March/April 2011
Around the Quads
Campus News
WEBSITE: A revised and redesigned version of Columbia.edu, the University’s homepage, was launched in January. Designed by the Office of Communications and Public Affairs in partnership with Columbia University Information Technology, it contains several aesthetic, technological and organizational changes including simplified navigation, an enhanced search function and social media tools. To learn more, go to news.columbia.edu/home/2266.
SCIENCE: Four Columbia professors have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a prestigious scientific society established in 1848. They are Wallace S. Broecker, the Newberry Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and a researcher at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; Shi-Fu Chang, professor and former department chair of electrical engineering at Engineering; Peter Schlosser, the Vinton Professor of Earth and Environmental Studies at Engineering and professor of earth and environmental sciences, and associate director and chair of faculty of the Earth Institute; and Saul J. Silverstein, professor of microbiology and immunology at P&S. They are among 503 inductees who were honored on February 19 at the AAAS annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
GREEN NYC: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced a new center to promote the development and commercialization of green building technology in New York City at a news conference in Columbia’s new Northwest Corner science building on January 20. The NYC Urban Technology Center is a partnership between The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Polytechnic Institute of NYU, the city’s Economic Development Corp. and CUNY. It will be managed by Engineering’s Center for Technology, Innovation and Community Engagement.
CAMPAIGN: The Columbia Campaign achieved a milestone on February 7, surpassing its original fundraising goal of $4 billion nearly 11 months ahead of schedule. An expanded goal of $5 billion recently was announced for the University-wide campaign, along with a new closing date of December 31, 2013.
LEED GOLD: The Columbia Alumni Center recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold Certification, the second-highest certification in the green rating system administered by the United States Green Building Council. LEED recognizes achievements in areas such as water efficiency, energy and indoor environmental quality. The Center, built in 1908 and formerly known as McVickar Hall, was extensively renovated in 2008–09 and boasts a recycled heating system, self-adjusting lighting and occupancy sensors that control energy use. It is the second Columbia building to recently receive the LEED Gold certification, after Faculty House, which was renovated last April. To learn more about the Alumni Center, go to http://alumni.columbia.edu/alumni-community/columbia-alumni-center.