Daniel J. Jacob stands as a preeminent scholar whose pioneering work has fundamentally transformed our understanding of Earth's atmospheric systems and their interactions with human activity. He currently holds the distinguished Vasco McCoy Family Professorship of Atmospheric Chemistry and Environmental Engineering at Harvard University, with dual appointments in the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences and the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences. After earning his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Ecole Supérieure de Physique et Chimie in Paris in 1981 and his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Caltech in 1985, he joined Harvard University as a postdoctoral researcher before ascending to the faculty in 1987. Over his illustrious career spanning more than three decades, Professor Jacob has established himself as a global authority on atmospheric composition and its perturbation by natural and anthropogenic processes, building one of the most influential research groups in environmental science.
Professor Jacob pioneered the development of some of the first global mathematical models of atmospheric composition, revolutionizing how scientists quantify air pollution transport, ozone layer dynamics, and climate-affecting emissions. His innovative integration of satellite observations with advanced computational models has provided unprecedented insights into atmospheric methane emissions, mercury cycling, and intercontinental pollution transport that has fundamentally reshaped environmental policy frameworks worldwide. His research group's development of the GEOS-Chem model has become the standard global tropospheric chemistry model adopted by hundreds of research institutions internationally, enabling breakthrough discoveries in atmospheric oxidation processes and aerosol formation mechanisms. Professor Jacob's leadership in NASA aircraft missions across remote regions including Alaska has uncovered critical mechanisms for Arctic pollution while his recent work with TROPOMI satellite data has established new methodologies for monitoring global methane emissions with unprecedented spatial resolution.
Beyond his research achievements, Professor Jacob has profoundly influenced the field through his mentorship of over 120 Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers who now lead environmental science initiatives at institutions worldwide, creating a lasting academic legacy that continues to shape the next generation of atmospheric scientists. As a lead author for IPCC assessments and science team member for multiple Earth-observing satellite missions, he has played a pivotal role in translating scientific understanding into actionable environmental policy at the highest governmental levels. His election to the European Academy of Engineering in 2020 further underscores his global recognition as a thought leader whose work bridges atmospheric science, environmental engineering, and climate policy. Currently, Professor Jacob continues to push the boundaries of atmospheric chemistry through his Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling Group, focusing on next-generation computational approaches to address pressing challenges in air quality monitoring, greenhouse gas emissions tracking, and climate change mitigation strategies.
