Susan Solomon Wins 2026 Tang Prize for Climate Science Leadership

Solomon’s work bridged the gap between complex atmospheric modeling and international diplomacy. Her research proved that chlorofluorocarbons were the primary drivers behind the Antarctic ozone hole, a discovery that proved vital to the success of the Montreal Protocol. Beyond her work on ozone, she has demonstrated that the atmospheric impact of carbon dioxide emissions remains largely irreversible for over a millennium.

Currently the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor at MIT, Solomon spent three decades at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration before transitioning to academia in 2012. Her career includes co-leading the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report, a document that synthesized the scientific consensus on the physical basis of climate change. The Tang Prize, which includes a cash award of NT$50 million, recognizes her rare ability to integrate rigorous field research with public policy advocacy. This honor adds to a decorated career that already includes the U.S. National Medal of Science and the Blue Planet Prize.