Background
Ferris, James Peter was born on July 25, 1932 in Nyack, New York, United States. Son of Richard B. and Mabel G. (Collier) Ferris.
Ferris, James Peter was born on July 25, 1932 in Nyack, New York, United States. Son of Richard B. and Mabel G. (Collier) Ferris.
Bachelor of Science, University Pennsylvania, 1954; Doctor of Philosophy, Indiana U., 1958.
Postdoctoral researcher, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1958-1959;
assistant professor, Florida State University, 1959-1964;
research associate, Salk Institute, 1964-1967;
associate professor of chemistry, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, 1967-1973;
professor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, since 1973;
department chairman chemistry, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, 1980-1983. Visiting professor Laboratory Organic Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute Technology, Zurich, 1985-1986, Salk Institute, 1995. Member life science advising committee National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1987-1988, chair advisory panel on exobiology, since 1995.
Member task force on life science of space science board National Research Council, 1984-1986, member space studies board, 1990-1994, past vice chair subcommission F3 committee space research, science committee oceanic research working group on hydrothermal system, 1989-1992. Member panel on exobiology American Institute Biological Sciences, 1984-1990.
Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science. Member American Chemical Society, International Society for Study Origins ofLife (treasurer 1980-1989, editor Origins Life and Evolution of Biosphere1982-, president 1993-1996, Oparin medal 1996), Clay Minerals Society, Inter-American Photochem.
Married Joan E. Herrlich, September 3, 1955 (divorced 1985). Children— Alison R., Laura J. Married Susan Shipherd, March 7, 1992.