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Vernon Morris

Vernon Morris

Director, School for Mathematical and Natural Sciences, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences

vernon.morris@asu.edu

School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Arizona State University, West campus
PO Box 37100
Phoenix, AZ 85069-7100

Titles

  • Senior Global Futures Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory
  • Director, School for Mathematical and Natural Sciences, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences

Biography

Vernon R. Morris is director of the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences within the New College at Arizona State University. Past positions held include founding director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program at Howard University, professor of chemistry and atmospheric sciences at Howard University, and founding director of the NOAA Cooperative Science Center for Atmospheric Sciences. Morris has mentored over 150 students from Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other racialized groups including 20 PhDs and 20 MS students as primary graduate advisor. Further, 40% of the undergraduate students that he has mentored have gone on to acquire advanced degrees in STEM fields. He has been committed to developing programs to increase access to science and careers in geosciences for over thirty years. His hands-on outreach programs and informal science education/exposure projects have reached over 50,000 students worldwide. An atmospheric scientist by training, he is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, was awarded the Charles Anderson Award by the American Meteorological Society and the A.T. Weathers Award for Technical Achievement National Technical Association. Morris currently serves on the EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, the American Geophysical Unions Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the UCAR Board of Trustees, and the American Meteorological Society Executive Council. He recently initiated “No Time for Silence"; a Call to Action for an anti-racist science community from geoscientists of color. This call is a message to leaders in the geosciences community that recommends specific changes that will help create an anti-racist scientific community. These changes require a commitment at the individual level as well as from leadership in professional societies, academic institutions, and federal science mission agencies. The Call has elicited significant response and opened the doors for substantive changes within several professional societies, academic programs, and federal agencies. Dr. Morris’ research focuses on the chemical evolution of atmospheric particulate during transport and residence times in the lower troposphere and the implications to aerobiology, climate, and cloud processes. He has served as Chief Scientist for eleven trans-Atlantic science expeditions (the AERosols and Ocean Science Expeditions – AEROSE) aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) class-1 research vessel, the Ronald H. Brown. Morris holds degrees from Morehouse College (BS in Chemistry and Mathematics) and the Georgia Institute of Technology (PhD in Geophysical Sciences)

 

Education

  • UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-Davis, 1994
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, 1992
  • PhD, Geophysical Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1991
  • BS, Chemistry and Mathematics, Morehouse College, 1985

Journal Articles

2020

Karle, N. N., S. Mahmud, R. K. Sakai, R. M. Fitzgerald, V. R. Morris and W. R. Stockwell. 2020. Investigation of the successive ozone episodes in the El Paso-Juarez region in the summer of 2017. Atmosphere 11(5):Art. 532. DOI: 10.3390/atmos11050532. (link )

Luo, B., P. J. Minnett, M. Szczodrak, N. R. Nalli and V. R. Morris. 2020. Accuracy assessment of MERRA-2 and ERA-Interim sea surface temperature, air temperature, and humidity profiles over the Atlantic Ocean using AEROSE measurements. Journal of Climate 33(16):6889-6909. DOI: 10.1175/JCLI-D-19-0955.1. (link )

Northcross, A. L., S. Hsieh, S. Wilson, E. Roper, R. R. Dickerson, P. Norouzi and V. Morris. 2020. Monitoring neightborhood concentrations of PM2.5 and black carbon: When using citywide averages underestimates impacts in a community with environmental justice issues. 13(2):27-35. DOI: 10.1089/env.2019.0026. (link )

2018

Morris, V. R. and T. M. Washington. 2018. The role of professional societies in STEM diversity. Journal of the National Technical Association 87(1):22-31. DOI: 10.1090/noti1642. (link )

Nalli, N. R., A. Gambacorta, Q. Liu, C. D. Barnet, C. Tan, F. Iturbide-Sanchez, T. Reale, B. Sun, M. Wilson, L. Borg and V. R. Morris. 2018. Validation of atmospheric profile retrievals from the SNPP NOAA-unique combined atmospheric processing system. Part 1: Temperature and moisture. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 56(1):180-190. DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2017.2744558. (link )

Nalli, N. R., A. Gambacorta, Q. Liu, C. Tan, F. Iturbide-Sanchez, C. D. Barnet, E. Joseph, V. R. Morris, M. Oyola and J. W. Smith. 2018. Validation of atmospheric profile retrievals from the SNPP NOAA-unique combined atmospheric processing system. Part 2. Ozone. IEEE Transactions in Geoscience and Remote Sensing 56(1):598-607. DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2017.2762600. (link )

2016

Igbinigun, E., Y. Fennell, R. Malaisamy, K. L. Jones and V. Morris. 2016. Graphene oxide functionalized polyethersulfone membrane to reduce organic fouling. Journal of Membrane Science 514(Sep):518-526. DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2016.05.024. (link )

Liu, S., J. X. Wang, X. Liang and V. Morris. 2016. A hybrid approach to improving the skills of seasonal climate outlook at the regional scale. Climate Dynamics 46:483-494. DOI: 10.1007/s00382-015-2594-1. (link )

Nalli, N. R., C. D. Barnet, T. Reale, Q. Liu, V. R. Morris, J. R. Spackman, E. Joseph, C. Tan, B. Sun, F. Tilley, L. R. Leung and D. Wolfe. 2016. Satellite sounder observations of contrasting troppspheric moisture transport regimes: Saharan air layers, Hadley cells, and atmospheric rivers. Journal of Hydrometeorology 17(12):2997-3006. DOI: 10.1175/JHM-D-16-0163.1. (link )

2015

Douglas Allen, A., M. Velez-Quinones, B. E. Eribo and V. Morris. 2015. MALDI-TOF MS as a supportive tool for the evaluation of bacterial diversity in soils from Africa and the Americas. Aerobiologia (111-126):. DOI: 10.1007/s10453-014-9351-5. (link )

2014

Min, Q., R. Li, B. Lin, E. Joseph, V. R. Morris, Y. Hu, S. W. Li and S. Wang. 2014. Impacts of mineral dust on ice clouds in tropical deep convection systems. Atmospheric Research 143(Jun):64-72. DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2014.01.026. (link )

2013

Galvez, M. C., H. C. Jayo, E. A. Vallar and V. R. Morris. 2013. Elemental compostion of fine particulate matters from the exhaust emission of jeepneys plying the rote of Taft Avenue, Manila, Philippines. International Journal of Modern Engineering Research 3(1):406-410. (link )

Nalli, N. R., C. D. Barnet, A. Gambacorta, E. S. Maddy, H. Xie, T. S. King, E. Joseph and V. R. Morris. 2013. On the angular effect of residual clouds and aerosols in clear‐sky infrared window radiance observations 2. Satellite experimental analyses. JGR Atmospheres 118(3):1420-1435. DOI: 10.1029/2012JD018260. (link )

Xie, H., N. R. Nalli, S. Sampson, W. W. Wolf, J. Li, T. J. Schmit, C. D. Barnet, E. Joseph, V. R. Morris and F. Yang. 2013. Integration and ocean-based prelaunc validation of GOES-R advanced baselline imager legacy atmospheric products. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 30(8):1743-1756. DOI: 10.1175/JTECH-D-12-00120.1. (link )

2012

Liang, X., M. Xu, X. Yuan, T. Ling, H. I. Choi, F. Zhang, L. Chen, S. Liu, S. Su, F. Qiao, Y. He, J. X. Wang, K. Kunkel, W. Gao, E. Joseph, V. Morris, T. Yu, J. Dudhia and J. Michalakes. 2012. Regional climate-weather research and forecasting model. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 93(9):1363-1387. DOI: 10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00180.1. (link )

Morris, V. R., E. Joseph, S. Smith and T. Yu. 2012. The Howard University Program in Atmospheric Sciences (HUPAS): A program exemplifying diversity and opportunity. Journal of Geoscience Education 60(1):45-53. DOI: 10.5408/10-180.1. (link )

Morris, V. R., H. M. Mogil and T. Yu. 2012. A network of weather camps to engage students in science. Eos 93(15):153-154. DOI: 10.1029/2012EO150001. (link )

2011

Melaku, S., N. Greene and V. Morris. 2011. Seasonal spatial and temporal distribution of daytime inhalation-level particulate matter in Washington, DC. Journal of Natural & Environmental Sciences 2(1):1-11. (link )

Nalli, N. R., E. Joseph, V. R. Morris, C. D. Barnet, W. W. Wolf, D. Wolfe, P. J. Minnett, M. Szczodrak, M. A. Izaguirre, R. Lumpkin, H. Xie, A. Smirnov, T. S. King and J. Wei. 2011. Multiyear observations of the tropical Atlantic atmosphere: Multidisciplinary applications of the NOAA aerosols and ocean science expeditions. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 92(6):765-789. DOI: 10.1175/2011BAMS2997.1. (link )

2010

Carlis, D. L., Y. Chen and V. R. Morris. 2010. Numerical simulations of island-scale airflow over Maui andthe Maui Vortex under summer trade wind conditions. Monthly Weather Review 138(7):2706-2736. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1175/2009MWR3236.1. (link )

Fang, Y., V. R. Morris, G. M. Lingani, E. C. Long and W. M. Southerland. 2010. Genome-targeted drug design: Understanding the netropsin-DNA interaction. The Open Conference Proceedings Journal 1:1570163. DOI: 10.2174/22102892010010100157. (link )

2009

Min, Q., R. Li, B. Lin, E. Joseph, S. Wang, Y. Hu, V. R. Morris and F. Chang. 2009. Evidence of mineral dust altering cloud microphysics and precipitation. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 9:3223-3231. DOI: 10.5194/acp-9-3223-2009. (link )

2008

Melaku, S., V. Morris, D. Raghavan and C. Hosten. 2008. Seasonal variation of heavy metals in ambient air and precipitation at a single site in Washington, DC. Environmental Pollution 155(1):88-98. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2007.10.038. (link )

2007

Morris, V. R., T. Yu, E. Joseph, R. Armstrong, R. Fitzgerald, R. Karim, X. Liang and Q. Min. 2007. The NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences (NCAS): Programs and achievements. Bulletin of the American Meterological Society 88(2):141-145. (link )

Robinson, L., J. Rosseau, D. Mapp, V. R. Morris and M. Laster. 2007. An educational partnership program with minority serving institutions: A framework for producing minority scientists in NOAA-related disciplines. Journal of Geoscience Education 44(6):486-492. DOI: 10.5408/1089-9995-55.6.486. (link )

Williams, Q. L., V. R. Morris and T. Furman. 2007. A real-world plan to increase diversity in the geosciences. Physics Today 60(11):54. DOI: 10.1063/1.2812124. (link )

2006

Greene, N. and V. R. Morris. 2006. Assessment of public health risks associated with atmospheric exposure to PM2.5 in Washington DC, USA. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 3(1):86-97. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph2006030010. (link )

Greene, N. A., J. D. White, V. R. Morris, S. Roberts, K. L. Jones and C. Warrick. 2006. Evidence for environmental contamination in residential neighborhoods surrounding the defense depot of Memphis, Tennessee. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 3(3):244-251. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph2006030029. (link )

Morris, V. R., P. Clemente-Colon, N. R. Nalli, E. Joseph, R. A. Armstrong, Y. Detres, M. D. Goldberg, P. J. Minnett and R. Lumpkin. 2006. Measuring Trans-Atlantic aerosol transport from Africa. Eos 87(50):565-571. DOI: 10.1029/2006EO500001. (link )

Nalli, N. R., P. Clemente-Colon, P. J. Minnett, M. Szczodrak, V. Morris, E. Joseph, M. D. Goldberg, C. D. Barnet, W. W. Wolf, A. Jessup, R. Branch, R. O. Knuteson and W. F. Feltz. 2006. Ship-based measurements for infrared sensor validation during Aerosol and Ocean Science Expedition 2004. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 111(9):D09S04. DOI: 10.1029/2005JD006385. (link )

2003

Wang, J., K. Han, G. He, Z. Li and V. R. Morris. 2003. Theoretical study of the C2(1Σg3Πu) + H2O reaction mechanism. Journal of Physical Chemistry A 107(46):9825-9833. DOI: 10.1021/jp0345912. (link )

2002

Jenkins, G. S., A. Kamga, A. Garba, A. Diedhiou, V. R. Morris and E. Joseph. 2002. Investigating the west African climate system using global/regional climate models. Bulletin of the Americanb Meteorological Society 83(4):583-596. DOI: 10.1175/1520-0477(2002)083<0583:ITWACS>2.3.CO;2. (link )

1998

Morris, V. R. and S. K. Pollack. 1998. Singlet-triplet gap in 1,2,3-butartriene and its consequences on the mechanism of its spontaneous polymerization. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 102(26):5042-5046. DOI: 10.1021/jp973024+. (link )

1997

Jenkins, G. S., K. Mphr, V. R. Morris and O. Arino. 1997. The role of convective processes over the Zaire‐Congo Basin to the southern hemispheric ozone maximum. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 102(D15):18963-18980. DOI: 10.1029/97JD01018. (link )

1996

Morris, V. R. 1996. Evaluating the accuracy of density functional methods for ClOO. The Journal of Chemical Physics 104(13):5345. DOI: 10.1063/1.471263. (link )

1995

Morris, V. R., K. Han and W. Jackson. 1995. Time-resolved IR chemiluminescence from reactive collisions between hydrogen atoms and SO2. Journal of Physical Chemistry 99(25):10086-10091. DOI: 10.1021/j100025a007. (link )

1994

Morris, V. R. and W. B. Jackson. 1994. A theoretical study of the H+SO2 reaction. Chemical Physics Letters 223(5-6):445-451. DOI: 10.1016/0009-2614(94)00496-X. (link )

Morris, V. R., F. Mohammad, L. Valdry and W. Jackson. 1994. Steric effects on nascent vibrational distributions of the HCN product produced in CN radical reactions with ethane, propane and chloroform. Chemical Physical Letters 220(6):448-454. DOI: 10.1016/0009-2614(94)00212-6. (link )

1993

Mohammad, F., V. R. Morris, W. H. Fink and W. M. Jackson. 1993. On the mechanism and branching ratio of CN + O,sub>2 → CO + NO reaction channel using transient IR emission spectroscopy. Journal of Physical Chemistry 97(45):11590-11598. DOI: 10.1021/j100147a006. (link )

1991

Morris, V. R., S. C. Bhatia and J. H. Hall Jr. 1991. Ab-initio self-consistent-field study of the vibrational spectra for NO3 geometric isomers. 2. Isotopic shifts of sym-NO3. Journal of Physical Chemistry 95(23):9203-9208. DOI: 0.1021/j100176a032. (link )

1990

Morris, V. R., S. C. Bhatia and J. H. Hall. 1990. Ab initio self-consistent field study of the vibrational spectra for nitrate radical geometric isomers. Journal of Physical CHemistry 94(19):7414-7418. DOI: 10.1021/j100382a019. (link )

1989

Morris, V. R., G. A. Walker, P. Jones, Y. Cao, S. C. Bhatia and J. H. Hall Jr. 1989. Ab initio SCF studies of the electronic structures of halogen nitrates. 2. FNOx (x = 1, 2, 3). Journal of Physical Chemistry 93(20):7071-7074. DOI: 10.1021/j100357a011. (link )

1987

Morris, V. R., S. C. Bhatia and J. H. Hall Jr. 1987. A study of the gas-phase reaction of nitrogen dioxide with ozone by matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy. Journal of Physical Chemistry 91(12):3359-3361. DOI: 10.1021/j100296a050.

Book Chapters

1997

Cobb, J., V. R. Morris and A. N. Thrope. 1997. Mass loading characteristics of crystal clock oscillators. In: Jamshidi, M., R. Lumia, E. Tunstel Jr, B. White, J. Malone and P. Sakimoto eds., Nasa University Research Centers. Technical Advances in Education, Aeronautics, Space, Autonomy, Earth, and Environment. Vol 1. NASA ACE Center Press. Albuquerque, NM.

Sims, S. C., C. K. Wright, J. Cobb, T. McCalla, R. Revelle, V. R. Morris and S. K. Pollack. 1997. New polymer coatings for chemically selective mass sensors. In: Jamshidi, M., R. Lumia, E. Tunstel Jr, B. White, J. Malone and P. Sakimoto eds., Nasa University Research Centers. Technical Advances in Education, Aeronautics, Space, Autonomy, Earth, and Environment. Vol 1. NASA ACE Center Press. Albuquerque, NM.

Wright, C. K., S. C. Sims, C. B. Peterson and V. R. Morris. 1997. Calibration of the QCM/SAW Cascade Impactor for measurement of ozone in the stratosphere. In: Jamshidi, M., R. Lumia, E. Tunstel Jr, B. White, J. Malone and P. Sakimoto eds., Nasa University Research Centers. Technical Advances in Education, Aeronautics, Space, Autonomy, Earth, and Environment. Vol 1. NASA ACE Center Press. Albuquerque, NM.

Conference Papers

2016

Lee, A., D. Hanlon, R. K. Sakai, V. R. Morris, B. Demoz and S. A. Gadsden. 2016. Development of an autonomous unmanned aerial system for atmospheric data collection and research. Proceedings of the Advanced Environmental, Chemical, and Biological Sensing Technologies XIII. SPIE Commercial + Scientific Sensing and Imaging. Baltimore, MD. (link )