Noelle Selin

Noelle Selin is a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), holding dual appointments in the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) and the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS). She currently serves as Director of MIT’s Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy (CS3). Previously, she acted as Interim Director of IDSS (2023-2024) and Director of MIT’s Technology and Policy Program (2018-2023). Her research focuses on sustainability decision-making through modeling and analysis, addressing air pollution, climate change, and hazardous substances like mercury.

Educated at Harvard University, Selin earned a B.A. in Environmental Science and Public Policy, and M.A./Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences. Her work bridges atmospheric chemistry, policy analysis, and international environmental governance. She has received prestigious honors such as the NSF CAREER Award and Leopold Leadership Fellowship.

Her publications emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to environmental challenges, including climate-emission interactions, mercury policy impacts, and air quality co-benefits of carbon pricing. Collaborative projects span global change impacts on mercury cycling, Arctic atmospheric processes, and transboundary pollution governance.

Award highlights include AAAS Leshner Fellowship and multiple fellowships at international institutions. Her research also explores co-benefits of climate policies, such as health improvements from reduced air pollution. Current initiatives include advancing sustainability metrics and improving model-driven policy design.