James Bernhard "Jim" Anderson

1935 - 2021

James "Jim" Bernhard Anderson
November 16, 1935 - January 14, 2021
State College, Pennsylvania - James "Jim" Bernhard Anderson, age 85, retired Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Physics at the Pennsylvania State University, died Thursday, January 14th at his home in State College, Pennsylvania. Jim was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to American-born parents of Swedish descent, Bertil and Lorraine Anderson. He was raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, and spent his childhood summers on the island of Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Jim met his wife Nancy Trotter Anderson in Morgantown, West Virginia. They married in 1958 and had a long and loving marriage admired by all those around them. Anderson earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. from the University of Illinois, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University.
Jim began his professional career as an engineer in petrochemical research and development with Shell Chemical Company from 1958-60 in Deer Park, Texas. He began his academic career as a professor of chemical engineering at Princeton University in 1964 and continued as a professor of engineering at Yale University in 1968 before moving to the Pennsylvania State University, his alma mater, in 1974. From 1995 until he retired in 2014, he was Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Physics at the Pennsylvania State University. Jim specialized in quantum chemistry by Monte Carlo methods and molecular dynamics of reactive collisions. He served as a visiting professor at Cambridge University, the University of Milan, the University of Kaiserslautern, the University of Göttingen, Free University of Berlin, and RWTH Aachen University. Among his peers, he was known as a brilliant theorist with a sharp wit. Jim's keen understanding of chemistry and physics combined with mathematical rigor allowed groundbreaking insights in his field of research.
In addition to his wife, Jim is survived by his son John and his wife Christy of Mahtomedi, Minnesota; his daughter Nancy Dickson and her partner Don Ratchford of Philadelphia; his daughter Christine Maclay and her husband Kevin of McLean, Virginia; his twin brother John Anderson of Sequim, Washington; his sister Louise Anderson of Chicago, Illinois; and seven grandchildren: Collin Anderson (Daria), Brennan Anderson (Daniella), Sarah Dickson (Mark), Wesley Dickson (Sophie), Laura Maclay, Elizabeth Maclay, and Victoria Ratchford.
His family described him as a steady influence with a wonderful sense of humor. He was kind, loving, compassionate, never envious or mean spirited, and had a perpetually positive demeanor. His childhood summers at Put-in-Bay and experiences in the Boy Scouts nurtured his problem-solving abilities and adventurous nature. All who knew him knew his intelligence and admired his ability to see things from a viewpoint that wasn't immediately obvious to others, but when he pointed it out, you had an "aha" moment. His creative and inquisitive nature made him both a successful academic and inspiring mentor and teacher.
He valued life's pleasures, both big and small. He enjoyed his morning coffee and The New York Times, as well as traveling adventures with his family. Always active, he enjoyed swimming, biking, squash, and scuba diving throughout his life.
In lieu of funeral services, the family will gather privately when safe to travel. Memorial contributions may be made to the State College Food Bank to help our neighbors and community.