James E. Tillman Memorial Fund
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Our Father, James (Jim) Eugene Tillman, Research Professor Emeritus in the University of Washington Department of Atmospheric Sciences, MIT Graduate with Undergraduate and Masters degrees in Atmospheric Sciences, Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow, born in Wilmington North Carolina, resident of both coasts, and leader in science from both Earth and Mars, passed March 29, 2023, at the age of 90.
We invite you to join us in honoring his legacy with a donation for a Memorial Bench near his office at the University of Washington, with all additional funds going to his nonprofit of choice, preserving the Viking mission to Mars, The Viking Mars Missions Education & Preservation Project a 501c3 EIN 47-2530943.
Jim Tillman was a scientist, engineer, humanitarian, and global thinker who put others and solutions to problems above himself and notoriety. He spent thousands of hours volunteering, mentoring, creating and impementing programs and curriculum to inspire and inform youth from elementary school to gradute students.
He worked on the first successful mission to Mars' surface - the Viking Mars mission, where he contributed to the design and science of the Meteorology Instrument on the Landers, making discoveries and setting precedents, uncovering answers to dust storms on Mars, water-ice discoveries, and others with his Viking Science Team peer and peers and students from the University of Washington. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/experiment/display.action?id=1975-075C-07
He instigated visionary activities including becoming the first individual NGO to direct a space mission from his office at the University of Washington, after NASA completed their primary and extended mission goals. The Viking Fund was the brain child of individuals he and a small group of individuals, inspired to keep Viking alive, and the team raised funds but more importantly awareness of Viking that led to 3 more years of science. The Atmospheric Sciene Department at the University became the leading source of Mars weather data and analysis, serving many subsequent missions, and creating the baseline data for future missions, all done from his Viking Computing Facility at the Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Washington.
https://atmos.uw.edu/~mars/LFEM/lfemstep/lfemstep_slides/viking_documents/Pdf/JPL_Publication_82-107.pdf
He led the development of the worlds first internet exhibit, serving live data from Mars directly to the Live From Earth and Mars exhibit prototype at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, which became "The Viking View of Mars" when the Landers ceased to send live data. The exhibit inspired thousands of viewers for over 20 years.
Jim was loved and respected by a global community of scientists, engineers, students, and leaders who described him as kind, determined, and way ahead of his time.
He began his passion for outreach at Seattle Country Day School where his daughter went to school, and continued at "The Red Barn" and other venues, and loved telling the story about T.A. Wilson's admiration of him as "the guy who talks to kids".
“Mathematics, science and logical thought processes are the foundation of engineering, science and technology. A thorough understanding of their fundamentals and interrelationships is essential if a nation is to improve, or even maintain its position in today's globally competitive environment. Without this understanding, there is little potential for both an informed government, capable of offering reasonable legislative choices, and an educated electorate, capable of understanding the choices and making the wise decisions necessary to ensure a productive and secure future.” ( J. E. Tillman )
His commitment to making the world better found its home base as a lifetime Rotary member. In addition to being a dedicated scientist and educator, he set an example as a human being. Generous, kind, and always hard working, he always assumed the best first. He pushed his co-workers and students to their best — if you could dream it you could do it. He knew community reached farther than the eye can see and the voice can call. He set a high bar and inspired others to pursue it.
Jim was an advocate and father not only to his own children, but also to his, grandchildren, his niece and nephew and the many youth that lived in the the "Tillman House" to whom he was a generous surrogate father.
Donations in honor of Jim Tillman can be made to this Legacy Fund that will put in place a Memorial Bench on the University of Washington campus just a stones throw from his office, to be maintained in perpetuity by the University of Washington, and all remaining funds will go to The Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project (VMMEPP), a 501c3 volunteer only (no paid staff all funds go to educational activities and historic preservation) Founded by his daughter to preserve the history, artifacts, and Archives of the mission and all individuals who worked on it. For questions about the nonprofit, you may reach us directly at [email redacted].
The Viking Mars Missions Education & Preservation Project, VMMEPP
To become an ongoing donor to the nonprofit you may go the the following link:
Additional Memorials to James E. Tillman can be found at:
We will provide more updates as we go and share stories about my Father!
Organizer
Rachel Tillman
Organizer
Portland, OR