Events

Past Event

Mongolian Climate and History: An Experiment in Collaboration

September 29, 2022
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
America/New_York
Fayerweather Hall, 1180 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10027 411

Historians and paleoclimatologists approach the past from vastly different traditions and experiences but share a passion for past environments and peoples. In this presentation, three scholars will discuss how a cold call in 2011 initiated a dialogue between a historian (Nicola Di Cosmo) and a group of paleoclimatologists (Amy Hessl, Caroline Leland, Neil Pederson, Oyunsanaa Byambasuren, Baatarbileg Nachin, and Kevin Anchukaitis) that would change our understanding of steppe empires and the role of climate in their evolution. The collaboration led to the development of new ideas that would not have emerged without a mutual understanding of their respective fields. They each learned new tools and approaches, and how to interpret new data sources, while at the same time recognizing their limitations. This joint understanding allowed the collaborators to identify novel connections between climate, ecology, political innovations, and trade. 

Event Speakers

  • Nicola Di Cosmo, Luce Foundation Professor in East Asian Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study
  • Amy Hessl, Professor of Geology and Geography at West Virginia University
  • Caroline Leland, Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Columbia University

Event Information

Free and open to Columbia University ID holders; registration required. 

Part of the History and Climate Change workshop series hosted by the Environmental Sciences and Humanities Research Cluster and co-funded by the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy

The Center for Science and Society makes every reasonable effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. If you require disability accommodations to attend a Center for Science and Society event, please contact us at [email protected] or (212) 854-0666 at least 10 days in advance of the event. For more information, please visit the campus accessibility webpage

Click here for more information and to register: https://scienceandsociety.columbia.edu/events/mongolian-climate-and-history-experiment-collaboration  

Contact Information

Center for Science and Society