Program Notes

Biomedical Engineering

Xingeng Zhao (MS'24) writes: It is really my pleasure and my honor to be here at Columbia BME as a master’s student. Here I am enjoying my time here, learning new things, meeting new people, and improving myself. Columbia also has the best team of professors and they are always ready to help us students. I personally met many different professors from different departments. They are all very nice. Finally, it is my most correct choice to be a student at Columbia.

Chemical Engineering

Sheng-Fu Kang (EScD'74) writes: Greetings from far Formosa, Taiwan! We have just experienced a rather hot and rainy summer here, with all water reservoirs of this island nation fully replenished. I still enjoy choral singing. I also currently participate in some book reading groups and enjoy sharing thoughts in small group discussion.

Civil Engineering/Engineering Mechanics

Ahmed Jaddi (MS'61) writes: I finished my MS in Civil Engineering in 1961. In 1962 I returned to the campus to teach Urdu Language at the School of General Studies. During 1962-63 period, I also attended School of Architecture and Planning, studying Urban Planning. After working as a member of the design team for the Jefferson Arch in St. Louis, MO. and supervising the fabrication of the Arch segments in Warren, PA, I decided to go West. Joined Boeing's Supersonic design team in 1967. Left Boeing in 1969 to get back to building design, my desired professional pursuit. In 1971-73, I was in Kuwait providing design built- services under a consortium of Seattle-based architects, planners, engineers and contractor.

Since returning from Kuwait, I had been providing management and design services in various combinations of architects, engineers, surveyors, landscape architects and planners. Projects of significance in the Northwest included conversion of Ft. Lawton to a Public Discovery Park, designing various buildings, piers, roadways, housing and infrastructure repair and remodel for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Airforce. The reopening and remodeling of Northern State Hospital, the defunct mental health institute, into a 600-student campus, to provide technical training, involved coordination between, U.S. Department of Interior, State of Washington, Skagit County and the City of Sedro-Wooley, Washington. I was registered as a professional, civil and structural engineer in seven states, Alask, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Besides, professional career, I had followed civic activities, as a Charter Member to establish the Rotary Club in the International District of Seattle, inviting women to join the Club before Supreme Courts mandate in 1986 and creating a Rotary scholarship program for high school graduates to help attend college. As the President of Seattle's Chinese Garden Society raised sufficient funds to get the Garden building constructed.

Finally, at age 87, I am retired, living with my wife, Ellanora, in Columbia, S.C. I have four children, Adnan, Sabica, Rehan and Salman. Salman is the CIO of ADT and a Poker Champion to his merit. I have eleven grandchildren. I also have a stepson Tyarome Grayson.

Life at the campus, most I remember is the kindness and caring I received from my professors. In particular,

Dean Jewel M. Garrelts, Professor Charles Thurston, Professor Donald Butler. They not only took a keen interest in my getting the education, but they also provided guidance to adjust to NYC life, job after completing education and financial support during my stay at the University.

Stephanie Berrios (BS’18, MS’20) writes: After 6 years of being in the industry and now a licensed PE in New York, 2024 has definitely been a memorable year. One of the projects that I’m most proud of working on is the Redevelopment of St. John’s Terminal (aka 550 Washington) into Google’s new headquarters. I started on this project fresh out of completing my bachelors and while pursuing my masters. Taking on different roles as my skills evolved I essentially grew up with this project. I also met the most special team members and mentors who defined my career by not only showing me the ropes to provide the best delivery I could as a rookie but also guiding me towards establishing productive habits that I carry with me on all my projects since then.

This year, 550 Washington won the 2024 Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) Structural Engineering Excellence (SEE) Award in the Forensic Analysis/Renovation/Retrofit & Rehabilitation of Structures category. SEAoNY also selected me to receive the 2024 Young Engineer of the Year Award. I was honored by the privilege of celebrating two awards with my team as it was quite the celebratory night.

As I keep learning more, taking on different challenges, and growing within the industry, I hope to maintain what has been an essential part of my journey as an engineer: making sure I help open opportunities for young people to become engineers if they find this career path interesting and may not have the exposure or resources available to realize that they are more than capable to enter this industry. It is especially important for me to assist in bringing more diversity, changing how the industry is viewed and who “belongs” as what matters is the initiative, creativity, and collaborative skills that define engineers, not how we look.

David Chitanava (MS'21) writes: It has been three years since I graduated from the School of Engineering. I am still living in New York City, and still working on important infrastructural projects. I am proud that those projects bring significant environmental and public safety benefits to New York City residents. As a Columbia University alumnus, I keep a strong connection with my Alma Mater by participating in Alumni activities and supporting university newcomers and current grad students. Also, I am honored to be on the Board of Alumni of the Columbia University Center of Buildings, Infrastructure, and Public Space where industry leaders come together to discuss challenges, opportunities, and solutions for the AEC industry. I am looking forward to seeing what the fourth year after graduation will bring to me.

Computer Science

Donald Hagen (MS’77) writes: Enjoying retirement. I wrote up memories of my USMC service in the Vietnam war before my memory fails me, and it is on Amazon Kindle "16 Months in Vietnam (4/68 - 8/69)"

Lei Liu (MPhil’00) writes: After 9 years at NYC working for Twosigma Investments, I moved to Shanghai to start a hedge fund in 2013. I am living in Shanghai now with my family (kids 14 and 12).

Gokhan Gelisen (MS'06) writes: Hello from Castello Sforzesco in Milano. However, a year does not pass that I do not think about the good times spent at the Morningside. Memories are still fresh as yesterday as good ones are time resistant. A Bon Droit!

Xiao Zhu (MS’15) writes: I currently reside in San Jose with my wife and our incredibly sweet Goldendoodle, AlphaGou. I work as an Engineering Manager at Databricks, where my team is dedicated to developing infrastructure that bridges data with AI applications. Outside of work, I enjoy trading and carpentry. I've crafted some furniture pieces for our home.

Raymond Barker (BS'12, MS'18) (BS'12, MS'18) writes: I've been a software engineer / engineering manager at Google for the past ~12 years. I spent many years building & validating the serving stack for Search. More recently, I've focused on understanding & improving engineer productivity. I'm recently engaged to Celia Eddy (CC '12, GSAS '21), and we're excitedly planning a wedding and an apartment renovation. We live in NYC, still close to Columbia, with our cat who is very fluffy.

Binny Naik (MS’21) (MS’21) writes: After graduating with a Masters in Data Science degree from Columbia University, I had the privilege to work as a Data Scientist at BNY Mellon wherein I applied the knowledge I gained from my program at Columbia as well as learned new skills. After working at BNY Mellon for a year, I am currently working as a Manager - Data Science at American Express. Moving away from home from India, Columbia University has been a great backbone for me in NYC and has set my foundation in data science to provide me with all the right tools I need to succeed in my career ahead.

Alan Xie (MS'21) writes: After graduating from Columbia, I received my MBA from Harvard Business School. Along with a classmate from my section, I'm currently working on an AI-native business process outsourcing startup. Our company Callback is part of the Y Combinator summer 2024 batch.

Harald Gerhardsen (MS'23) writes: My degree at Columbia was unlike anything I have ever done, and was by far the most challenging undertaking of my professional or academic career. The workload was enormous - I had time for little other than showering and eating breakfast in the morning, before rushing to the library to study until midnight everyday. But it was more than worth it. Despite the constant stress of potentially not being able to finish everything on time, I loved every second of it, and I have never had as much fun as I did during my year at Columbia. And I learnt more than I had in my combined education up to that point.

Though the job market in 2023 and 2024 has been extremely tough, and despite applying to well over 500 positions (and getting rejected by all of them), I landed myself a position as the Lead ML Engineer at a small start-up in Indiana, where I lead the research and development efforts of a novel sensor technology for the construction industry. I am very lucky to say that I in many ways have my dream job, and I get to take a large role in building a company and a product from the ground up, together with my brilliant colleagues. I attribute the entirety of my expertise in Machine Learning to the excellent teachers at Columbia Engineering, and I am eternally grateful for the year I spent as a Columbia graduate student.

Mahesh Jindal (MS'23) writes: I am currently working as an Applied Scientist at Amazon, where I am engaged in cutting-edge research in Information Retrieval and Recommender Systems.In my role, I explore diverse scientific research areas and develop machine learning models that enhance the way information and recommendations are delivered to users. It brings me immense happiness and satisfaction to see these models in action, making a meaningful impact on millions of customers globally. The foundation I built at Columbia has been instrumental in my journey, and I remain grateful for the education and experiences that have shaped my career.

Liang Hu (BS'22, MS'23) writes: I am currently working as a Tech Analyst in the governance team at Barclays. My academic journey at Columbia University, where I earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science, provided a robust foundation in data science, machine learning, and financial systems.

At Barclays, I apply these skills to develop innovative and secure financial technology solutions. It’s a privilege to be part of a team at the forefront of financial innovation. I’m always happy to connect with fellow Columbia alumni and professionals in the tech and finance sectors. Feel free to reach out!

Chenyu Zhang (MS'24) writes: I graduated in February 2024 with a Master's degree in Data Science from Columbia University's Data Science Institute. After completing the rigorous 30-credit program, I took the opportunity to travel the world before beginning my PhD studies at MIT's Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS) and Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS). My time at Columbia equipped me exceptionally well for the challenges ahead, thanks to the outstanding faculty and the wealth of graduate research opportunities available. I am deeply grateful to the faculty and administrative staff at DSI for their support in tailoring a unique academic journey that met my personal and professional goals. Greetings from MIT—I hope to return to Columbia's campus soon!

Abhilash Venkatesh (MS'24) writes: Since graduating in December '24, I've taken a few bold steps that I can't wait to share with you. While most of my cohort went off to conquer the world, I decided to stick around a little longer and, dare I say, challenge myself. I joined the PhDs for a five-month, white-knuckle research stint in the Columbia CS labs, crafting an MS thesis that combined adrenaline with academic rigor. Think of it as an academic triathlon—except with a lot more caffeine and code. The result? A published thesis in computer security and authentication titled "AI-Driven Palm Vein Biometrics for Enhanced Authentication."

After that intense adventure, I transitioned to Amazon Security Engineering, where I now help safeguard one of the world's most critical computer systems: the AWS cloud. I recently moved to Seattle and now carry the title of "Security Engineer," which basically means I spend my days (and sometimes nights!) trying to break into systems I'm also tasked to protect—yes, my job is as paradoxical as it sounds! It's a bit like being a professional cat burglar, except my bosses actually want me to find the weaknesses and help them fix them. This role has completely reshaped my perspective on cybersecurity, turning me into a passionate security enthusiast—both professionally and personally.

Looking forward, I'm eager to leverage my solid foundation in computer science to create game-changing products and bring a fresh perspective to the cybersecurity landscape. I see myself as a scientist, an inventor, and an entrepreneur, with a grand vision for transforming how computers operate across the industry. I'm on a mission to build products that truly do justice to the computer security field, and I won't stop until they’re out there making waves!

Earth and Environmental Engineering

SHIZHENG TIE (MS’22) writes: The best Columbia gave me was not a degree but a constant, perpetual curiosity to learn, as well as a dedication to complete the learning to fruition.

Bowen Fu (MS’23) writes: I recently started as a full time consultant at FTI Consulting of construction solution team in Canada. It is very cool job and as a new graduate student I was able to involved in almost every large light transit railway construction projects in Canada. Since I joined FTI in March, I have been worked on 6 project with total project contract value of 30 billion. And I really learned a lot.

Electrical Engineering

Gordon Silverman (’55CC, BS’56, MS’57) writes: NSF reviewer for several years. (Taught my first AI course in 2000!!) Coauthor of "Cognitive Science: An Introduction to Study of Mind" - 4 editions) A company (JoGo Health) has honored me by including the "Go" - my first name - as part of their name. Recently they reported having treated twenty thousand(!) patients using Reinforcing Learning that I introduced in the late 1970s.

Bernard Friedland (’52CC, BS’53, PhD’57) writes: The recent story about how a computer bug crashing many of the world’s computers reminds me of the time we turned off the lights at Columbia.

Columbia then (ca. 1952) generated its own DC electrical power in a power house located under the old University Hall. This DC provided power for Columbia’s electric lights and some other things. Among these things were the DC motors in the electrical machinery lab in the basement of the old Engineering Hall (now Mathematics Hall). My lab partner and I proposed an experiment the goal of which was to implement a feedback system to control the speed of an AC generator driven by a DC motor. The speed of the motor, proportional to the output voltage of some sort of tachometer, was to be compared with a reference voltage and the difference fed back to regulate the excitation of the motor.

We wired up the system and turned it on. Almost immediately the lights went out. Not only in our lab, but all over Columbia. Not knowing much about control theory, we apparently caused an unstable oscillation which drew excessive current, but somehow failed to trip the laboratory circuit breaker. Instead, it tripped the main breaker at the powerhouse, and all things supplied by it went down. The fault we created was soon discovered and the lights again went on. And we passed the course.

In the years following, I learned a lot about feedback control theory: enough to earn a PhD under Professor John R. Ragazzini, to teach about it for 50-odd years, and to write two books about it. My lab partner went to law school and became a judge.

Michael Otten (MS’65) writes: My experience at Columbia and after has always been cross-disciplinary. As my work was mainly Computer Science before Columbia had such a department, I was technically an EE, but my MS project was to design a laboratory computer, which was used for some time after my graduation as a device to demonstrate the errors that could result from 'Critical Races,' an electronics problem for early computers.

In the past five years I've led an initiative that has catalyzed important changes in election law (esp. the Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022). While most of our work has been with Harvard, Princeton and Stanford academics, I hope to engage more with Columbia in the follow-on work still to be done. Photo below is of me with daughter (Sylvie) and grandson (David) at Paris 2024 Olympics this month. For more information, you can call me at 914-671-7427.

Neil Marmor (BS’64, MS’67, PhD’69) writes: As most elderly people will admit, time went by in a blink. But 60 years? That is quite a blink. I am proud of my education at Columbia. It has served me well. I continue to pay my bills, find my car wherever I parked it [yes, I still drive], and enjoy health that is better than most, but of course not what it once was. I used to be able to run a 10k and feel fine the next day. My recovery time is now rather longer, though I can still jog faster than the old guy with a cane walking his arthritic dog.

I have fond memories of my days at Columbia. I have been fortunate to lead a life that far exceeded my expectations as a kid from the streets of Jackson Heights, Queens, NY. But if it were to end today, I’d reach for a glass of brut champagne and think, “Non, je ne regrette rien” [No, I regret nothing]. For the most part, I did what was right and tried to do no harm. It has been a great trip and I wish the same for all of Columbia’s grads.

Alex Chan (MS'02) writes: In August 2024, the Supreme Court of California appointed me as the Chair of the Committee of Bar Examiners ("CBE") of the State Bar of California ("SBC"), a 17-member committee comprising appellate and administrative law judges, district attorneys, public defenders, and mayors responsible for overseeing all aspects of licensing and admissions to practice law in California — the state with the most lawyers and bar applicants seeking to practice law in the U.S.

Industrial Engineering and Operations Research

Lida Low Kon (MS'70) writes: Retired after 35 years at IBM and living in Menlo Park, California. Very grateful for all the great memories!!

Bruce Jacobs (MS'73) writes: I co-edited the Journal of Portfolio Management Special Issue Dedicated to Nobel laureate Harry Markowitz, which published on July 1, 2024. The issue contains contributions from an esteemed group of academics and practitioners highlighting the life and work of Markowitz, who passed away on June 22, 2023, at the age of 95.

I, along with my co-editors, business partner Ken Levy and JPM editor Frank Fabozzi, wrote the introduction, “The Birth of Portfolio Theory.” I also co-authored with Ken an article in the issue, “Portfolio Insurance, Portfolio Theory, Market Simulation, and Risks of Portfolio Leverage,” which details our long and fruitful relationship with Harry over 30 years, bridging the gap between theory and practice. The article distinguishes between portfolio insurance and portfolio theory, discusses the Jacobs Levy Markowitz Market Simulator, which can explain the behavior of security prices and find equilibrium expected returns, and extends portfolio theory to account for the unique risks of leverage, applying investor volatility aversion and leverage aversion to portfolio choice. My firm, Jacobs Levy Equity Management, celebrated its 38th anniversary this fall.

Richard Chabot (MS'87) writes: I have been happily retired since November 2020.

Alexander Berenbeim ('11CC, MS'12) writes: In the time since I graduated from SEAS and leaving Columbia, I have worked as a mathematical consultant for health care companies, worked to develop an AI start-up, and am presently a Senior AI and Machine Learning Researcher at the Army Cyber Institute, located at West Point. Although my subsequent Masters and PhD in Pure Mathematics enriched the technical background informing my current research, the skill set developed through the IEOR department has proven invaluable for my past and present endeavors. I am grateful for my time at Columbia.

Alan Yan (MS'20) writes: Beyond my role as a strategy consultant, I have spent recent years delving into early career counseling for college students. Throughout this journey, I have encountered numerous exceptional students, constantly reminiscing about my own academic years. Many of my students have expressed keen interest in my experiences as a student at Columbia University, and I aim to assist them to the best of my ability. In a world fraught with uncertainty, let us discover the most fitting paths for ourselves together.

Derin Sezercan (MS’24) writes: After graduation I stayed in New York and moved to one of my favorite neighborhoods, Tribeca. I started an equity research associate role at UBS where I had interned the previous summer. As a Turkish student who relocated to New York to study I am very much looking forward to embracing this new path and excelling in my career thanks to the values taught and community support provided at Columbia. Although it is a great challenge to embark on new adventures, I prioritize the experience of learning as I encounter each opportunity and obstacle. I cherish each moment as if it is a Columbia class or try to make it seem as one. It is a great privilege and responsibility to be a part of the Columbia community as I am aware of the gifts this institution has offered and thus I can’t overlook the fact that I am an ambassador and team player for this community. I am involved in alumni committees and boards. Looking forward to supporting Columbia and our community!

Mechanical Engineering

Wilbur Shapiro (MS'59) writes: Since retiring from an engineering career in 2005, I have become an author and have written 8 novels. My book “Amos the Gifted” will soon be absorbed by a major publisher, Penguin Random House. My books can be seen at my website, wilburshapirobooks.com.

Donald Boone (ME'12) writes: After graduating in 2012 with a Mechanical Engineer professional degree I started my own research consulting business in Arlington, Virginia near Washington, DC. For the past 10 years I have worked at Nanoscience Research Institute, LLC as an Operation Manager and Research Engineer studying and publishing my finding in open access research journals in topics relating to lithium-ion batteries and other nanoscience technology areas.

Utkarsh Parag Kotecha (MS'24) writes: I had never anticipated getting into Columbia or coming to the USA after the havoc the pandemic had left behind in my home country. I was presented with a different set of lenses to view the world after coming here and it was like stepping out from the closet into Narnia. I hope I am able to look back at my time here and smile wherever I may go, because the last 2 years were some of the most exciting years of my life so far. I got to meet awesome people, make great friends and learn under professors that tilted the way I thought on it's head and challenged me to relearn what I thought to be facts and I will be forever grateful for that.