Vernon Morris is an environmental scientist who studies atmospheric aerosols. His research has implications for a broad range of disciplines including climate change, air pollution, environmental justice, and extraterrestrial atmospheres. He has designed and led field experiments spanning the globe. His research as the Chief Scientist for thirteen trans-Atlantic science expeditions has generated the most extensive set of in situ observations of the Saharan Air Layer. These data have been used to correct satellite retrievals, to improve hurricane and tropical storm forecasts and for validation of NOAA, DoD, and European numerical weather prediction models.  

Morris is the Associate Dean for Knowledge Enterprise and Strategic Outcomes and a Foundation Professor with faculty affiliations with the School of Earth and Space Exploration, the Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology, and the Global Futures Laboratory.

His recent recognitions include the AGU’s Presidential Citation for Science and Society, election as a Fellow of the African Science Institute and the American Meteorological Society.