Herbert Eugene Longenecker (May 6, 1912 – September 18, 2010) was a biochemist who became an academic administrator at the University of Pittsburgh and University of Illinois Medical Center before becoming the eleventh president of Tulane University from 1960 to 1975. Early life Longenecker was born in Lititz, Pennsylvania to Abraham Sandoe and Mary Ellen Herr Longenecker. Both of his parents were educators and Mennonites who could trace their family roots back to the founding of Pennsylvania by William Penn. Abraham was the superintendent of the Lititz schools but he died in 1914 leaving Mary to support the family on her teacher's income. Herbert worked several jobs to support his family during his own education. He graduated high school in 1929 where he was a member of the football team and the band. After high school, he attended Pennsylvania State University where he earned his bachelors degree in 1933 and continued his studies, earning his doctoral degree in 1936. While in school, he became a member of Sigma Pi fraternity. In 1936 Longenecker married Marjorie "Jane" Segar of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. They would have four children: Herbert Jr., Marjorie, Geoffrey, and Stanton. That same year he received a postdoctoral fellowship that let him research his specialties, fats and oils, in England, Germany and Canada. His research led him to the University of Liverpool, England; University of Cologne, Germany; and Queens University in Canada. University of Pittsburgh In 1938, he was hired by the University of Pittsburgh as a faculty and research staff member where he worked with Charles Glen King. He would spend seventeen years there as a biochemistry professor, dean of research in the natural sciences, and as dean of the Graduate School. He was instrumental in bringing Jonas Salk to the university where his tests led to the first polio vaccine. Longenecker helped with the war effort during World War II. He served on a committee which helped redesign K-rations and powdered foods that soldiers were given. He would stay on with the Department of the Army after the war on the advisory council to the chief chemical officer. He was also interested in the Pittsburgh community and served on several boards. Some of these boards oversaw developments, and one of them oversaw the redevelopment of the downtown district. University of Illinois In 1955, Longenecker was hired by the University of Illinois to lead its Chicago colleges of dentistry,