L. Douglas Smoot (1934-), an American engineer whose research into computer modeling of fuel combustion led to groundbreaking insights into the formation and prevention of air pollutants. He developed new methods of computational fluid dynamics to better understand the complex chemistry of fossil fuel combustion and the subsequent environmental effects. This led to a better understanding of how pollutants such as nitrogen oxides are created when coal and other fuels are combusted—and equally important, how new technologies could reduce or eliminate their formation.