2026 | Systems in Transition: Scaling the Next Decade of Sustainability

Check-in Registration and Coffee

⏰ 9:00AM – 9:30AM |📍 Ground Floor and West Atrium

Attendees will begin the day with event check-in and registration. Light breakfast refreshments and coffee will be available as participants arrive, settle in, and connect with fellow attendees before the symposium begins.

Opening Remarks

⏰ 9:30AM – 9:45AM |📍 Auditorium

The symposium will begin with opening remarks from the event chairs.This session will welcome attendees, introduce the theme “Systems in Transition: Scaling the Next Decade of Sustainability,” and set the stage for the day’s discussions. The speakers will highlight the importance of cross-sector collaboration, systems thinking, and leadership in addressing the complex sustainability challenges shaping the decade ahead.

Speaker(s):
• Kailynn Williams, Columbia University, Symposium Co-Chair and Graduate Student
• Yaseen Ahmid, Columbia University, Symposium Co-Chair and Graduate Student

Panel #1: Can Circular Fashion Scale? Innovation, Infrastructure, and Investment

⏰ 10:15AM – 11:15AM |📍 Auditorium
Sponsor Organizations: Impact Fashion, Women & Sustainability (W&S), and Circular Economy

As fashion faces mounting climate pressure and regulatory shifts, circularity has moved from aspirational to imperative. Yet despite rapid innovation in textile recycling, materials science, and reverse logistics, scalable circular systems remain elusive. Innovation alone is not enough.

This panel explores the systemic barriers preventing circular fashion from reaching meaningful scale, from fragmented infrastructure and misaligned incentives to uneven risk distribution across supply chains. Anchored in recent industry research, the conversation examines how brands, suppliers, recyclers, and investors must realign commitments to build circular systems that are commercially viable and environmentally transformative. Aligned with Systems in Transition, this discussion reframes circular fashion not as a product challenge, but as a systems challenge requiring structural collaboration across the value chain.

Moderator:
• Samantha Cousino | Impact Style at Columbia University | President
Panelist(s):
• Tricia Carey | Avalo and Accelerating Circularity | Chief Commercial Officer and Board of Directors
• Emily Long | Circ | Senior Business Development Manager
• Katie Volker | SuperCircle | Senior Director of Marketing & Head of SuperStudio

Panel #2: Unlocking Climate Finance at Scale: Private and Blended Capital in Emerging Markets

⏰ 11:15AM – 12:15PM |📍 Auditorium
Sponsor Organizations: Columbia Sustainable Finance Professionals Network (CSFP) , Columbia Climate Fund (CCF), and CI3 

Emerging markets must mobilize capital quickly and at scale to enable system-wide transitions in energy, industry, and land use over the next decade. Despite growing climate finance commitments, investment flows remain constrained by currency risks, policy uncertainty, high capital costs, and limited project pipelines — precisely where future emissions growth and climate vulnerability are greatest.

This panel examines how coordinated action among public policy leaders, development finance institutions, corporations, and institutional investors can move beyond isolated projects toward integrated financing models that transform entire systems. As climate impacts intensify and development finance budgets tighten, scalable financing approaches are essential to deploy clean infrastructure, build resilient supply chains, and support inclusive growth.

Moderator:
• Silvia Ramirez Mejia | Columbia University | Graduate Student
Panelist(s):
• Jennifer Eltaib | Independent Advisor
• Marlo Long | Harness | Founder
• Guillermo Martinez Currielche | Climate Policy Initiative | Senior Financial Analyst

Networking Lunch with Employers

⏰ 12:15PM – 1:45PM |📍 West Atrium

A catered lunch will be provided for all conference attendees. This open networking session offers students and participants the opportunity to connect with employers, speakers, and sustainability professionals in an informal setting. Attendees are encouraged to engage in conversation, explore career pathways, and build meaningful connections across sectors.

Panel #3: Electrifying Transportation in the U.S.: Critical Minerals, Supply Chains, and Geopolitical Realities

⏰ 2:00PM – 3:00PM |📍 Auditorium
Sponsor Organizations: Electric Vehicles Organization (EVO) and Columbia Commodities Club

Electrifying transportation in the United States is not only a technological transition but a supply chain and geopolitical challenge. As electric vehicle deployment accelerates, the country remains highly dependent on China for refining and processing critical minerals essential to battery production, including lithium, graphite, and rare earth elements. This concentration raises complex questions around trade strategy, industrial competitiveness, economic security, and the long-term credibility of decarbonization efforts.

This panel examines transportation electrification through the lens of its full value chain — from mineral extraction and refining to battery manufacturing, automotive sourcing decisions, and evolving trade policy. Bringing together voices from industry, research, policy, and commodity markets, the discussion explores whether the U.S. can expand EV adoption while strengthening resilience and sustainability.

Moderator:
• TBC – Coming Soon!
Panelist(s):
• TBC – Coming Soon!

Panel #4: Greener Fields Ahead: The Next Era of Sports Venues

⏰ 3:00PM – 4:00PM |📍 Auditorium
Sponsor Organizations: Build it Green, Sports Management Association, and Resiliency Science Union of Excellence

TBC – Coming Soon!

Moderator:
• Chandler Precht | Columbia University | Graduate Student and Director, External Affairs & Communications, Sustainability Graduate Programs
Panelist(s):
• Norman Vossschulte | Philadelphia Eagles | Vice President of Fan Experience & Sustainability
• Joshua Sierra | Barclays Center | Senior Manager, Sustainability
• William Squires | Columbia University & 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup New York New Jersey Host Committee  | Lecturer, Sports Management; Chief Venues and Operations Officer

Panel #5: Careers in Transition: Navigating Pathways in the Sustainability Workforce

⏰ 4:00PM – 5:00PM |📍 Auditorium
Sponsor Organizations: Student Association for Columbia University’s Master of Science in Sustainability Management (SUMA)

As sustainability becomes embedded across industries, the demand for professionals who can translate climate commitments into measurable action continues to grow. This panel explores real-world pathways into sustainability careers across sectors, offering insight into emerging roles, hiring trends, and the evolving skills needed to succeed.

Featuring sustainability leaders, recruiters, consultants, climate tech operators, and workforce innovators, the discussion will help students and early-career professionals understand how to position themselves for impact-driven work. Attendees will leave with practical guidance, clearer career pathways, and actionable steps for building a meaningful career in sustainability.

Moderator:
• Kailynn Williams | Columbia University | Symposium Co-Chair and Graduate Student
Panelist(s):
• Elyssa Pergola | Shaping Sustainability | Founder and Executive Director

Closing Networking Reception with Employers

⏰ 5:00PM – 6:30PM |📍 West Atrium

Join us for a closing networking reception to wrap up the day’s conversations. This cocktail-style gathering invites attendees to connect with speakers, students, employers, and sustainability professionals. Light refreshments and bites will be served as participants continue discussions, exchange ideas, and build relationships within the sustainability community.