Jesse Kroll

Jesse Kroll is the Peter de Florez (1938) Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Chemical Engineering at MIT, with a joint appointment in the interdisciplinary MIT Atmospheric Chemistry program. He serves as Co-director of the MIT Climate Project: Restoring the Atmosphere, Protecting the Land and Oceans. His research focuses on understanding the chemical transformations of organic species in the Earth’s atmosphere, particularly their roles in air quality, climate, and human health. Kroll’s work emphasizes developing analytical tools for characterizing atmospheric organics and studying their chemical evolution in laboratory and field settings.

Kroll holds degrees from Harvard University: A.B. (1996), A.M. (1999), and Ph.D. (2003). He teaches courses such as Atmospheric Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, and field-based environmental research (TREX). His awards include the Capers and Marion McDonald Award (2025), MIT Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring (2023), and the NSF Career Award (2017). His lab, the Kroll Group, investigates oxidative mechanisms, indoor air quality, low-cost sensors, and aerosol aging, collaborating with researchers globally.

Notable projects include studies on germicidal UV light’s indoor air impacts, volcanic air quality monitoring in Hawaiʻi, and sensor networks for pollution tracking. Kroll’s group frequently publishes in top journals like Nature Chemistry and Environmental Science & Technology, advancing both fundamental understanding and practical solutions for environmental challenges.