Dr. John Phillips, former director of the Hopkins Marine Station, died April 5 in Hawaii at age 84.

The late director had longstanding ties with the greater Bay Area, obtaining his bachelor’s degree in biology and doctorate in microbiology and immunology at UC-Berkeley, in 1949 and 1955, respectively. Phillips then managed Stanford’s Hopkins center from 1965 to 1972.

In conjunction with other faculty, Phillips developed a spring course, Problems in Marine Biology, for undergraduates at Hopkins, according to the Stanford Report.

The dedicated researcher was also a forerunner in the study of pollution in the marine environment; his work focused on waste and chemicals, most notably accumulation of the synthetic pesticide DDT in the Monterey Bay.

Following his retirement, Phillips traveled extensively throughout the world, visiting Africa, Asia, the South Pacific and the Amazon. He finally settled in Hawaii. Phillips leaves behind three children and two grandchildren.

-An Le Nguyen