Desirée Plata

Desirée Plata is a Professor and Director of the Parsons Laboratory at MIT's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). She leads research on sustainable materials, environmental remediation, and climate mitigation. Her work bridges academia and industry, with co-founded startups like Nth Cycle and Moxair. She holds a PhD from MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (2009) and a BS from Union College (2003).

• Roles: Professor, MCSC Co-Director, and Plata Lab Director
• Affiliations: MIT Climate & Sustainability Consortium, MIT School of Engineering

Research focuses on carbon-based materials, oil/gas development impacts, and circular economy solutions. Key projects include methane abatement using novel catalysts and waste-to-resource technologies. Awards include NSF CAREER, Odebrecht Sustainability, and multiple National Academy fellowships.

Notable contributions: Developed aerogel composites for oil spill remediation, pioneered high-pressure hydraulic fracturing studies, and advanced sustainable nanomaterial design frameworks. Current initiatives include methane capture from dairy farms and climate tech education through the MCSC Scholars Program.

Awards: Extensive list including MIT Edgerton Award (2020), Resnick Sustainability Fellowship (2017), and Kavli Frontiers of Science recognition (2011-2013).