Known for his extensive research on aquatic Heteroptera (water bugs) and his contributions to NASA’s space programs, Polhemus was a prolific scientist and inventor.

John's curiosity for nature, particularly aquatic insects, was ignited during his childhood explorations of local streams, which led to early mentorship with Dr. Carl Drake, a noted heteropterist at Iowa State College.

After graduating from Ames High School in 1947, Polhemus attended Iowa State College but left to serve in the U.S. Air Force, where he trained in radar technology.

Another key contribution was the Integrated Parameter Display of Galvanometer Reading (U.S. Patent 3,548,378), which improved real-time data monitoring, a crucial feature for spacecraft(US3548378).

The publication also lists his extensive field collection numbers, providing future researchers with invaluable resources to associate samples and localities.

Polhemus valued family and nature above all else, and he passed his passion for conservation and scientific inquiry to his children, notably his son Dan, who followed in his footsteps in entomology.