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Title: John Owen Papers, 1971-1987

ID: MSS Owen

Primary Creator: Owen, S. J. T. (Sidney John Thomas)

Extent: 0.5 cubic feet. More info below.

Date Acquired: 00/00/1997

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

The John Owen Papers are comprised of materials generated and collected by Electrical Engineering Professor and College of Engineering Dean John Owen. This collection documents Owen's research activities and is made up of article reprints, research reports, and grant proposals. Owen worked for Oregon State University from 1977 to 1997.

The John Owen Papers are comprised of materials generated and collected by Electrical Engineering Professor and College of Electrical Engineering Dean John Owen. This collection documents Owen's research activities, which pertained to solid state electronics and semiconductor development, and is made up of article reprints, research reports, and grant proposals.

Born in Shropshire, England, Sidney John Thomas (John) Owen played professional soccer before embarking on his life in academia. After graduating with a doctorate in engineering from the University of Nottingham in 1961, Owen remained at his alma mater and taught coursework in physics and engineering there until 1977. Owen first came to Oregon State University as a visiting professor in 1975 and returned two years later to assume a faculty position in the Electrical Engineering Department as the Tektronix Chair in Electrophysics. Owen specialized in the study of solid state electronics and semiconductor development and his work served to forge stronger ties between OSU and the Oregon high-tech industry.

In addition to his instruction and research activity, Owen also held a number of administrative posts at OSU. He served as head of the Electrical Engineering Department from 1978 to 1989 and later as dean of the College of Engineering from 1990 to 1997. Owen also served as vice chancellor of the Oregon Center for Advanced Technology Education (OCATE), an organization established by the Oregon State System of Higher Education to further collaboration between Oregon universities and high-tech businesses.

Owen died unexpectedly in 1997. To honor Owen's legacy to OSU, the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building was named Owen Hall in 1999.

Author: Karl McCreary

More Extent Information: 2 boxes

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: These materials were transferred to the University Archives in 1997 from the College of Engineering.

Related Materials:

Other collections documenting electrical engineering research, instruction, and administration at Oregon State University include: the Electrical Engineering Department Records (RG 121); the Engineering Experiment Station Records (RG 100); the College of Engineering Records (RG 062); KOAC Records (RG 015); Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers OSU Student Chapter Records (MSS IEEE); the Oregon State Technical Record Engineering Magazine (PUB 010-15b); and the Gwil Evans Photograph Collection (P 082).

Biographical materials and photographs of Owen can be found in the News and Communication Services Records (RG 203); the Oregon State University Memorabilia Collection (MSS MC); the University Advancement Records (RG 210); the College of Engineering Photograph Collection (P 069); and the News and Communication Services Photograph Collection (P 057).

Preferred Citation: John Owen Papers (MSS Owen), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Finding Aid Revision History: This finding aid replaces information about the collection that was placed online in 2012.

Owen, S. J. T. (Sidney John Thomas)

Engineering--Research--Oregon.
Engineering--Study and teaching (Higher)--Oregon--Corvallis.
History of Science
Oregon State University. College of Engineering
Oregon State University. School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Owen, S .J. T. (Sidney John Thomas)
Research grants--Oregon--Corvallis.
University History