Meeting with Pu Chengxuan from the inauguration class of Columbia Climate School
This fall, Columbia University will welcome the first batch of students graduating from the newly created university. Climate school. Utilize the expertise of the Earth Institute and its internals Many centers, Columbia Climate Institute will become the center of interdisciplinary climate research and education throughout the university, exploring and developing solutions to the most urgent and complex challenges of our time.
This Master’s Program in Climate and Society It is the first degree program offered by Columbia Climate Institute. This 12-month interdisciplinary program trains students to understand and solve the impact of climate change and climate variability on society and the environment. The 97 students enrolled in the program in the fall of 2021 will graduate from the Columbia Climate Institute in August 2022. Interview In the next few weeks, with some of these extraordinary students
Below, you can learn about Pu Chengxuan from Shanghai who plans to engage in venture capital work. He is particularly concerned about financing innovative climate change solutions.
Can you tell us something about your background and how you became interested in studying climate?
Pu Chengxuan plans to use the knowledge he gained from climate and social projects to make smart investments in climate change solutions.
For me, climate change is an unavoidable topic in almost every field I touch. In New York University Tandon majoring in sustainable urban environment, I learned the basic principles of using urban planning and public policy to achieve urban sustainability and resilience, which is the goal of tackling climate change. My academic studies have taught me the importance of incorporating climate factors into any research field, and have provided me with basic tools to analyze issues related to the urban environment and climate change.
Which courses in the Climate and Society Program are you most interested in?
I am most excited about applied courses in climate and society. This course will take me directly to understand the practical challenges brought about by climate change. By understanding how to evaluate solutions to these challenges, I will learn how to determine the feasibility of specific solutions to climate change in my future career.
How does the plan align with your career goals?
My professional goal is to participate in venture capital investment in innovative climate change solutions. Venture capital work not only requires financial expertise; more importantly, it is necessary to understand the hidden logic of specific industries. I want to participate in the investment in climate change solutions, and the C+S plan will provide me with the knowledge I need for my future career.
You will be a member of the first graduating class of Columbia Climate School. Has the creation of the climate school affected your decision to apply for the C+S program?
Absolutely. The establishment of the climate school symbolizes the importance of climate research and will also bring more attention to the C+S project.
When you look to the future of climate schools, what do you want to see?
I hope to see more cooperation between the Climate School and other schools. As I mentioned, climate is an inevitable topic in many industries. I believe there are more topics related to climate impact that need to be explored in other areas covered by other schools in Colombia.
