The Low Down

To navigate the myriad issues and themes in the 2016 presidential election, we've created a reading list for and by Columbians. It features books and articles by alumni and faculty authors examining American democracy and this year's elections.

Topics range from alumnus David Greenberg's "sound, judicious and dispassionate volume" (per The New York Times) about how presidents try to sell themselves, to a Columbia Global Report article comparing the U.S. and Iran elections.  

If you have a suggested title you would like to see included, please e-mail us, or log in to the Alumni Community and post a reading recommendation for your fellow alumni.

By Melody J. Wilding '11SW of the Columbia Career Coaches Network

Originally published on melodywilding.com

Networking can be, at times, awkward and even produce anxiety. The thought of reaching out to people you don't know to build potential business relationships can seem daunting. How do those "super connector" social butterflies carry themselves with such confidence while others stammer and stutter?

As it turns out, there's a psychology to relationship building that will not only help you feel more secure when meeting new people, but will also transform your stack of business cards into meaningful connections that may advance your career.

Remember, confidence and relationship building are not skills we're born with.

Here are four ways to leverage what we know about human behavior and the brain to become a better networker and to create relationships that last:

From Rodger & Hammerstein's groundbreaking contributions to musical theater to Vampire Weekend's chart-topping indie rock, Columbians have made an indelible impression on the musical landscape. To highlight the impact they've had, we've compiled a short list of some of Columbia's musical heavy hitters, in order of graduation year.

We’re mixing things up a little bit here at The Low Down. We decided to feature a discussion from Past Present, a podcast that’s produced by three Columbia alumni: Nicole Hemmer '05GSAS, '06GSAS, '10GSAS (a research associate at the Miller Center for Public Affairs in Charlottesville, Virginia), Natalia Mehlman Petrzela '00CC (an assistant professor of history at The New School), and Neil Young '04GSAS, '05GSAS, '08GSAS (a historian and author of We Gather Together: The Religious Right and the Problem of Interfaith Politics).

South by Southwest (SXSW) is the conference of all conferences, held in Austin, Texas from March 11-20. In its 29th year, the nine days encompass three festivals: Interactive, Music, and Film.  SXSW organizers say it's the premier destination for discovery; The New Republic once called it spring break for nerds.  

Anywhere there's a critical mass of thinkers, artists, makers, and influencers, there are Columbians.  Read on for our list of alumni and faculty who will be at SXSW 2016.  If you'll be there, let us know and we'll add you to the list; and don't miss the Columbia University Club of Austin SXSW event on March 12.

Catch up on the latest news from your Columbia alumni community this week.

As climate continues to dominate the national conversation, Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) is a powerful player in the fight to conserve our planet.  LDEO scientists are at the forefront in understanding the risks to human life and property from extreme weather events, both in the present and future climates, and on developing solutions to mitigate those risks. Hear directly from Dr. Arthur Lerner-Lam, deputy director of LDEO, as he discusses why climate research is more pressing now than ever before, and how Columbia, like no other university, is tackling the big challenges of today's climate landscape. 

Veteran alumni leader and chair of Columbia Alumni Association (CAA) Brian Krisberg ('81CC, '84LAW, P: '18CC) recently spoke to Columbia alumni relations professionals about his long history of leadership and volunteerism at Columbia.

Excerpts from his speech are provided below.

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Catch up on the latest news from your Columbia alumni community this week.

As climate continues to dominate the national conversation, Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is a powerful player in the fight to conserve our planet.

A view of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory's
campus in Palisades, NY (Photo: Lamont-Doherty)

Read on for five things you might not know about Lamont-Doherty’s work on climate: