Eric A. Betterton is the Head of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences/Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the University of Arizona, with appointments in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and the College of Public Health. Dr. Betterton was born and raised in Zimbabwe. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Natal, South Africa, received his PhD in chemical kinetics from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and trained as a post-doctoral research associate in acid rain and fog at the California Institute of Technology. His research interests focus on: air pollution - especially atmospheric aerosols and dust associated with mining operations; solar energy; rain, snow and ice chemistry; remediation of polluted groundwater; and environmental fate of sodium azide (found in automobile airbags).