NEWS
The National Science Foundation renewed its funding for the AI-powered Earth system modeling center LEAP, aimed at improving Earth system projections through the integration of Earth system modeling and data science. [read more]
Credit: B.Gilbert
After three successful Summer Institutes on Climate Education, TC’s Center for Sustainable Futures is taking its commitment to bolster climate education to the next level with the launch of a TC Academy online web module: the 2026 Climate Education Knowledge Sharing Convening. As part of its launch, the Center for Sustainable Futures hosted a three-day webinar series that guides educators through more than eight years of research. [read more]
The Department of Energy announced the first Genesis Mission projects to accelerate new era of AI-driven scientific discovery. Dr. Kara Lamb, LEAP’s AI + Compute Director and Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Earth + Environmental Engineering at Columbia University, is among the first recipients of the inaugural Genesis Mission Project Grant Awards, for her project, “Cloud Microphysics Multi-Scale Modeling Moonshot (CM4): Creating the next generation of uncertainty-aware cloud models by leveraging multi-fidelity AI and DOE observations.” [read more]
Over the past three years, the Teachers College Center for Sustainable Futures has worked with NYC Public Schools teachers through a Summer Institute on Climate Education, developing an interdisciplinary approach to climate education rooted in research, practice, and partnership. This 2026 Convening invites faculty in schools of education to learn from that work, explore adaptable resources and models, consider how climate education can be integrated into professional learning and institutional partnerships, and examine how partnerships among universities, school systems, scientists, and educators can support meaningful climate learning and inspire future collaboration. [read more and enroll]
LEAP offers a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program on synergistic innovations in data science and climate science. This 10-week program is in partnership with the NSF Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) Program at UCAR. The REU program hosts undergraduate researchers and offers a wide array of enrichment learning and networking opportunities. LEAP is committed to building a vibrant and diverse research community at the intersection of climate science, data science, and real-world impact. [read more]
LEAP’s Summer Momentum Fellowship welcomes doctoral students in data science who are interested in having a summer research immersion in climate data science, with the opportunity to apply their data science/machine learning skills in climate modeling, and develop research interests in climate data science. In 2026, we are pleased to offer a new research opportunity in climate science communications. Each Fellow will receive a summer stipend, travel support, and access to LEAP resources, such as LEAP Pangeo and workspace at the Columbia Engineering Innovation Hub. [read more]
Credit: T.Zheng 2026
Photo credit: AMNH/C.Chesek 2018
Photo credit: J.Meyer
When asked what she loves about her field, statistics professor Tian Zheng GSAS’02 refers to a quotation from mathematician and statistician John Tukey: “The best thing about being a statistician is that you get to play in everyone’s backyard.” “Throughout my research career, I’ve put emphasis on different words of this quote,” Zheng says. As a young researcher, she explored new uses for data with a variety of collaborators — including political scientists, sociologists, geneticists, climate scientists and ecologists. “At that time, I liked the word ‘play,’ because I was having a lot of fun with the work,” she says. Now, she says, she focuses more on “everyone’s backyard.” “If I can be an innovator and a connector for multiple disciplines, that’s where I’m happiest residing.” [read more]