Dean Shih-Fu Chang recognized Raymond P. Daddazio BS'75, MS'76, EngScD'82 with the Thomas Egleston Medal for Distinguished Engineering Achievement. Daddazio is chairman of the Thornton Tomasetti Foundation and former president of Thornton Tomasetti. Dean Chang also recognized Azmi T. Mikati BS'94, the CEO of M1 Group, with the Samuel Johnson Medal for Distinguished Achievement Beyond Engineering and Applied Science.

Over the weekend, alumni and guests attended lectures from Columbia Engineering faculty, including a talk on AI and neural intelligence with Richard Zemel, Trianthe Dakolias Professor of Engineering and Applied Science and professor of computer science; as well as a presentation on energy, transition, and mining with Dan Steingart, Stanley-Thompson Professor of Chemical Metallurgy, professor of chemical engineering, and chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering. 

On Friday, attendees toured the Plasma Physics Lab and the Robotics and Rehabilitation (RoAR) Lab. They also mingled at a general All Class Reception and recognized classes celebrating their 50- and 25-year anniversaries. Members of the Class of 1976 received Golden Lions pins, while the Class of 2001 members received Silver Lions pins to commemorate the milestone and their entry into the Golden and Silver Lions Societies. The day ended with a Reunion Lawn Party for alumni of Columbia Engineering, Columbia College, and the School of General Studies. 

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Dean Chang gave attendees an overview of Columbia Engineering news highlights and research updates on Saturday at the Dean’s Breakfast. The Engineering School also hosted a special reception for alumni of its master’s and doctoral programs. The Society of Columbia Graduates sponsored the Great Teacher Awards reception to recognize the 2026 honorees. Harry West, professor of professional practice in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, received the Great Teacher Award for the Engineering School. Caterina Pizzigoni, associate professor of history, was the Columbia College recipient. The day closed with receptions and dinners for the classes and a Starlight Celebration on Low Plaza featuring a live band, dessert, and champagne.

It’s a particularly exciting moment for Columbia, where generations of researchers have been exploring the science behind fusion and chipping away at technical hurdles since the Plasma Physics Laboratory was established in 1961. 

That legacy continues today. In the past year, Columbia Engineering launched a minor in fusion energy and announced the Columbia Fusion Research Center, which nurtures existing partnerships with the fusion industry and provides a framework for collaboration with new partners.

In celebration of these milestones, Columbia Engineering is focusing on fusion in the latest issue of The Lever, the School’s collection of limited-series newsletters on major problems and solutions. Subscribe today to start receiving the five-part series, “Making Fusion a Reality,” featuring faculty from Columbia Engineering, the School of International and Public Affairs, and beyond. 

Meet the Contributors

Image Carlos Paz-Soldan Associate professor of applied physics and applied mathematics at Columbia Engineering; Director of Columbia Fusion Research Center	Image Elizabeth Paul Assistant professor of applied physics and applied mathematics	Image Matt Bowen Senior research scholar in the faculty of international and public affairs
Image Andrew Holland CEO of the Fusion Industry Association