Kate Ascher serves on the faculty of Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and manages Happold Consulting's U.S. practice. Prior to taking up her current positions, she worked at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and Vornado Realty Trust. Her other books include The Heights: Anatomy of a Skyscraper and The Way to Go: Moving by Sea, Land, and Air.