News – MIT Department of Chemistry

“The fact that ozone depletion would have happened as early as the late 1950s, which is much earlier than I would have thought, just absolutely blew my mind,” says Susan Solomon.

Scientists find ozone depletion began decades before discovery of ozone hole

Researchers determined that carbon tetrachloride, used as a dry-cleaning and degreasing agent as early as the 1930s, was at the root of early ozone loss.

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Nina Greeley smiles in an outdoor setting.

Graduate Student Spotlight: Nina Greeley

Chemistry Graduate Student Nina Greeley describes her research and answers 20 random questions as part of the Graduate Student Spotlight series.

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Mengyao Li smiles in front of an ivy-covered trellis.

Mengyao Li Honored as 2026 Jane Coffin Childs Fellow

Li is one of thirty-two outstanding postdoctoral fellows selected as awardees to this distinguished fellowship program in biomedical research.

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Brittany Balocca smiles in an outdoor setting.

Department of Chemistry Welcomes Brittany Balocca to its Staff

Brittany joins the Department of Chemistry as its Human Resources Administrator.

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Kathleen Downey stands in front of a power point presentation.

MIT Chemistry Hosts 9th Annual Denmark Organic Retreat, Sponsored by Scott Denmark (SB ’75)

The 9th Annual Denmark Organic Retreat, sponsored by Scott Denmark (SB '75), was held on June 12, 2026.

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QS ranks MIT the world’s No. 1 university for 2026-27

Ranking at the top for the 15th year in a row, the Institute also places first in 12 subject areas.

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Susan Solomon, the Lee and Geraldine Professor of Environmental Studies at MIT, has been named the 2026 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development laureate, in recognition of her research and leadership in atmospheric and climate sciences that has helped shaped global policy.

Susan Solomon named 2026 Tang Prize laureate

Solomon’s research has helped lay steps towards recovery of the ozone layer and demonstrated the lasting impacts of carbon emissions on Earth’s climate.

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Side by side headshots of Laura Kiessling and Ron Raines.

Laura L. Kiessling and Ronald T. Raines Named van ’t Hoff Lectureship Award Recipients

This prestigious award is named for the first Nobel laureate in Chemistry.

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Clockwise from top left: Annika Marschner, Alvin Meng, Matthew Wanta, and Zachary Siegel

MIT affiliates win 2026 Hertz Foundation Fellowships

The fellowships recognize doctoral students who are pursuing solutions to the most pressing challenges in science and technology.

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MIT chemists showed they can double the strength of common polymers, including polystyrene and a type of rubber used to make shoe soles.

MIT chemists design impact-resistant plastics

Introducing weaker bonds into polystyrene and rubber helps these materials dissipate energy, making them more resistant to destructive forces.

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Congratulations to the Class of 2026

24 undergraduate Chemistry Majors were awarded their degrees on Friday, May 29, 2026.

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Daniel L.M. Suess Promoted to Full Professor

Suess’ promotion will go into effect on July 1, 2026.

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Chemistry Graduate Students Celebrated at the 2026 Advanced Degree Conferral

The Department of Chemistry's advanced degree recipients were awarded their degrees and doctoral hoods on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

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