Prof. Susan Solomon – Scientific Leader
COUNTRY OF BIRTH
United States
INDUSTRY
Atmospheric science
TOP ACHIEVEMENTS
Multiple award winning atmospheric chemist Susan Solomon is known for her invaluable work in identifying the cause of the hole in the ozone layer in Antarctica. Solomon was selected as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine, and is a member of a number of prestigious scientific academies.
Awards and Books
Susan Solomon has won several awards for her contributions to the field of science, and for her instrumental work in climate change control. Awards include the 2013 Vetlese Prize for her work on the ozone hole and the 2009 Volvo Environment Prize. In 2009 Solomon was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. She is also the author of two books: The Coldest March: Scott’s Fatal Antarctic Expedition and Aeronomy of the Middle Atmosphere: Chemistry and Physics of the Stratosphere and Mesosphere.
The Hole in the Ozone Layer
Solomon worked with a team of scientists at the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory doing research on the ozone layer. The team hypothesized that the hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica was created by free radicals and started planning an expedition to Antarctica to investigate further. Solomon was the leader of the expedition team, and the only woman that went to McMurdo Sound in Antarctica to gather evidence to support their postulates. The scientists made ground-breaking discoveries about the ozone layer and Solomon also found that volcanoes played a substantial role in the damage being done to the ozone layer.
Because of the work that Susan Solomon did an international agreement to protect the ozone layer, by regulating damaging chemicals, was made. It is named the U.N. Montreal Protocol.
ADDITIONAL FACTS
- Solomon had an Antarctic glacier and a snow saddle named in her honor.
- Married to Barry Sidwell in 1988.
- Achieved a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1977.
- Achieved a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California in 1981, specializing in atmospheric chemistry.
