Welcome back to Columbia and to Science Fair, Bwog’s weekly roundup of science events happening around campus. Get outside! Its so lovely. This week promises some woke and fascinating events. As always, email science@bwog.com if you want your event featured.


Long Covid Science and Society Symposium

  • Sunday, April 20, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.
  • Hybrid event: Earl Hall, Room 107, 2980 Broadway and online.
  • A symposium examining the social, political, and economic implications of long Covid. Learn from different patient communities and global perspectives while engaging with patient advocates, clinicians, and scientists. Their views will help shape existing social science research on these communities. More information.

Climate Impacts of AI: Alternatives to Techno-Utopianism and Doom

  • Monday, April 21, 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm.
  • Heyman Center (Second Floor Common Room).
  • How do we make sense of AI’s competing climate claims—massive energy and water consumption versus potential efficiency gains? Will AI accelerate or impede the transition away from fossil fuels? What does AI mean for climate justice? This roundtable features multiple perspectives on the actual implications of AI for climate change. More information.

How Earth Day 1970 Led to Congestion Pricing in 2025 and Will Driverless Cars Upend Everything?

  • Tuesday, April 22, 10:00 am to 11:30 am.
  • Schapiro CEPSR (Davis Auditorium), 530 West 120th Street.
  • In 1970, NYC was ordered to toll Manhattan traffic by 1978. Lawsuits, federal courts, environmentalists winning every battle—then Congress stopped it. Forty years of failed attempts followed. Why did they fail and why did the latest plan succeed? Now driverless cars, taxis, and trucks pose a new challenge. Discuss the good, bad, and ugly scenarios for NYC and beyond. More information.

Mapping AI: Power

  • Tuesday, April 22, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
  • Fayerweather Hall, Room 513, 1180 Amsterdam Avenue.
  • Examine the energy implications of generative AI—electrical grids, water consumption, and community pushback against data center construction. Try calculating the financial costs of AI usage at Columbia using the ongoing map. What does social agency look like when refusing to treat these costs as necessary and inevitable? More information.

Earth Day 2026: Climate and Environmental Justice in New York City

  • Wednesday, April 23, 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
  • Faculty House.
  • Explore critical climate-driven health and environmental challenges impacting housing, education, and policy in underserved NYC communities. How can government, corporate, and community stakeholders collaborate toward a healthier, more equitable planet? More information.

Saturday Science: From A to ZI

  • Saturday, April 25, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
  • Jerome L. Greene Science Center, 605 West 129th Street, Ground Floor. Learn more and register here.
  • Free monthly event for kids and families to explore the brain through hands-on activities. Designed for ages 5-12 but learners of all ages welcome.