Shadows on the Global Stage: Navigating a World of Uncertainty
Panelists:
Maneesh Sagar, CEO of RS Metrics, Columbia Business School Alum
Alexis Abramson, PhD, Dean of Columbia Climate School
Event Details:
When: May 19, 2025
6:00 PM–7:00 PM: Registration and Pre-Event Networking
7:00 PM–7:45 PM: Discussion
7:45 PM–Close: Networking
Event description:
As the world shifts in unpredictable ways, unseen forces are reshaping capital markets, leadership, and global stability. Join Maneesh Sagar, Chairman and CEO of RS Metrics, alongside Alexis Abramson, PhD, Dean of the Columbia Climate School and a Professor of Climate, as they uncover the hidden signals that shape our future. Through his research at Columbia University and his company’s innovative work in the field of asset-level geospatial data analytics, Maneesh has explored how advanced data analytics and AI can be used to reveal patterns beneath the chaos in key sectors like real estate. Environmental, climate, and physical risk metrics which often go unnoticed can supply valuable insights for constructing more enduring and sustainable buildings and protecting existing assets. Dean Abramson will also be sharing insights related to her research from the field of mechanical engineering and her explorations into problems related to building energy efficiency. Don’t miss this thought-provoking evening of bold ideas, fresh perspectives, industry updates, and dynamic networking.
Participants Overview:
Maneesh Sagar
Maneesh is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and educator, dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary innovation and scalable solutions for today’s most pressing challenges. As founder of Thynk Ventures, Maneesh invests in the intersection of AI, IoT, machine learning, and process automation. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University, where he was a Presidential Scholar. Currently an Innovation Fellow and Founding Career Coach at Columbia Business School, Maneesh teaches classes on innovation and venture capital, sharing his expertise to inspire the next generation of leaders.
Alexis Abramson, PhD
Alexis Abramson is the dean of the Columbia Climate School and a Professor of Climate. She is a climate thought leader and an expert in sustainable energy technology, with extensive experience in academic administration. Professor Abramson’s research has focused broadly on thermal transport, from designing nanostructured materials to addressing building energy efficiency. Before coming to her role at Columbia in January 2025, Professor Abramson served as the dean of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth.
Prior to her tenure at Dartmouth, she was the Milton and Tamar Maltz Professor of Energy Innovation at Case Western Reserve University and served as a director of that university’s Great Lakes Energy Institute where she focused on creating sustainable energy technology solutions. Abramson also co-founded Edifice Analytics, a start-up that conducts virtual energy audits and manages building efficiency optimization.
During the Obama administration, Abramson held the role of chief scientist and manager of the Emerging Technologies Division at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office. She has previously served as a technical advisor to Breakthrough Energy Ventures, established by Bill Gates to invest in startup companies with significant potential to mitigate climate change.
Professor Abramson’s research has included novel techniques for thermal characterization of nanostructures, the design and synthesis of unique nanomaterials for use in alternative energy applications, and strategies to accelerate technology commercialization at universities and research institutions. She has also written about gender imbalances in academic settings and the importance of taking a human-centered and multidisciplinary approach to education and research, particularly in STEM and related fields.
Professor Abramson earned her BS and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.