John George Severson Jr., Ph.D.: 1940-2024
04/12/2024
John George Severson Jr., Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Biology, died Saturday, March 23, 2024. He was 83.
Severson was a professor at Saint Louis University from 1971 until his retirement in 2011.
John George Severson Jr., Ph.D. SLU File Photo..
Severson was born on Dec. 14, 1940, in Wenatchee, Washington. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in his home state in 1964. He majored in biology with a minor in chemistry at Washington State University.
In 1968, Severson earned his master's in teaching from Washington State. In 1971, he achieved his doctorate in botany from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. His dissertation was titled “Studies with naphthenic acid in the bush bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L.”
Severson began his career in education while an undergraduate student at Washington State. He worked as a research technician in the Department of Botany from 1962-64. Upon earning his teaching certification, Severson took a job with the Kiona-Benton City School District in Benton City, Washington. While there, he worked as a junior high science teacher, high school biology teacher and more.
In 1971, he moved onto higher education and took a job at SLU as an assistant professor in biology. At SLU, he became an associate professor of biology and and associate dean at the College of Arts and Sciences. Severson also served as Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs for the Department of Biology.
During his lengthy tenure at SLU, Severson served on a number of committees. He was involved in University searches for department chairs, deans, and a registrar.
He also received a number of grants and wrote numerous articles and multiple books. He retired in 2011 and was given emeritus status.
His research interest at SLU was in plant growth stimulation by petroleum-derived naphthenic acids.
Latest Newslink
- SLU Valentine School of Nursing Doctoral Students Selected as 2024-2026 Jonas ScholarsJonas Nursing, a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S., and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, recently announced that Austin DesJardin and Joy Stark, Ph.D. students at Saint Louis University, have been selected as Jonas Scholars for the program's 2024-2026 cohort.
- SLU Professor to Teach Criminology in India as Part of Fulbright Scholars ProgramDyan McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., director and associate professor of criminology and criminal justice, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to teach criminology and criminal justice in India for the 2024-25 academic year.
- SLU Partners with Washington University on Midwest Center for AIDS ResearchIn a bid to jump-start the campaign against HIV in the region, Saint Louis University, in partnership with Washington University School of Medicine, will establish the Midwest Developmental Center for AIDS Research with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The center, slated to open in September, will aim to create a platform for researchers and public health workers to collaborate and coordinate their efforts to fight the HIV epidemic together.
- SLU Researchers Invite Living Kidney Donors and Recipients to Join NIH-funded Study to Overcome Disparities in Kidney Disease, TransplantationSaint Louis University School of Medicine researchers led by Krista Lentine, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine, will assess how the use of genetic testing may mitigate racial disparities in the health outcomes of people with chronic kidney disease, including organ donors and transplant recipients.
- Saint Louis University To Offer Free Psychological Assessments for St. Louis City ResidentsSaint Louis University's Psychological Services Center, in partnership with the St. Louis Mental Health Board, will begin offering free psychological assessments for St. Louis city residents on a first come, first serve basis beginning July 1.
- SLU Researcher Reports Improvements in Survival Rates in Patients with Metastatic Prostate CancerResearch from Saint Louis University School of Medicine finds improvements in survival in both Veterans and men across the country over the last 20 years in metastatic prostate cancer, which correlates with new hormonal treatments.