James Bernhard Anderson *63

Jim died Jan. 14, 2021, in State College, Pa. He was 85.

Born Nov. 16, 1935, in Cleveland, Jim earned a bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University in 1957, a master’s degree from the University of Illinois in 1958, and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Princeton in 1963.

From 1958 to 1960 Jim was an engineer in petrochemical research and development with Shell Chemical Co. His academic career began on the chemical engineering faculty at Princeton and continued as a professor of engineering at Yale before moving to Penn State in 1974. From 1995 until he retired in 2014, he was the Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Physics at Penn State. 

Jim specialized in quantum chemistry by Monte Carlo methods and molecular dynamics of reactive collisions. He was a visiting professor at several universities in Great Britain, Italy, and Germany. A successful academic and inspiring mentor and teacher, his keen understanding of chemistry and physics combined with mathematical rigor allowed groundbreaking insights in his field of research. 

Jim is survived by his wife, Nancy; his son, John; his daughters, Nancy and Christine; his twin brother, John; his sister, Louise; and seven grandchildren.

Graduate alumni memorials are prepared by the APGA.