Jelle Atema

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of former WHOI guest investigator Jelle Atema on July 19, 2024. He was 84. Jelle was a pioneering marine biologist, esteemed educator, and passionate flutist.

Born on December 9, 1940, in Deventer, Netherlands, Jelle devoted his life to unraveling the mysteries of the ocean. His groundbreaking research on marine sensory systems and behavior transformed our understanding of how aquatic animals perceive and interact with their environments. His work, which explored the complex roles of chemoreception and communication in marine species, has left an indelible mark on the field of marine biology.

A dedicated scholar, Jelle earned his Ph.D. from the University of Utrecht, where his early research laid the foundation for his influential career. He migrated to the United States and received his PhD in neurobiology from the University of Michigan. During a career spanning six decades, he was professor emeritus at Boston University where he also worked as director of the marine biology program. He also conducted research as both an adjunct scientist and guest investigator at WHOI and adjunct senior scientist at MBL. He was at WHOI from 2016 to 2023. Jelle’s longtime study of lobster behavior and olfaction was profiled in the New York Times best-selling book The Secret Life of Lobsters. His later research on shark behavior made him a frequent guest commentator on the Discovery Channel’s shark week. Additionally, he was an active participant in numerous international marine biology conferences, and his insights and innovations earned him accolades and respect from colleagues around the world. His work advanced scientific knowledge and emphasized the importance of preserving marine ecosystems for future generations.

Jelle was not only a prolific scientist, but also an accomplished flutist, beginning his musical studies under world-renowned flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal. He played many concerts including one with Rampal and the Colorado String quartet for the MBL centennial in 1988 and another with the Borromeo string for the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival in 2017. Jelle also taught and lectured about flute internationally at the Shanghai Conservatory and became an expert on the origins of the flute and early music through an interest in Neanderthal man.

Jelle’s legacy will endure through his contributions to science and music, as well as his impact on those he mentored, and the countless lives he touched with his work and compassion. He will be profoundly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Jelle is survived by his longtime partner Meg Johnson; his brothers Ari and Freek Atema; his sons Ate, Loek Jurgen, Sven Mauring and Roland Atema; his daughters Annemieke and Sunny Atema, as well as many beloved grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Cornelia Maria Johanna Lindenburg and Ate Atema and his sister Riet Atema.

A memorial service will be held from 2-5 p.m. on September 21, 2024, at his home in Woods Hole where friends, colleagues, and students will gather to celebrate his remarkable life and legacy.

The family suggests that contributions can be made in Jelle’s memory to the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival or the Woods Hole Cantata.

Information for this obituary is from the Atema Family