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 , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

, 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, 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 The George Ledlie Prize is awarded by the "President and Fellows of Harvard College" for contributions to science. George Ledlie George Hees Ledlie was born at Palatine Bridge, New York and attended private schools and colleges to prepare for Harva ...

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. 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 absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. It contains a high concentration of ozone (O3) in relation to other parts of the atmosphere, although still small in rel ...

helped persuade the

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

to carry out a risk assessme nt of

chlorofluorocarbon Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are fully or partly halogenated hydrocarbons that contain carbon (C), hydrogen (H), chlorine (Cl), and fluorine (F), produced as volatile derivatives of methane, ethane, and pro ...

s that laid the groundwork for the negotiation of the

Montreal Protocol The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organization ...

. *

Honors

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) 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, ...

(elected 1972) *

Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier learned society and one its leading cultural i ...

(elected Honorary Member, Science 2009]Royal Irish Academy honorary membe

accessed 6 June 2022

References

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