James "Jim" Tumlinson

Jim and his sex pheromone quest into so many seriously troublesome insects is still amazing in encompassing 60 years on the front lines of chemical ecology. I first heard of Jim in 1969 when his first project on the boll weevil was published. Jim's solution included 4 bioactive compounds, 2 of which had rings of only 4 carbons. The original data was used in my 3rd PhD cumulative exam, and none of us could draw these structures from the data given. But male boll weevils knew the answer,...

On behalf of the Entomology Department at Penn State we offer our deepest condolences to Jim's family. Jim was a beloved gentleman and scholar who will be great missed. Despite his extended illness, Jim's concern was to ensure the success of his students. His academic contributions are extensive and with great impact, but his humanity will endure.