In Memoriam

Michael B. McElroy (1939–2026)  

Faculty Associate Michael B. McElroy, Gilbert Butler Professor of Environmental Studies at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, died January 8, 2026, at age 86. He was a pioneering atmospheric scientist whose research on stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change was instrumental in protecting Earth from harmful UV radiation. He expanded his work into energy science and decarbonization policy in the US, China, and India. McElroy’s accomplishments on campus were many—especially at a time when other universities were scaling back. He founded the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in 1986, established the Environmental Science & Public Policy concentration in 1993, chaired the first University-wide Committee on the Environment, founded the Harvard-China Project, and directed the Harvard University Center for the Environment. Here at the Weatherhead Center, he was one of the principal investigators for a 2010 Weatherhead Initiative on the Costs and Benefits of Carbon and Air Pollution Control in China: An Interdisciplinary and Analytical Framework. Known for his intellectual curiosity, collaborative approach, exceptional mentorship, and relentless dedication to solving planetary challenges, McElroy will be missed greatly. 

Pierre Keller (1927–2026) 

Dr. Pierre Keller was a long-time affiliate and supporter of the Weatherhead Center. He began as a Fellow in the Fellows Program (1979–1980), and served on our visiting committee (1994–2002) and on our advisory committee (2006–2016). He was particularly involved with supporting the Program on Transatlantic Relations and our conference in Talloires, France. 

Keller was not only the first chair of the Europaeum’s Trustees, a position he held from 2004 until 2017, but also a great intellectual and financial supporter. When he stood down as chair, the Europaeum was delighted that he was willing to become honorary president.