James Youngblom’s biological interests were genetics and DNA technology, but it was what was in his own DNA — passion for teaching, biology and people — that colleagues, friends, family and students recalled when they learned the Stanislaus State professor died during a backpacking trip to Yosemite National Park.
Dusty Creighton called Youngblom “the most dynamic professor I had at Stan State,” who “turned the cellular/molecular biology class I was dreading into a favorite course that I would always remember with fondness. He challenged me in the best of ways.”
Creighton’s remembrances were echoed by Peter Lindbeck, who “fell in love with genetics” because of Youngblom’s “cool lab.”
None who knew Youngblom is surprised by the reaction of his students.
“Jim was a hardworking and dedicated member of the faculty who cared deeply about students and their success,” said David Evans, dean of the Stanislaus State College of Science. “As chair of Biological Sciences, he was a dedicated advocate for his department, colleagues and their students. He was an inquisitive scientist whose research expertise focused on genetics and DNA technology. He loved his job and was eager to share his passion and enthusiasm for science and discovery with young scholars.”
He set an example for his colleagues, including Chessie Robbins, who was first a student in Youngblom’s biology lab who benefitted from his “tremendous patience to this adult learner who needed lots of help,” she said. “He was also a colleague, and whenever I reached out on behalf of a student, he was always willing to help. The world is a little darker without his brightness.”
Other colleagues had similar views of Youngblom.
“Jim worked tirelessly to foster supportive and dynamic educational experiences for students, and emphasized one-on-one mentorship and student-centered teaching, while simultaneously keeping up with the latest scientific advances in genetics,” said Matthew Cover, professor of biological sciences. “He forged collaborations with other renown scientists from all over the country so his students could participate in cutting-edge biotechnology research and co-author journal publications as undergrads."
Youngblom, 64, began teaching at Stan State in 1990 and in 2017 became chair of the Department of Biological Sciences.
“Jim always believed that the measure of a good life was not in the quantity of years lived, but the quality of our existence,” said his wife, Janey, a retired Stan State professor of genetics. “That is why he was so passionate about his teaching, his mentorship of students and new faculty, and his contributions to his broader community. He was one of the kindest and gentlest individuals this world will ever know, and that came across to his students, colleagues, friends, family and everyone he encountered in life.”
Great Professor, Mentor
His former student Lindbeck called Youngblom a “great professor and an even better person,” a sentiment echoed by Zach Nichols.
“Dr. Youngblom was my advisor and my favorite professor at Stan State,” said Nichols, Class of 2011. “He was always smiling, full of life. I remember how he would even ask how my wife and daughter were doing when I came in for advisor meetings, calling them by name.”
“I wouldn’t be half of what I am without his mentorship throughout my schooling," wrote Andrew Adams.
Youngblom didn’t know the full impact he had on his students.
“I didn't even tell him I finally got that Ph.D. he told me to pursue,” shared Simi Grewal.
Youngblom’s dedication to teaching was seen in the way he constantly sought to better engage students. Sarah Elgin, professor emerita of biology at Washington University at St. Louis and founder of the Genomic Education Partnership (GEP), said Youngblom joined the group in 2007 during its second year and was an early adapter of GEP’s strategy to engage undergraduates in genomics research.
“The Genomics Education Partnership has lost an important, pioneering member and a dear friend,” Elgin said. “Jim was an early adopter of our strategy of engaging undergraduates in genomics research. He demonstrated by example how to successfully mentor students through research collaboration within a genomics course. In addition, he contributed to our continuing efforts to develop and improve our central curriculum. Always altruistic, he aimed to help students become accomplished, contributing scientists.”
His efforts proved successful. Sixty-two of Youngblom’s Stan State students have been co-authors on GEP publications, and over 200 more are eligible to become co-authors on joint papers to come. GEP members said they will remember him as “an inspiring colleague”…and ”kind spirit”…[with] “a lovely, gentle sense of humor,”… “a wonderful teacher and mentor…[who] really cared about his students.”
“He brought many, many of his students along into the world of scientific research, helping them to build a strong foundation for their future endeavors,” Elgin said. “He also led the California GEP faculty through our difficult past year, when COVID-19 constrained and defined much of our teaching. His steady contributions during his fourteen years with us have played a central role in shaping the GEP community we know and love today. Jim’s smile and good spirits made many new members to the group feel immediately welcome.”
In 2002, Youngblom began Stan State’s annual Dinner with a Scientist, an impactful annual event that brought together numerous teachers and students in grades six to 12 throughout the region to meet local STEM professionals while sharing dinner together. The goal was to help inspire students from an early age to see the variety of career options they could pursue with a STEM degree.
In 2009, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, “Jim dressed up as him and, with an appalling English accent, told biology students about him during the Biology Colloquium,” recalled Terry D. Jones, professor of biology and interim associate vice president of faculty affairs.
Cover, too, saw that innovation at work.
“One of my fondest memories is seeing Jim late one evening in the hallway in Naraghi, bouncing golf balls into boxes,” Cover said. “He told me he was devising a game to play at a student meeting the next day, and he needed my help to figure out how to make the game challenging but fun.”
Although dedicated to his work and students, Youngblom was equally devoted to Janey and his son and daughter and enjoyed an active life away from campus.
He was an avid hiker and skier who loved baseball and rhubarb, recalled Jones.
“His love for family and friends could be felt in every story he shared about the many accomplishments of Janey, and of his son and daughter,” Cover said.
His sudden death was met with shock, but Janey Youngblom has tried to find solace in the circumstances.
“Jim was the consummate outdoorsman who loved being out in nature through hiking, fishing, skiing, backpacking and biking,” Janey Youngblom said. “Yosemite was one of his favorite places to engage in all these activities. His appreciation for the magnificence of Yosemite was only rivaled by John Muir himself. So, as tragic as this unimaginable event has been, Jim was out there doing what he loved to do amidst what he considered to be one of nature’s most beautiful sanctuaries. Jim loved his family more than anything in the world, but he was always drawn to the outdoors with all its exquisite as well as sometimes treacherous beauty.”
Jim's family, including Janey and their daughter, Emily, and their son Reuben have established the James Youngblom Memorial Fund for the purpose of memorializing Jim's passion for learning. Remembrances made will be used to fund renovation of the Biology Research Lab and will compliment a gift from the Youngblom family in recognition of Jim’s love for research.
The Department of Biological Sciences is planning a Celebration of Life to be held in September. Details are forthcoming.
