About Us
Our Vision
The Columbia Engineering Outreach team envisions a world where all students can see a place for themselves in STEM. Whether as researchers, professors, or engineers, we believe that every student should have access to enriching learning experiences that help them achieve their goals.
To accomplish this, we support Columbia students and faculty in connecting directly with the community through K-12 programs. Through existing and emerging initiatives, we increase access to STEM education at all levels.
In addition to our community outreach programs, we assist faculty and researchers with strengthening the broader impact of their work through the support of NSF and other private partners.
We also foster relationships with colleges and universities across the country, to provide students from historically underrepresented backgrounds with research and mentorship opportunities. Through these partnerships, we are able to supplement the education they receive from their home institution and increase their exposure to STEM career pathways.
Through this work, we bridge the divide between the community, Columbia Engineering, and the STEM industry at large.
Staff
Kristian joined the Outreach team in July 2021. His career in education started when he worked in East Harlem to match mentors with students in the community. While there he launched the FIRST Robotics team #1880. Since then he has worked in a variety of roles for NYC’s Department of Youth and Community Development, The New York Academy of Sciences, and The School of The New York Times. A throughline in these roles has been a commitment to providing high-quality programming to students from a wide range of backgrounds with a goal of young people seeing the many STEM pathways they can pursue. Kristian is excited about leveraging the resources of Columbia to benefit students, faculty, and researchers across disciplines. He traces his passion for STEM back to his time at Space Camp as a 6th grader.
Johanna (Jo) Levey
Johanna joined Columbia Engineering as a Program Manager for Outreach in 2025. She previously worked for the School of Professional Studies and led their management of pre-college disciplinary cases as well as support for international students. She earned a BA in Astronomy and BS in Physics from SUNY New Paltz, and a MS in Applied Physics from Johns Hopkins University. She looks forward to connecting her passion for STEM with optimizing the protocols and procedures of the growing pre-college programs offered via SEAS.
Stephanie Wortel-London
Stephanie Wortel-London has joined Columbia Engineering as Outreach Program Manager. Her career in education has spanned from teaching Earth Science at the Leadership Institute High School in the Bronx, designing and leading enrichment experiences at the American Museum of Natural History, and serving in program leadership roles at the New York Academy of Sciences and research leadership at Computer Science for All (CSforALL.org). She earned her BA in Astronomy-Physics from Colgate University, her MSED in Science Education at CUNY Lehman College, and her PhD in Science Education from Stony Brook University. Her dissertation investigated STEM identity formation in historically marginalized groups through undergraduate mentoring experiences in informal urban afterschool programs. Stephanie is excited about leveraging the resources of Columbia to bring faculty and students into contact with New York City teachers and high school students for high-quality, hands-on research and STEM learning experiences!
Gayathri Mohanlal
Gayathri joined Columbia Engineering as a Graduate Assistant for Outreach in 2026. She supports initiatives that expand access to STEM education and help engage students with engineering programs and opportunities. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University.