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Wendell L. Roelofs was the first researcher to characterize insect sex pheromone structures, developing microchemical techniques for the isolation and identification of pheromone components. Roelofs obtained his B.S. in chemistry in 1960 from Central College in Pella, Iowa and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Indiana University in 1964. He is the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor of Insect Biochemistry in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
In his spare time, Roelofs coache[d] a youth league football team of kids aged eleven and twelve. Roelofs likened a cooperative effort in the laboratory to teamwork in football. With a coach's natural ability, he fostered an atmosphere where people could contribute their academic strengths and interests. "With our wide range of interests, we can always follow the most interesting lead whether it's my area of expertise or not," .... "That's how we stay at the forefront. It's synergistic. There's more creativity among us all."
Roelofs received the National Medal of Science from President Ronald Reagan in 1983.
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