Two recent Columbia alumni, Colin Felsman, CC'09, and Shira Milikowsky, School of Arts '07, have won the Luce Scholarship. This is the first time in over five years that Columbia has had two scholars in the same year.  The Luce Foundation describes the program as being “aimed at a group of highly qualified young Americans in a variety of professional fields. It is unique among American-Asian exchanges in that it is intended for young leaders who have had limited experience of Asia and who might not otherwise have an opportunity in the normal course of their careers to come to know Asia. The Program provides stipends, language training and individualized professional placement in Asia for fifteen to eighteen young Americans each year.”  While the award varies depending on placement, it can provide approximately $30,000 for the year.

Colin Felsman CC ’09 from Dulles, VA was a double major in Anthropology and Political Science.  Since graduation, he has been working at a non-profit development agency in Harare, Zimbabwe.  He will focus on entrepreneurial aid and development in Shanghai next year at the Non-Profit Incubator. 

Shira Milikowsky received her M.F.A in Directing from the School of the Arts in 2007.  Since graduation, she has been working on a number of theater projects in New York City, including the recent revival of Hair where she was an Assistant Director.  Her placement is still pending, but she hopes to be in either Tokyo or Seoul working with an arts company.

We have just learned that two Columbia students have won the Udall Scholarship.  This scholarship is the most prestigious award that can be given to an undergraduate in the field of Environmental Science.  Named in honor of Congressman Morris Udall, the award recognizes those students who have shown a deep commitment—through their scholarship and activism—to protecting the environment and who plan to become leaders in their chosen field.  The scholarship provides a grant of $5000 as well as the opportunity to attend a symposium in August that will allow them to meet and network with elected federal officials and leaders in environmental protection, public policy, and Native American and Tribal Affairs.

Hannah Perls is a junior from Weston, MA who is majoring in Environmental Science and pursuing a concentration in Sustainable Development.  She intends to become a climate scientist who will devise new and improved mechanisms to forecast how climate change affects water, agriculture, and human health.  She has worked in the past for Representative Ed Markey’s Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.  She also represented Columbia at the Global Honors College at Waseda University in Tokyo last summer in the program’s pilot year.  She is currently studying abroad in Nepal.

Todd Nelson is a sophomore from Winston-Salem, NC who is pursuing a double major in Environmental Science and History. He envisions earning a Ph.D. in Environmental Public Health and then working as a policy advisor at the national level who will seek ways to decrease the public health risks associated with climate change.  Todd is a member of the Columbia Eco-Representatives, the Green Umbrella and is a member of Columbia’s Triathlon club team.

This is the first time that Columbia has ever had two Udall winners in the same year. 

Max Horlbeck, a junior double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science and a Rabi Scholar from New York City, has won the Goldwater Scholarship.  Max plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. program so that he can conduct biomedical research to develop gene-targeted therapies, treat patients, and teach at the university level.

Ilya Belopolski, a sophomore double major in Physics and Mathematics and also a Rabi Scholar from New Canaan Connecticut, was designated as having received honorable mention.  Ilya plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Astrophysics, researching gravitational-wave astrophysics and then intends to teach at the university level.

The Goldwater funds and supports outstanding undergraduate scholars in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering to pursue a Ph.D. in those fields.  The award is valued at $7500.  We are pleased that Max and Ilya continue the tradition of excellence of those Columbians who have won this award previously.

During summer 2010, faculty and students from nine prominent Asian and American universities will conduct a join research seminar on "Sustainability." The Seminar will begin “on line” during June and July, then continue for three intensive weeks of work “on site” in Tokyo.   The two parts of the Seminar form an integrated program that may not be taken separately.   The “on site” portion is scheduled from August 2 to August 20 on the campus of Waseda University.

Requirements: Students must be currently matriculated as undergraduates in one of the participating universities.  They may be enrolled in any discipline of study.   They need not have environmental studies as their concentration or major, but should have an interest in issues of “sustainability.”  They must have completed at least one year of university work and have a facility in the English language sufficient to participate in a research seminar.

Faculty: The course will be led by faculty from four of the participating universities:  Chou Loke Ming (marine biology), National University of Singapore; James Engell (English literature), Harvard University; Kevin Griffin (terrestrial biology), Columbia University, and Zhang Shiqiu (environmental economics), Peking University.  They will be assisted by several students who participated in a similar Seminar last summer.

Curriculum: The Seminar will be formed “online” in late spring and proceed in two integrated phases.  During June and July students will complete several modules of an interdisciplinary course on “biodiversity” prepared and led by the program’s faculty.  Each module will contain lectures, readings, videos, and related materials and require interactive participation with faculty and other students as well as the completion of various individual and joint assignments.   At the beginning of August the Seminar will gather in Tokyo for three weeks of intensive research together.  Part of the work will be conducted in small cohorts led by program faculty and focused on “case studies” of biodiversity.  Oral and written reports will be prepared, and a joint report by each cohort will conclude its work.   The Seminar will be “built” online as it proceeds.

Credits: Successful completion of the coursework will earn four semester hours of credit awarded by Waseda University, two for the online preparatory course and two for the onsite seminar. Transfer of credit will be made at the discretion of the student’s home university.

Program Evaluation: The seminar will be a “pilot program” of an ongoing effort by the participating universities to form a “Global Honors College” focused on issues of enduring and emerging global concern.   Faculty and students will be asked at the end of the course to evaluate the program and offer suggestions for its improvement.

Costs: Tuition costs will be borne in full by Waseda University.  Students will be accommodated free of charge during the program at one of Waseda University’s dormitories.   Thus students will be responsible only for the following expenses:

1. Round-trip airfare to and from Japan (Narita Airport)
2. Local transportation in their home country (round-trip between home and nearest international airport).
3. Local transportation in Japan between Narita Airport and Waseda University
4. Meals and other living expenses during the program.

To apply for the program, send a cover letter, CV and academic transcripts by Wednesday, April 14th to:

Natalie Unwin-Kuruneri at natalie@ei.columbia.edu