Campus & Community

The essence of community is found in everyday moments, whether it's sharing a meal with neighbors, coming together to cheer on a local college sports team, or getting crafty at a holiday celebration. This autumn, as the Uptown community has buzzed with seasonal activities, Columbia University was proud to organize and partner with local organizations to sponsor events that foster meaningful connections and spread awareness about programs and resources the University offers residents of its surrounding neighborhoods.

From a Halloween-inspired festival in Morningside Park to a glowing celebration of local creativity, here are some of the magical and memorable moments of connection.

Marie Tharp was one of the first women scientists to work at Lamont Geological Laboratory (now the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory), starting in 1948. This fall, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, along with nine women who changed the world, including a poet, a spy, a biologist, and a legislator, among others. 

At Columbia, Tharp spent decades conducting research and, with her colleague Bruce Heezen, created the first complete map of the ocean in 1977. Tharp’s work went on to revolutionize the field and helped prove the theories of continental drift and plate tectonics. 

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Tharp left Robin Bell and Vicki Ferrini “with goosebumps.” The event offered an opportunity to “talk about the beauty of Marie’s work,” Bell said. 

The two Lamont scientists arrived at Seneca Falls, New York, decked out in clothing covered in Tharp’s maps and carrying a jacket with Tharp’s image emblazoned on it. “We were quite the talk of the party with the map clothing,” Ferrini said. “Everyone wanted one.”