Michael Brendan McElroy (born May 18, 1939) is the Gilbert Butler Professor of Environmental Studies at Harvard University. His research initially revolved around the origin and evolution of the planets to an emphasis on effects of human activity on the global environment of the Earth, especially climate change. From Northern Ireland originally, he was educated at

Queen's University Belfast The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...

, receiving a B.Sc. in applied mathematics in 1960, and completing his Ph.D. in applied mathematics in 1962. McElroy has worked in atmospheric science at

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...

, and leads atmospheric science and policy work. He heads Harvard University's Center for the Environment and chairs the Interfaculty Initiative on the Environment. In 1984 he won the George Ledlie prize for his work on planetary atmospheres. He served as Founding Chair of Harvard's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and has focused his research especially on effects of human activities on the

global environment Global may refer to: General *Globe, a spherical model of celestial bodies *Earth, the third planet from the Sun Entertainment * ''Global'' (Paul van Dyk album), 2003 * ''Global'' (Bunji Garlin album), 2007 * ''Global'' (Humanoid album), 198 ...

. He has recorded two audible books, ''The Modern Scholar: Global Warming, Global Threat'' (2004) and ''Fueling the Planet: The Past, Present, and Future of Energy'' (2009)

Selected publications

*''Energy: Perspectives, Problems, and Prospects''. (2010) Oxford: Oxford University Press. *''The atmospheric environment : effects of human activity''. (2002) Princeton: Princeton University Press. *''Energizing China: Reconciling Environmental Protection and Economic Growth'', co-authored with Chris P. Nielsen and Peter Lydon. (1998). Harvard University Center for the Environment, China Project. *A 1984 paper he co-authored with Steven Wofsy and Michael J. Prather on potential non-linear destruction of the

ozone layer The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region of Earth's stratosphere that absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. It contains a high concentration of ozone (O3) in relation to other parts of the a ...

helped persuade the

United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on De ...

to carry out a risk assessme nt of

chlorofluorocarbon Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are fully or partly Halogenation, halogenated hydrocarbons that contain carbon (C), hydrogen (H), chlorine (Cl), and fluorine (F). They are produced as volatility (chemistry), volat ...

s that laid the groundwork for the negotiation of the

Montreal Protocol The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was agreed on 16 ...

. *

Honors

James B. Macelwane Medal The James B. Macelwane Medal is awarded annually by the American Geophysical Union to three to five early career scientists (no more than 10 years beyond having received their Ph.D.). It is named after James B. Macelwane, a Jesuit priest and one of ...

(1968) * Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (elected 1971) *

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Academy) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and other ...

(elected 1972) *

Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the natural sciences, arts, literature, and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned society and one of its le ...

(elected Honorary Member, Science 2009] *

American Geophysical Union The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of Earth, Atmospheric science, atmospheric, Oceanography, ocean, Hydrology, hydrologic, Astronomy, space, and Planetary science, planetary scientists and enthusiasts that ...

2024

William Bowie Medal The William Bowie Medal is awarded annually by the American Geophysical Union for "outstanding contributions to fundamental geophysics and for unselfish cooperation in research". The award is the highest honor given by the AGU and is named in honor ...

References

Living people Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences faculty Irish emigrants to the United States Scientists from Belfast 1939 births Members of the Royal Irish Academy Atmospheric scientists Fellows of the American Geophysical Union {{US-academic-bio-stub