Dr. Susan Solomon is internationally recognized as a preeminent leader in atmospheric science whose foundational work has transformed our understanding of Earth's protective ozone layer. She currently holds the position of Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she continues to advance critical research at the intersection of atmospheric chemistry and climate science. Solomon received her bachelor's degree in chemistry from the Illinois Institute of Technology before earning her doctorate in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1981. She began her distinguished career at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colorado, where she worked for over thirty years before joining MIT in 2012, establishing herself as one of the most influential atmospheric scientists of her generation through her rigorous field research and theoretical insights.
Solomon is best known for pioneering the theoretical explanation and gathering the first conclusive evidence for the chemical mechanism behind the Antarctic ozone hole, fundamentally changing our understanding of atmospheric chemistry and human impacts on the global environment. In 1986 and 1987, she led groundbreaking expeditions to Antarctica where her team measured chlorine oxide levels one hundred times higher than expected, providing the first direct evidence that human-produced chlorofluorocarbons were responsible for the dramatic ozone depletion observed over Antarctica. Her research elucidated the key chemical reactions occurring on polar stratospheric clouds that catalyze ozone destruction, work that directly informed and strengthened the international Montreal Protocol agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances. Later, Solomon demonstrated how the ozone hole influences Southern Hemisphere climate patterns and provided seminal evidence showing that climate change impacts from carbon dioxide emissions are essentially irreversible for at least one thousand years.
Her exceptional contributions to science and policy have earned Solomon widespread recognition including the National Medal of Science, the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award, and election to numerous prestigious academies. Solomon served as co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's fourth assessment report, which established unequivocally that global warming is occurring, contributing to the IPCC's receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize. Two Antarctic geographic features—Solomon Saddle and Solomon Glacier—stand as testament to her enduring legacy in polar research, while her ongoing work continues to shape scientific understanding and policy responses to climate challenges. Despite decades of groundbreaking achievements, Professor Solomon remains actively engaged in advancing atmospheric science, mentoring the next generation of researchers, and providing critical scientific guidance to policymakers worldwide as the planet confronts increasingly urgent environmental challenges.
