Why Earn Your EngScD in Electrical Engineering at Columbia?
Columbia gives you a rigorous Ivy League education in the heart of a vibrant global city for unmatched opportunities and impact.
As a student, you’ll benefit from:
- New York City
Join top talent in one of the world’s most exciting and influential cities. Students choose Columbia Engineering over MIT, Berkeley, and others because of the New York City ecosystem of research and enterprise that can’t be found anywhere else.
- Diverse Multidisciplinary Research Opportunities
Solving humanity’s most difficult challenges requires input from many disciplines. Join experts from other fields in research institutions like Columbia Nano Initiative, Data Science Institute, and the Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics.
- World-Class Faculty
Join a department of accomplished scholars and passionate instructors engaged in cutting-edge research in areas like nanoscale photonics for extreme data transfer efficiency, next-generation electrical energy infrastructure, and brain-computer interfaces.
- Columbia University
With a PhD from Columbia, you’ll join one of the world’s most international, accomplished networks of researchers and alumni. Your Ivy League credential will open doors wherever you go and the relationships you build here will accelerate your career.
Why Earn Your MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering at Columbia?
Columbia gives you a rigorous Ivy League education in the heart of a vibrant global city for unmatched opportunities and impact.
As a student, you’ll benefit from:
- New York City
Join top talent in one of the world’s most exciting and influential cities. Students choose Columbia Engineering over MIT, Berkeley, and others because of the New York City ecosystem of research and enterprise that can’t be found anywhere else.
- Diverse Multidisciplinary Research Opportunities
Solving humanity’s most difficult challenges requires input from many disciplines. Join experts from other fields in research institutions like Columbia Nano Initiative, Data Science Institute, and the Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics.
- World-Class Faculty
Join a department of accomplished scholars and passionate instructors engaged in cutting-edge research in areas like nanoscale photonics for extreme data transfer efficiency, next-generation electrical energy infrastructure, and brain-computer interfaces.
- Columbia University
With a PhD from Columbia, you’ll join one of the world’s most international, accomplished networks of researchers and alumni. Your Ivy League credential will open doors wherever you go and the relationships you build here will accelerate your career.
Three Things to Know about Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Ubiquitous Presence
Microplastics, tiny particles less than 5 millimeters in size, have been found in environments worldwide—from the deepest parts of the ocean to the Arctic ice, and even in the air we breathe and the food we consume. In environments, microplastics can continue to break down, and form nanoplastics, plastic particles with sizes less than 1 micrometer.
Hidden in Plain Sight
A recent study by Dr. Yan has revealed that bottled water can contain hundreds of thousands of nanoplastic particles per liter. These tiny bits are often invisible to the naked eye but can be ingested by humans and animals, potentially impacting health.
Persistent Pollutants
Microplastics are highly resistant to environmental degradation. They can linger in ecosystems for decades, accumulating and posing long-term risks to marine life and food safety as they absorb and concentrate toxic pollutants. Due to the small particle size, nanoplastics can enter the human body and transport to vital organs such as the liver, potentially leading to negative health outcomes. The funded NOAA project will build smart plastic collection systems, and if successful, can largely reduce the riverine input to ocean environments.