Malika Wilson, Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP)

What is your role?

ISERP is a shared resource for faculty and graduate students in social science departments, the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), and the Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences MA program (QMSS). It manages numerous grants and programmatic initiatives, resulting in a high volume of hiring. This includes appointing lecturers, adjunct faculty, and teaching assistants for the QMSS program.

In my role, I serve as a liaison to our departments and SIPA, managing the hiring process for academic appointments and human resources functions. I strive for an inclusive approach to appointing faculty, research staff, students, and administrative hires. This includes managing all associated compensation and visa applications. Additionally, I oversee the annual recertification process, conduct performance evaluations, and maintain hiring data, records, and reports.

My favorite aspect of the job is the opportunity to play a role in advancing the careers of future leaders.

Favorite place on campus?

My favorite place on campus is College Walk. This is a gorgeous place to view the campus and observe students rushing to class!

What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment at Columbia?

My greatest accomplishment is facilitating appointments and hires for faculty, students, and researchers. By managing this process, I enable them to concentrate on their teaching and research within their academic fields.

What advice would you give to someone just starting at Columbia?

My advice to new employees at Columbia is to ask questions if they encounter uncertainty.

When I first started working at Columbia, my supervisor Jo-Ann Rivera advised me against making impulsive decisions. This guidance to think twice has saved me on multiple occasions.