Thomas A. Kursar
Professor of Biology
801.581.8369
kursar@biology.utah.edu
My main interest is the explanation of ecological patterns and processes via physiological and biochemical mechanisms. My current area of research is the evolution of plant chemical defenses. In short, plant chemistry is poorly understood and, as such, is cryptic trait. To address this issue, we use UPLC-mass spectrometry to characterize the plant metabolome. Other interests include the mechanisms that determine the distributions of tropical forest plants and how academic skills, such as basic research and training, can be applied to conservation. That led to the development of a bioprospecting program that is closely linked with conservation.
Curriculum Vitae
In Rememberance - Thomas A. Kursar
Forever in our hearts
Thomas A. Kursar passed away peacefully at home on November 18, 2018 from pancreatic cancer. He was 69 years old. Tom was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey on September 18, 1949. He earned a B.A. in Biochemistry from Rutgers in 1971. He was awarded a M.A. in Biophysics in 1976 and a Ph.D. in Biophysics and Theoretical Biology in 1982, both from the University of Chicago. While there, he met Phyllis D. Coley (Lissy) who would become his partner in love, life and science. Ever since, they have been known as the unit “Tom & Lissy” to all their friends, colleagues and collaborators.
In 1982, Tom and Lissy joined the Department of Biology at the University of Utah where they established a joint lab that became renowned for its foundational contributions to our understanding of rainforest ecology. Tom’s legacy far surpasses his research contributions to science; he was a generous man. He was moderate in his behavior and appetites, but passionate in his loves and beliefs. He loved Lissy, of course, and he also loved wild places and the great outdoors.
For those who want to celebrate Tom’s life, his family invites you to contribute to the Coley-Kursar Endowment in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Utah. This endowment supports field work for graduate students from the University of Utah engaged in ecological research. Tom and Lissy also established an endowment to support internships for Latin American students in hopes of facilitating their path to graduate school through the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, please note in the comments section the gift is for Tom.