Research & Discovery

 

At Columbian College, scholars and scientists join student researchers to challenge assumptions and

Advance the forefronts of knowledge.

 


Research

Discovery and innovation are a Columbian College tradition—from our century-long research partnership with the Smithsonian Institution to our state-of-the-art Science and Engineering Hall. Whether our scholars are observing celestial bodies light years from Earth or examining the roots of diseases like tuberculosis and malaria, Columbian College faculty and students are uncovering age-old mysteries and finding solutions to 21st-century challenges.

13

CCAS research centers
and institutes

$19.7M

annual college research expenditures

507

permanent full-time faculty members

720+

average annual
faculty media hits


Impact

 

Faculty Research

Columbian College faculty are prolific authors, awarding-winning scholars, innovators and artists. They are recipients of Guggenheims, Pulitzers and NEH fellowships, and are published in top media outlets and journals.

 

Student Research

From labs and classrooms on campus to field sites around the globe, Columbian College students work side-by-side with world-renowned researchers and scholars on a journey of cultural and scientific discovery.

Centers & Institutes

Columbian College is home to top research centers and institutes that explore an array of issues and ideas such as the origins of humankind, the inner workings of the brain and the growth of solar energy.

 

 

 

""

"Research has definitely broadened what I know about myself and what I want to do in the future. It's really changed my perspective on my career goals, and I'm very excited to keep going on that path now."

Sarah Schrup
BS '19

 

 

Faculty Research Conversations

Ling Hao and Paul Wahlbeck on stage speaking with a Columbian College sign in the background

Chemistry's Role in Studying Brain Disease

In a video conversation with CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck, Chemistry's Ling Hao discusses the role of chemistry, bioinformatics and cell biology in the study of human neurodegenerative diseases.

Andrew Thompson with Paul Wahlbeck talking on a stage with Columbian College Branding

Democracy's Shifting Attitude

In a video conversation with CCAS Dean Wahlbeck, Professor of Political Science Andrew Thompson discusses the impact of threat and anxiety on American Democracy.

Watch More Research Conversations


Research Making Headlines

Andrew Thompson with Paul Wahlbeck talking on a stage with Columbian College Branding

Democracy's Shifting Attitude

In a video conversation with CCAS Dean Wahlbeck, Professor of Political Science Andrew Thompson discusses the impact of threat and anxiety on American Democracy.

Data science students working on the DSSD Ukraine map include (clockwise from left)

Data Science Students Map a Mission for Ukraine

As winter sets in, Ukrainians face harsh temperatures in war-torn homes. But CCAS students are using their data science skills to map out a rescue plan.

Professor David DeGrazia and CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck having a discussion on a stage with CCAS branding.

A Question of Ethics

In a video conversation with CCAS Dean Wahlbeck, Elton Professor of Philosophy David DeGrazia discusses "moral status" and the role of ethics in policies relating to AI, healthcare and more. 

Elizabeth Vaquera and Paul Wahlbeck speaking on a stage together with the CCAS seal

The Impact of Immigration Status on Wellbeing

CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck discusses the impact of immigration status on an individual’s education and wellbeing in a conversation with Elizabeth Vaquera, director of the Cisneros Institute.

Vials in a lab being filled with clear blue liquid

Lab Tech: Is AI the Drug Developer of the Future?

At a summit of leading scholars and researchers, Chemistry’s Jakub Kostal discussed whether using AI technology in drug development is revolutionary—or risky.

John Lill on a video still

The Ecological Impacts of Cicada Emergences: 3 Questions with John Lill and Zoe Getman-Pickering

Biology's Professor John Lill and former postdoc Zoe Getman-Pickering were interviewed in a video about their research on how cicadas impact our ecosystems.