and policy aspects of the climate he gained as a student is decisive in the work of the New York City. “Everyone has a climate background in my job, but the social side helps me to thrive,” he said.
Through the balance of physical science, policy and social impacts, the SDEV program is set up to work in various fields, and these ideas apply to both the public and private sectors.
Abasali’s professional career is a number of sectors and scopes within technology, consulting and social influence. But everything she worked said, “The circle returns to sustainability,” she said.
Sustainable development programs provide a rich background for alumni to cope with challenges of climate and sustainability, open various career paths and to participate in meaningful work within climate and sustainability in various fields.
As the undergraduate programs of climate schools are expanded to include sustainable development minors and climate and sustainability majors, students are recommended to explore climate and sustainability from all perspectives. As the alumni panel illustrated, the influence of these programs is felt in this work, from ESG to finance and government plans.
For all three panelists, the aspects of various fields of the program have led them through their career and remain a key element of today’s success. Abasali said, “Education plays an important role, 10 years later, I remember what I learned from the program I am currently visiting in the MBA.
