Peter Brimblecombe is currently an emeritus professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of East Anglia. He attended university in Auckland, New Zealand, where he completed a PhD on the aqueous chemistry of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere. He was appointed senior editor of Atmospheric Environment in 1990. He is convinced that environmental pollution is not merely a matter of environmental chemistry, and his current interest in air pollution relates to human exposure in the urban environment and air pollution policy, especially in China and Hong Kong. The practical context of his research work means that he is frequently an invited speaker at conferences, is interviewed by the media, and teaches advanced courses. In 2005, he received a gold medal from the Italian Chemical Society for his contributions to environmental and heritage chemistry. He was previously a Chair Professor in the School of Energy and Environment at the City University of Hong Kong.