By Iza Martinez
Sarah Brown is a current student in the Master of Science in Sustainability Science (SUSCI) program, where she is excited about developing her leadership and communication skills in a professional sustainability setting.
Originally from North Carolina, Sarah studied Science Education at North Carolina State University before becoming a science teacher at a Wake County high school. She also works as a project manager of clean transportation at the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), where she supports school bus fleet electrification by managing datasets and creating community outreach materials.
What led you to apply to the SUSCI program?
Before joining Columbia, I worked as a high school earth science teacher in North Carolina. I had always been interested in pursuing a higher education degree to teach my students about climate change, so I was inspired to pursue an M.S. in Sustainability Science. My end goal is to focus on supporting local communities to improve their sustainability efforts through composting programs, clean energy, etc.
When I decided to leave my career in education, I took a year to thoroughly research and make sure I found a program that was the best fit for my goals. I was thrilled to find SUSCI; this program offers classes on compelling, relevant topics taught by professors who currently research climate issues and actively fight climate change. There is so much opportunity to work in labs, network with industry professionals, and explore your interests in this program. I was also so excited about Columbia’s location! It has always been a dream of mine to live in New York City, and it is so exciting to have moved here while also chasing my career goals.
Did you attend any events that helped solidify your decision to attend Columbia?
Shortly after being accepted into the program, I flew to New York from North Carolina to attend a Climate and Sustainability Open House. I was able to talk to some of the professors and directors of the program, and I was so inspired by their work! Everyone was so dedicated to providing students with the support they needed to create a sustainable career for themselves. I learned about the various classes offered within the program and the diverse student body already enrolled. I also learned about the capstone project, which greatly influenced my decision. I love the idea of working with actual companies while still enrolled; real-world experience is so crucial to furthering career goals. I have not yet taken the capstone class, but I look forward to the semester I get to! I was planning to accept the offer at the time, but this trip solidified my decision. I have been fortunate enough to work with many of the same people I met on that trip! It feels like a full-circle moment.
How has your experience as a teacher influenced your approach to studying?
My time as a teacher has given me a different perspective on my schoolwork. During my undergraduate career, I was nervous and lacked confidence in myself. I had severe imposter syndrome and felt that much of my academic success was from luck and chance rather than hard work and skill. As a teacher, I was responsible for ensuring that all my students knew I believed in them even when they had difficulty believing in themselves. I have been able to channel that encouragement toward myself; why shouldn’t I believe that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to? It has eased my stress and allowed me to truly enjoy my studies again.
How have some of those skills transferred over to being a student again?
My time as a teacher gave me a ton of practice in presenting and public speaking. This program is definitely more project-oriented than formal-assessment-oriented, and I have had the opportunity to use my public speaking skills multiple times already. It has truly been enjoyable to get back up in front of the class, even if it is a class of my peers this time.
How have you been involved? Have you been working on any research?
While taking Dr. Brad Linsley’s Marine and Estuary Systems class, I worked as a graduate researcher in his Stable Isotope and Trace Element Laboratory at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Massive corals grow about 12 mm per year, so the samples are broken down into 12 separate, millimeter-long samples. My job involved weighing these samples and preparing them for analysis in a mass spectrometer, which looks at element concentrations within the coral formations. Barium and strontium, in relation to the calcium composition, are the main tracers they are concerned about as they try to figure out whether the coral elemental compositions correspond with water temperature and/or major weather events like El Niño. They can tell when the wet and dry seasons are just by looking at data from these coral samples, which is so cool! I had never worked in a lab before, so it was exciting to contribute to the research and see our work reflected in class.
What advice would you give prospective students interested in the SUSCI program?
This program is amazing, and you can absolutely tailor it to your interests. The professors are all very accommodating and interactive. I suggest looking into the class list before settling on courses for your first semester. It is a 12-course program, and there are so many excellent classes you can take, so it is best to plan ahead of time to make sure you can get as much out of the program as possible.
About the Program
The Columbia University M.S. in Sustainability Science program, offered by the School of Professional Studies in partnership with the Climate School, prepares students for management and leadership positions in which they help organizations address environmental impacts. Students learn strategies to respond to the ever-changing environment and predict future environmental changes—and the impact on the public.
