George Abed Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 16, 2014
George Abed (b. 1938), a native of Jordan, attended Oregon State from 1958-1962, graduating
with a degree in General Social Science. During his undergraduate years, Abed was
heavily involved with campus life and especially with student government, ultimately
serving as the school's first foreign-born student body president. After completing
a Ph.D. in Economics, Abed went on to a lengthy and multifaceted career in international
development and public policy, including more than two decades spent working for the
International Monetary Fund. The founder and former director of the Palestine Welfare
Association, Abed is also a former head of the Palestine Monetary Authority, which
he oversaw for two years at the invitation of Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the
State of Palestine. Abed's interview focuses on his Oregon State years, his career
in public policy, and his association with development efforts all across the Middle
East.
Alan Acock Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2, 2017
Alan Acock (b. 1944), a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Human Development and
Family Science, chaired OSU's HDFS department for twelve years, beginning with its
creation in 1990. An accomplished scholar in the field of family studies, Acock is
also well-known for his work in quantitative analysis - one particularly influential
book, A Gentle Introduction to Stata, is now in its fifth edition. He has likewise authored major papers on topics including
the impact of divorce on children and improved methods for working with missing statistical
values. In his interview, Acock traces his career as a sociologist at four different
institutions; comments on growth and change within the HDFS department; and lends
insight into his diverse body of scholarship.
Kevin Ahern Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
June 29, 2015
Kevin Ahern (b. 1954) is an OSU Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics who is well-known
for his innovative approach to undergraduate instruction. For many years a Senior
Instructor, Ahern pioneered the use of unorthodox techniques - including limericks
and songs, which he calls "Metabolic Melodies" - to help students understand and retain
complex biochemical processes. Ahern was also on the forefront of the use of the internet
to enable scientific education, and has been posting notes and lecture recordings
online since 1995. The Director of Undergraduate Research at OSU, Ahern has also
co-authored multiple textbooks. Included among these are a collection that he wrote
with his wife, OSU Senior Instructor Indira Rajagopal, and made freely available online.
His interview focuses on his personal scientific evolution, his passion for teaching
and advising, and the innovations that he has applied to undergraduate instruction
at Oregon State.
Sami Al-AbdRabbuh Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 13, 2016
Sami Al-AbdRabbuh (b. 1987) is a Ph.D. student in OSU's Industrial Engineering program
who completed his master's degree within the program in 2015. The CEO of a small
start-up company, Al-AbdRabbuh has also been active in both student government and
state politics, running as the Progressive Party candidate for state representative
during the 2016 election cycle. Al-AbdRabbuh was born in the United States and raised
in Saudi Arabia, and in his interview he provides perspective on the Muslim and Muslim
American experience in both the U.S. and the Middle East. His academic and entrepreneurial
pursuits as well as his community service projects are likewise included as secondary
topics.
Tom Allen Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen and Karl McCreary.
September 1, 2015
Tom Allen (b. 1931) was a Botany professor at OSU from 1962 to his retirement in 1991.
Shortly after arriving on campus, Allen acquired the university's first electron microscope
and used it to study viruses in lilies, among many other plants. Allen is also an
artist of regional consequence who is especially well-known for his watercolor paintings.
While at OSU, Allen helped to found both the Corvallis Art Center as well as the Watercolor
Society of Oregon. He also led the annual Art About Agriculture juried competition
and traveling exhibit for more than twenty years. In his interview, Allen discusses
his evolution as a scientist and artist; shares his institutional memories of Botany
and agriculture at OSU; and reflects on his important involvement in the art community
in Corvallis and across Oregon.
Stacy Allison Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
July 21, 2014
Stacy Allison (b. 1958) grew up on a farm near Woodburn, Oregon before attending OSU
as an undergraduate majoring in Nutrition. While at Oregon State, Allison discovered
a passion for mountain climbing that ultimately led to her dropping out of school
in favor of pursuing the summits of many of the world's highest peaks. In September
1988, Allison made history when she became the first U.S. woman to reach the summit
of Mount Everest. In addition to her noteworthy career as a mountaineer, Allison
has also developed successful businesses as a motivational speaker and a general contractor.
Her interview focuses on her early climbing years in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest,
her two expeditions to Mount Everest, the advancement of women in mountaineering from
the 1980s to present day, and her career outside of mountain climbing.
Betty Lu Anderson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
June 1, 2017
Betty Lu Anderson (b. 1923) attended Oregon State College from 1942 to 1945, during
which time she majored in Home Economics and worked for the school newspaper, The Barometer, where she wrote sports copy and, as a senior, served as editor. Anderson's years
as an OSC undergraduate coincided with the American entry into World War II, and her
attendance at the college was marked in part by a notable absence of male students.
Much of her interview focuses on this unique period in Oregon State's history. Anderson's
later careers in journalism, librarianship and the church are included as secondary
topics.
Roy Arnold Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Adam LaMascus.
September 6, 2013
Roy Arnold (b. 1941), a native of Nebraska, completed both a master's degree and a
doctorate at Oregon State University in Food Science. For twenty years a faculty member
at the University of Nebraska, Arnold came back to OSU in 1987 and, over nineteen
more years, served in numerous roles including Dean of the College of Agriculture
and University Provost. During his tenure as an upper administrator, Arnold oversaw
many of the reductions that were put in place as a result of the passage of the Ballot
Measure 5 property tax limitation initiative. He also pushed forward a number of new
initiatives at OSU - the University Honors College, the Ethnic Studies department,
and a dual admissions/dual enrollment program with Oregon's community colleges were
all formed during his years as provost. His interview covers the breadth of his career,
focusing primarily upon his long associations with the University of Nebraska and
Oregon State University.
George Arscott Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
December 5, 2014
George Arscott (b. 1923) is an alumnus of and an emeritus faculty member at Oregon
State. A veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, Arscott completed his bachelor's
degree in Poultry Husbandry in 1949, and was a member of the Poultry Science faculty
from 1953 to his retirement in 1987. An accomplished researcher and expert in poultry
nutrition, Arscott chaired Poultry Science for eighteen years, a time period during
which a new poultry facility was built at OSU, and an era that also saw nearly all
of the department's faculty participate in a five-year poultry extension and training
program in the Yemen Arab Republic. In retirement, Arscott continued to serve internationally,
consulting on poultry operations in Central and South America, Egypt, and Lithuania.
Over two interviews, Arscott shares his memories of his military service, his research
and progression through academia, and the activities of the Poultry Science department
over his five decades of affiliation.
Tana Atchley Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
September 15, 2015
Tana Atchley (b. 1977) is a Modoc, Paiute and Karuk member of the Klamath Tribes,
who grew up in Sprague River, Oregon on what had once been the Klamath Indian Reservation.
After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Oregon, Atchley pursued
a master's degree in College Student Services Administration at OSU, completing the
program in 2005. In the years since, she has worked as a counselor and advisor at
Portland State University, and has been deeply involved with salmon camps and other
forms of outreach to Oregon's tribal youth. Since 2013, Atchley has worked as the
tribal workforce development and outreach coordinator at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal
Fish Commission. Her interview focuses on her upbringing and tribal traditions; her
educational path and professional career; her engagement with young people; and her
reflections on the challenges and opportunities facing Native American communities
in Oregon.
Ken Austin Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna and Chris Petersen.
March 24, 2015
Ken Austin (b. 1931) attended Oregon State College from 1949-1953, graduating with
a degree in Industrial Engineering. While at OSC, Austin became the first Benny Beaver
mascot, wearing a costume of his own design and construction, and entertaining fans
with antics that often incorporated a starter's pistol that he wore on his hip. Following
the completion of his studies and a stint in the Air Force, Austin worked eight jobs
in eight years before launching his own business, Austin Dental Equipment Company,
or A-dec. Mechanically inclined and a habitual tinkerer, Austin's innovations revolutionized
the practice of dentistry and fueled dizzying growth for A-dec. Later on, Ken and
his wife Joan became heavily involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors, generously
supporting several programs at OSU and providing the lead gift for a new home for
the College of Business, Austin Hall. Austin's interview focuses on his life-long
interest in machinery, his rich undergraduate experience at OSC, the creation and
growth of A-dec, and his family's experiences in philanthropy.
Terry Baker Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna and Chris Petersen.
June 25, 2014
Terry Baker (b. 1941) is among the most accomplished and celebrated athletes in Oregon
State history. Winner of the 1962 Heisman Trophy as the nation's most outstanding
college football player, Baker's Oregon State basketball team also reached the Final
Four of the 1963 NCAA tournament. That same year, Baker was named "Sportsman of the
Year" by Sports Illustrated magazine. Baker graduated from OSU in 1963 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Following a brief stint in professional football, Baker earned a law degree and enjoyed
a successful career practicing in the Portland area. Baker's interview focuses primarily
on his Oregon State memories, including his remarkable successes in 1962-1963 and
the tremendous attention that they garnered.
Eric and Jeff Ball Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
July 13, 2015
Eric and Jeff Ball are brothers who were raised on a ranch near Roseburg, Oregon.
Both attended OSU in the early 1980s and graduated with degrees in Mechanical Engineering.
From there, both Eric and Jeff returned to the Roseburg area to help their father
build a company, Orenco Systems Industries, that today is a world leader in wastewater
treatment systems. Initially operated out of the Ball family home, Orenco now conducts
business on an international scale and stands as the eighth-largest employer in Douglas
County. The Balls' interview focuses on their experiences - both individual and shared
- as brothers attending OSU. They also chart the growth of Orenco through their years
of association and comment on the contemporary challenges facing their region of Oregon.
Katy Barber Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
November 12, 2015
Katy Barber (b. 1969) graduated from OSU in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in American
Studies. After obtaining graduate degrees from Washington State University, Barber
joined the History faculty at Portland State University, where she teaches and conducts
research on public history and the history of the Pacific Northwest. Barber is also
the director of the Center for Columbia River History and has authored a book on the
social and cultural impact made by the flooding of Celilo Falls in 1957. The primary
focus of her interview is her undergraduate experience at Oregon State and her memories
of campus culture during the early 1990s.
Baseball National Champions, Back-to-Back
Four interviews conducted by Greg Garcia, Chris Petersen, and Mike Dicianna.
October 2015 - July 2016
From 2005 to 2007, the Oregon State University baseball program enjoyed a sustained
run of success that is without parallel in university history. Over the course of
three seasons, the Beavers participated in the College World Series three times, winning
back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. In the process, OSU also achieved
multiple milestones that are unequalled in the history of college baseball: in 2006,
the Beavers won six consecutive elimination games to claim the national championship,
and in 2007 they won four tournament games by six runs or more. This unprecedented
era of championship baseball is the primary subject of a collection of interviews
conducted with four individuals: players Kevin Gunderson and Chris Kunda; broadcaster
Mike Parker; and manager Pat Casey.
Joe Beckman Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 15, 2015
Joe Beckman (b. 1953), a Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, has
been a Principal Investigator at the Linus Pauling Institute and a member of the OSU
faculty since 2001. A leader in the study of neurodegeneration, Beckman has spent
more than twenty years investigating the cause of, and searching for a cure for, amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease). Since 2002, Beckman has also served
as Director of OSU's Environmental Health Sciences Center, an organization that works
to foster and promote research on the impact of the environment on human health.
His interview focuses on his scientific education and military service; his breakthroughs
researching neurodegenerative disease; promising new studies that may result in an
effective treatment for ALS; and the institutional evolution of the Linus Pauling
Institute, the Environmental Health Sciences Center, and OSU itself.
Mike Beilstein Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
July 7, 2016
Mike Beilstein (b. 1951) is an OSU alum who was a member of the university's first
undergraduate cohort in Biochemistry & Biophysics, completing his degree in 1973.
After a two-year stint in the Peace Corps and two additional years of work and political
engagement in the Washington, D.C. area, Beilstein returned to Corvallis and spent
the next two decades researching selenium deficiency in the laboratory of Philip Whanger,
an OSU professor of Agricultural Chemistry. In the early 1990s, Beilstein also returned
to political activism, helping to lead a successful living wage campaign and ultimately
serving for six terms as a member of the Corvallis city council. Retired from OSU
in 2007, Beilstein is heavily involved with a number of environmental and social justice
groups including, for a number of years, an annual trip to Cuba in protest of the
United States trade and travel ban. His interview details his OSU student experience
in the early 1970s; the influential two years that he spent as a Peace Corps volunteer
in Lesotho; his research career at Oregon State; and his years of political activism
and public service.
David Bella Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
July 9, 2014
David Bella (b. 1938) was a member of the OSU Civil Engineering faculty for thirty
years, from 1968 to his retirement in 1998. In the 1970s, Bella's early interest
in computer modeling of rivers, lakes and estuaries shifted to a focused analysis
and application of systems theory, with a particular interest in human systems. Since
then, Bella has examined a wide variety of social problems through the lens of systems
theory, writing on the tobacco industry, nuclear waste disposal and global climate
change, among other topics. Bella has also served as a consultant to two chemical
weapons destruction operations, has proposed the creation of a Wild Salmon National
Park, and spent six years observing the Reagan administration's Strategic Defense
Initiative program meetings. His interview focuses on the arc of his career, his
wide-ranging research interests, and his involvement with the local environmental
movement.
Julie Bentz Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 14, 2013
Julie Bentz (b. 1964) graduated from Oregon State University in 1986 with a Bachelor
of Science degree in Radiological Health. A United States Army Major General, Bentz,
at the time of this interview, served as the Director, Strategic Capabilities Policy
on the National Security Staff within the Executive Office of the President. While
attending OSU, she was involved in the university's army ROTC program. The Bentz oral
history interview covers her educational, social, and military experiences at OSU.
Yvenson Bernard Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 12, 2014
Yvenson Bernard (b. 1984) attended OSU from 2003-2007, majoring in Merchandising Management
and starting for three years at running back for the football team. Known for his
versatility and toughness as a football player, Bernard finished his career second
on the school's list for career yards rushing and third in career touchdowns. The
son of Haitian immigrants, Bernard also made news in 2010 by organizing a major relief
effort in response to the earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12th of that
year. His interview focuses on his upbringing in Florida, his experiences as a student
athlete at OSU, his outreach work in Haiti, and the importance that family has played
throughout his life.
Larry Bielenberg Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
March 21, 2016
Larry Bielenberg (b. 1955) was a student-athlete on the OSU wrestling team who competed
from 1974-1977. One of the most highly decorated wrestlers in Oregon State history,
Bielenberg earned All American honors three times and won the NCAA championship as
a heavyweight in 1975. Still the second-winningest wrestler in school history, Bielenberg
was inducted into the OSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994 and was named to the Pac-12
All Century Team in 2016. Graduating in 1978 with a degree in Health and Human Performance,
Bielenberg pursued a career in the pharmaceuticals industry as a technician and manager.
In a lengthy and wide-ranging interview, Bielenberg reflects on his hardscrabble upbringing
as one of ten children; the evolution of his wrestling career, both collegiately and
on the international level; the personality and influence of legendary OSU wrestling
coach Dale Thomas; and Bielenberg's career and family life in the years after wrestling.
Rollie and Laverne Bilyeu Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
March 26, 2015
Rollie (b. 1933) and Laverne Bilyeu (b. 1932), both raised in rural northeast Oregon,
met as sophomores at Oregon State College and married during the summer before their
junior year. Majoring in Business Administration and Home Economics respectively,
the Bilyeus lived, studied and worked as a married couple for two years before graduating
with the class of 1955. In their interview, Rollie and Laverne reflect on OSC's campus
culture during the early 1950s, discuss their shared experience as married students,
and outline their varied occupational pursuits in the years that followed, including
Laverne's association with several county branches of the OSU Extension Service.
Andy Blaustein Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
February 3, 2017
Andy Blaustein (b. 1949) is a Distinguished Professor of Zoology who has worked at
OSU since 1978. A leading scholar of animal behavior and chemical ecology, Blaustein
has conducted especially important work on amphibian deformities and population declines,
and on host-pathogen biology. Formerly the director of OSU's graduate program in Environmental
Science, Blaustein is also a long-time editor of the journal Conservation Biology. In his interview, Blaustein traces his career in research and teaching, and shares
his institutional memories of four decades spent at Oregon State University.
John Bliss Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
August 21, 2015
John Bliss (b. 1951) was the first Starker Chair in Private and Family Forestry, occupying
this position within the OSU College of Forestry from its inception in 1998 to his
move into administration in 2012. A leading researcher on private forest policy and
forest-based rural development, Bliss has conducted influential work on the socioeconomic
impact of the forestry industry, paying particular attention to the roles played by
small woodland foresters. From 2012 to his retirement in 2016, Bliss served as Associate
Dean for Graduate and International Programs within the College of Forestry and, in
this capacity, contributed significantly to the increasing internationalization of
the college. His interview traces the progression of his academic career; his close
involvement with research and experiential learning opportunities both globally and
in Oregon's rural communities; and the advancement of the OSU College of Forestry
during his years of association.
John Block Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 5, 2014
John Block (b. 1938) was a member of the OSU Pharmacy faculty for thirty-seven years,
serving from 1966 to his retirement in 2003. During his tenure at Oregon State, Block
observed many changes in the Pharmacy curriculum as it modernized to adjust with changes
in the profession. As a member of the Oregon Board of Pharmacy, Block was also involved
with the interpretation and implementation of the state's physician-assisted suicide
law. His interview focuses on the progression of his career, his memories of OSU
Pharmacy over four decades, and his work off-campus, including his involvement with
Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance as a Medicare counselor.
Jerimiah Bonifer Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 22, 2014
Jerimiah Bonifer (b. 1983) is a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation, who grew up on the reservation and in nearby Pendleton, Oregon.
From 2009-2014, while living in Pendleton and working full-time, Bonifer attended
OSU through its Extended Campus online degree program, studying Fisheries and Wildlife.
Bonifer completed his undergraduate work in 2014; his participation in commencement
exercises that Spring at Reser Stadium marked his second ever visit to OSU's Corvallis
campus. His interview focuses on his traditional tribal upbringing, his Ecampus experience,
and his professional work in fisheries.
The Books for Birmingham Project
An interview with Carlton Olson and Alice Rader, conducted by Mike Dicianna.
March 20, 2014
In January and February 1964, Oregon State University students collected over 14,000
books for transport and deposit at the Miles College library in Birmingham, Alabama.
Miles College was the primary four-year college available to African-American youth
hailing from the Birmingham area, yet its library was so inadequate that the school
risked losing its accreditation. The Books for Birmingham project was a highly visible
instance of OSU student participation in the Civil Rights Movement. In this interview,
two students fundamental to the initiative, Alice (Elle) Rader and Carlton Olson,
share their memories of the project and of subsequent civil rights and anti-war activism
on the OSU campus and beyond.
Sue Borden Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
July 28, 2015
Sue Borden (b. 1939) is an Oregon State alum who completed her master's degree in
Mathematics in 1962 and who also worked as an early computer programmer for what was
then the Department of Oceanography. In 1988 Borden was hired to lead the SMILE (Science
and Math Investigative Learning Experiences) Program at OSU, an initiative seeking
to promote interest in the STEM fields and enrollment in college among Oregon's minority
and under-served youth. By the time of Borden's retirement from OSU in 1999, the program
had been implemented in ten communities across the state and was acknowledged by the
Clinton administration with a Presidential award. Borden's interview focuses on her
own academic and career path as a woman in the sciences, her active involvement in
local music organizations, and the history of the SMILE Program during her years as
director.
Harrison Branch Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
February 23, 2015
Harrison Branch (b. 1947) worked in the OSU Art department for forty years as a professor
of Photography, beginning with his arrival in 1973 and concluding with his retirement
in 2013. As an artist, Branch primarily used bellows cameras, often for large format
projects, and as a researcher he investigated platinum-palladium printmaking and Platinotypes,
among other topics. Branch likewise taught a variety of photography classes, including
courses on the history and science of the medium. In his interview, Branch touches
upon his evolution as a photographer, his interests in various technical aspects of
the art form, and his experiences as a teacher over four decades at Oregon State.
Tammy Bray Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 28, 2014
Tammy Bray (b. 1945) was the Executive Dean of OSU's Division of Health Sciences and
Dean of its College of Public Health and Human Sciences from 2002 to her retirement
in 2016. An accomplished researcher in the field of Nutrition, Bray arrived at OSU
in 2002 following stints as research professor and administrator at the University
of Guelph and the Ohio State University. As an OSU dean, Bray oversaw the expansion
and reorganization of what was formerly known as the College of Health and Human Sciences.
In 2014 the college achieved a major milestone when it became home to the first accredited
public health curriculum in the state of Oregon. Bray's interview focuses on her
upbringing in Taiwan, her academic career, and her efforts as a dean at Oregon State
University.
Geoffrey Brooks Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
February 18, 2014
Geoffrey Brooks (1947-2016), a native of Portland, attended Oregon State University
from 1970 to 1973, graduating with a B.S. in Elementary Education. While at OSU,
Brooks was heavily involved with student activist groups including the Black Student
Union. Following the completion of his studies, Brooks began what would become a forty-year
career with the Portland Public Schools. His connection with OSU continued through
his service on the President's Board of Visitors, the Office of Equity and Inclusion's
Board of Multicultural Advisors, and the College of Education, among other groups.
His interview concentrates on his undergraduate experience at OSU with particular
focus paid to student activism in the early 1970s and the circumstances faced by students
of color at that time.
Knute Buehler Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 2014 - August 2015
Knute Buehler (b. 1964), a native of Roseburg, Oregon, attended Oregon State University
from 1982 to 1986, where he played on the baseball team and graduated with a B.S.
in Microbiology. Following the completion of his studies at OSU, Buehler was selected
as a Rhodes Scholar, the first in OSU history. He completed his Oxford M.A. in Politics
and Economics and went on to earn to earn an M.D. from Johns Hopkins University. Buehler
now practices as an orthopedic surgeon in Bend, Oregon, and is active in both statewide
and national politics. Over two interviews, Buehler discusses on his life at OSU,
his experiences at Oxford, his medical training and career, and his interest in politics.
Margaret Burnett Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
January 10, 2017
Margaret Burnett (b. 1949) is a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science who has
been a member of the OSU faculty since 1993. A co-founder of the discipline of end-user
software engineering, Burnett is perhaps most prominently known for her development
of the GenderMag protocol, which helps software engineers to evaluate the gender inclusivity
of the programs that they create. Burnett has also made important contributions to
multiple visual programming languages and to the theory of information foraging. The
evolution of her research and her experiences as a woman in the field of computer
science are the primary emphases of her interview.
Karyle Butcher Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
May 8, 2014
Karyle Butcher (b. 1942) was a member of the OSU Libraries faculty from 1981 to her
retirement in 2010, serving as University Librarian for the final fourteen years of
her career. As director of the OSU Libraries, Butcher oversaw a massive physical
expansion of the campus' main branch library, promoted a culture of scholarship and
innovation within the organization, and guided OSU Libraries to a position of leadership
within an information landscape rapidly transitioning from paper to electronic. During
Butcher's tenure as University Librarian, the University Archives and the OSU Press
- with Butcher serving as director - also came under the umbrella of the OSU Libraries.
Her interview traces her personal evolution as a librarian and as a leader, and also
documents the massive changes that came about during her years of association with
the OSU Libraries.
John Byrne Oral History Interviews
Four life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
January - February 2014
John Byrne (b. 1928) has made an indelible impact on Oregon State University through
an association that has spanned over five decades. A trained geologist, Byrne arrived
in Corvallis in 1960 as one of Oregon State College's first faculty members in Oceanography.
Over time, Byrne assumed chairmanship of the Oceanography Department and later became
Dean of OSU's newly formed School of Oceanography. In 1976 Byrne moved into upper
administration, first as Dean of Research and later as Vice President for Research
and Graduate Studies. Following a three-year stint in Washington, D.C., where he
served as head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Byrne returned
to Corvallis as the twelfth President in OSU history. Byrne's presidency lasted from
1984-1995, a time period during which he did much to modernize university operations
amidst a budget crisis caused by significant reductions in state funding for higher
education. The Byrne oral history interviews trace the arc of his entire life, from
his childhood on Long Island to his graduate studies at USC, and on to his tenures
at Oregon State and with NOAA.
Darry Callahan Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
August 6, 2015
Darry Callahan (b. 1942) graduated from OSU in 1964 with a degree in Chemical Engineering
and moved directly into a career at Chevron that spanned some forty years. Over the
course of that time, Callahan worked as a research engineer, financial analyst, manager
and executive. At one time the president of Chevron Oil Bahamas, Callahan also served
as the chief executive at Chevron Chemical Company as well as the succeeding company
that he helped to merge, Chevron Phillips Chemical. Callahan has also been very actively
involved with the OSU Foundation, the OSU College of Engineering, and the OSU Board
of Trustees, of which he has been a member and vice chairman since its creation. His
interview focuses on his undergraduate years in Corvallis, his long and varied career
at Chevron, and his more recent activities with his alma mater.
Margaret Carter Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
April 18, 2016
Margaret Carter (b. 1935) is the first African American woman to hold elected office
in the Oregon legislature. First joining the Oregon House in 1984, Carter later served
in the state Senate, and was variously appointed as Senate President Pro Tempore and
chair of the Joint Budget Committee. In 2009 she left the Senate to work as Deputy
Director of the state's Department of Human Services, continuing with the department
until her retirement in 2014. Carter and her five children left their native Louisiana
in 1967, fleeing an abusive home environment. After obtaining a bachelor's degree
in Education from Portland State University in 1972, Carter enrolled in Oregon State
University's Portland-based master's in counseling degree program in 1973. Completing
this degree a year later, Carter found employment at Portland Community College, where
she worked as a counselor and as a faculty member for the next twenty-seven years.
Her interview focuses on her southern upbringing and her relocation to Oregon; her
educational experience at OSU; and a few highlights of her pioneering career in public
service.
Carl and Kim Casale Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 6, 2015
Carl Casale (b. 1961) and his wife Kim (Martin) Casale both graduated from OSU in
1983 with degrees in Agricultural Economics. In the years that followed, Carl moved
up the executive ranks at the Monsanto Corporation, ultimately rising to the position
of Chief Financial Officer. Kim enjoyed career growth as well, eventually becoming
an Area Director at Bristol-Myer Squibb. In 2011, Carl accepted the position of Chief
Executive Officer and President of CHS, Inc., the nation's largest agricultural cooperative
and a Fortune 100 company. Though based in Minnesota, the Casales also own and operate
a 100-acre blueberry farm near Aurora, Oregon, which they manage, in part, through
cutting-edge precision agriculture technologies. Their wide-ranging interview touches
upon their OSU experiences; their career trajectories; Carl's life as a chief executive;
their blueberry farm; and their continuing connections with OSU.
Susan Castillo Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 17, 2014
Susan Castillo (b. 1951) graduated from OSU in 1981, having returned to school at
the urging of OSU's Affirmative Action Director, Pearl Spears Gray, for whom Castillo
worked as a secretary. A Communications major, Castillo found employment as a news
reporter with KVAL-TV Eugene, and her coverage of the Oregon legislature sparked her
interest in running for office. In 1997 Castillo was elected to the state Senate,
and in the process became the first Hispanic woman to occupy an office in the state's
legislature. From 2003-2012, she also served as Superintendent of Public Instruction
in the Oregon Department of Education, where she advocated for students of color and
low-income families, among many other initiatives. Her interview focuses on her student
experience at OSU and the arc of her career in journalism and politics.
Emery Castle Oral History Interviews
Three life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
October 14 - 15, 2014
Emery Castle (b. 1923), a widely respected agricultural economist, made a significant
impact on Oregon State University over four decades of service. At various points
the chair of the Agricultural Economics department, the Dean of the Graduate School,
and the head of the University Graduate Faculty of Economics, Castle was also one
of three co-chairs of the Commission on University Goals, a group that played an important
role in shaping the strategic agenda of the university in the early 1970s. A major
contributor to conversations on natural resources and the rural economy, Castle also
led a Washington, D.C.-based public policy think tank, Resources for the Future, from
1976-1986, before returning to Corvallis for the final seven years of his career.
In three interviews, Castle discusses his education and service during World War II;
his scholarly achievements in agricultural economics and rural studies; and his diversity
of experiences as an administrator in Corvallis and elsewhere.
Ralph Cheek Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
October 15, 2014
Ralph Cheek (b. 1930) graduated from Oregon State College in 1952, completing a degree
in Business while also participating in Naval ROTC. Following a period of military
service, Cheek embarked upon a career with Kaiser Aluminum that would span more than
thirty years. Beginning as a scrap foreman, Cheek eventually advanced to the position
of Vice President of Manufacturing and Sales for Kaiser Aluminum Europe, while also
serving as a member of the Kaiser Aluminum Europe board. In 1986 Cheek retired from
Kaiser Aluminum and accepted a position as CEO of IMCO Recycling, which he built up
to become the world's largest recycler of aluminum cans. In his interview he discusses
his OSC years, his many positions with Kaiser Aluminum, and his influential leadership
of IMCO Recycling.
Memories of Clackamas County Extension
Two life history interviews conducted by Mike Dicianna.
November - December 2016
The Oregon State University Extension Service traces its roots in Clackamas County
to 1917, when the service assigned a home economist to the region for the first time.
Today, the Clackamas County office oversees a robust schedule of programming focusing
on trees and forests, 4-H youth, family and community health, home gardening, agriculture,
and watershed health. In anticipation of Clackamas County Extension's one-hundredth
anniversary, two interviews were conducted in 2016 with individuals who maintain close
ties to the region and the office. Merilly Enquist, a 1959 OSC graduate and fourth-generation
descendent of Oregon pioneers, manages timber stands on her family's 300-acre estate
near Molalla, Oregon. Harold Black, a World War II veteran and 1947 OSC Farm Crops
graduate, worked as a 4-H Extension agent and administrator for more than three decades
in Columbia, Clackamas and Multnomah counties.
Lynne Clendenin Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
February 19, 2015
Lynne Clendenin (b. 1953) attended OSU as a non-traditional student, beginning in
1986 and graduating in 1990 with a degree in Theatre Arts. While an undergraduate,
Clendenin became involved both with a variety of student media productions as well
as radio work at Oregon Public Broadcasting, then based on the Oregon State campus.
Following the completion of her studies, Clendenin remained with OPB, serving as both
producer and on-air talent. Since 2011 she has worked as vice president of programming
for radio and television, and has co-hosted OPB television's Oregon Art Beat. Her interview focuses on her experiences as a non-traditional student of color,
her involvement in student media and university theater, and the advancement of her
career in public broadcasting.
Ralph Coleman, Jr. Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
July 8, 2014
Ralph Coleman, Jr. (b. 1931) is a 1954 OSC graduate in Business Administration. A
Corvallis native, Coleman played baseball for his father, Ralph Sr., during his Oregon
State years. Ralph Coleman, himself a graduate of Oregon Agricultural College, led
Beaver baseball for parts of five decades, beginning in the mid-1920s and lasting
until his retirement in 1966. Coleman was also an early track coach and director
of the school's intramural sports program. Ralph Coleman, Jr.'s interview focuses
on memories of his father, growing up in Corvallis in the 1930s and 1940s, and the
early years of Oregon State baseball.
The Extension Tradition in the Columbia River Gorge
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 9, 2016
The Extension and Experiment Station traditions in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge date
back well over one-hundred years to the founding of the Mid-Columbia Experiment Station
in 1913, and the first employment of agricultural agents in Wasco County in 1916 and
Sherman County in 1918. In August 2016, two interviews were conducted with individuals
closely associated with the more modern history of Extension and Experiment Station
efforts across the region. Billie Stevens (b. 1951) is a retired 4-H Extension agent
who served Hood River County from 1985 to 2009. Sandy Macnab (b. 1953) is an OSU alum
who has spent nearly his entire life in Sherman and Wasco Counties, playing a major
role in a wide variety of area Extension efforts since 1979.
Ted Cox Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Tiah Edmunson-Morton.
June 7, 2016
Ted Cox (b. 1947) is the owner and founder of the Old World Deli, a Corvallis institution
that has been located in the south end of the city's downtown district since 1977.
In addition, Cox is a former Peace Corps volunteer who spent two years teaching in
Sierra Leone and another two years as the national track and field coach in present-day
Belize. He is likewise an OSU alum, having completed his master's degree in Physical
Education in 1975, a time period during which he also served as the first women's
volleyball coach at Oregon State during the Title IX era. Through his work at the
Old World Deli, Cox became a pioneering figure in the local homebrewing scene, selling
equipment, providing instruction, and building community. His interview traces his
upbringing in California and his experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer; his experiences
as a student and coach at OSU; the early years of the Old World Deli and homebrewing
in Corvallis; and the history of brewing in the city, dating back to the mid-1800s.
Roosevelt Credit Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
April 25, 2014
Roosevelt Credit attended OSU from 1986-1990, graduating with a degree in Music Education.
Following graduate studies at Northwestern University in conducting and opera performance,
Credit began a career as a stage and music performer, appearing on Broadway in "Porgy
and Bess" and "Show Boat," and touring the United States in support of both productions.
His interview discusses his upbringing in Oakland, California, his time at OSU and
his life as a Broadway performer. During the interview, Credit also performs an impromptu
version of "Carry Me Back," the OSU alma mater. Likewise included is a recording
of a performance that Credit delivered later that day with OSU choir students at the
Memorial Union.
Brent Dalrymple Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 28, 2013
Brent Dalrymple (b. 1937) served as Dean of the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric
Sciences at Oregon State University from 1994 to 2001. Prior to his tenure at OSU,
Dalrymple was a distinguished geologist with the United States Geological Survey -
where he conducted important work on the Earth's magnetic field, among other areas
of interest - and a visiting professor at Stanford University's School of Earth Sciences.
In 2005 he received the National Medal of Science to honor "his pioneering work in
determining the geomagnetic polarity reversal timescale; a discovery that led to the
theory of plate tectonics." His interview focuses on the major themes of his career
at the USGS and Oregon State.
Tracy Daugherty Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 2, 2015
Tracy Daugherty (b. 1955) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English and Creative
Writing, having taught and written at OSU from 1986 to his retirement in 2013. The
author of four novels, four short story collections, a book of essays, and three biographies,
Daugherty also played a key role in the creation of a Masters of Fine Arts degree
in Creative Writing at Oregon State. Among many other accomplishments, Daugherty
has received the Oregon Book Award four times, most recently in 2010 for his biography
of the author Donald Barthelme, Daugherty's mentor. His interview focuses on his
development and methods as a writer, the evolution of the Creative Writing program
at OSU, and the important role to be played in academia by citizen-scholars.
Jodie Davaz Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 2014 - May 2015
Jodie Davaz (class of 2015), a Digital Communication Arts major and student in the
University Honors College, spent the 2013-14 academic year as Station Manager at KBVR-FM.
She is also the first editor of Beaver's Digest, successor publication to the Beaver Yearbook. Her first interview is devoted to the inner-workings of OSU's student
radio station, her ambitions for Beaver's Digest and her sense of student culture on campus and within the community as it stood in
2014. Her second interview, recorded almost exactly one year later, focuses on the
first year of Beaver's Digest and Davaz's broader reflections on her rich undergraduate experience.
Jim Denison Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
September 24, 2014
Jim Denison (b. 1927) spent more than sixty years working in Oregon's forests as a
timber cruiser, land surveyor and forestry consultant, co-founding two companies along
the way - Denison Surveying and Coastal Land Management. A World War II veteran,
Denison attended Oregon State College from 1946-1950, majoring in Forest Engineering
and funded by the G.I. Bill. The primary focus of his interview is his long and multifaceted
career in forestry, with his OSC and military experiences included as secondary topics.
Tom Dietterich Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 10, 2015
Tom Dietterich (b. 1954), a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering
and Computer Science, was a member of the OSU faculty from 1985 to his retirement
in 2016. A leading thinker in the field of machine learning, Dietterich has made numerous
contributions to the advancement of artificial intelligence, including multiple applications
of computing power to the solution of a variety of ecological problems. A co-founder
and past president of the Machine Learning Society, Dietterich has also been involved
with a number of several private sector ventures, including work as Chief Scientist
at Strands, Inc. and BigML. His interview focuses on his life-long fascination with
computers, his major contributions to machine learning, and the evolution of Computer
Science over three decades at OSU.
Dennis Dimick Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 15, 2014
Dennis Dimick (b. 1951) graduated from OSU in 1973 with a degree in General Agriculture.
While at Oregon State, Dimick also pursued a growing interest in photojournalism and
eventually built a career as a photographer, reporter and editor at several newspapers.
From 1980 to 2015, Dimick was a staff member at National Geographic, retiring as the magazine's Executive Environment Editor. In 2013, Dimick received
the Joseph A. Sprague Memorial Award, which is the most prestigious honor granted
by the National Press Photographers Association. His interview focuses on his roots
in agriculture, the development of his skillset as a journalist, his memories of National Geographic, and his influential work documenting and reporting on contemporary environmental
issues.
Natalie Dollar Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 5, 2015
Natalie Dollar (b. 1963) has been a member of the OSU Speech Communications department
since 1993, and a member of the faculty at OSU-Cascades since 2002. Now the Associate
Dean of Arts and Sciences at the Bend campus, Dollar has focused her scholarly research
on cultures that choose to reside outside of the mainstream, a program of work that
has led to study of houseless youths in the Seattle area as well as fans of the Grateful
Dead music group. Her interview focuses on her southern roots and the impact that
her upbringing made on her as an academic and as a person; her research on alternative
cultures; and her long experience as a faculty member and administrator at the Cascades
branch campus.
Jenna Dorn Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 17, 2013
Jenna Dorn (b. 1950) graduated from OSU's Journalism department in 1973. Following
graduate study in public administration, Dorn began a long and successful career as
a public servant based in Washington, D.C. In the public sector, Dorn has served
as Assistant Secretary of Labor and head of the Federal Transit Administration, and
has held multiple positions in the U.S. Department of Transportation. She has also
provided leadership to the American Red Cross in the role of senior vice president
and has worked in similar capacities with the National Health Museum and the World
Bank. At the time of this interview, Dorn held the position of Chief Executive Officer
of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Dorn's interview details her undergraduate
experience at OSU as well as her life in public service.
James Douglass Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Bob Schapper, Chris Petersen and Steve Matthes.
December 5, 2013
James Douglass (b. 1936), served as Oregon State University's Director of Bands from
1968-1999. During that time he directed the OSU Symphonic Band and the OSU Marching
Band, as well as other athletic bands. Under his leadership, the OSU Bands performed
internationally, engaging in goodwill tours of Japan, Taiwan and Costa Rica. Douglass
is also the founder of the Northwest Band Camp, which serves 450 middle school students
each summer. He has appeared as an adjudicator, guest conductor, band clinician, and
trumpet soloist at colleges and high schools in Europe, Canada, Taiwan, the Philippines,
and the U.S. His interview focuses on his early musical interests, his tenure in
the Navy Band, his long career at Oregon State University and some of the outstanding
musicians who performed at OSU during his three decades in charge.
Michael Driscoll Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen and Linda Richards.
October 9, 2013
Michael Driscoll (b. 1942) is a 1970 OSU graduate and an Atomic Veteran. Driscoll
spent four years in the Navy, much of that time on an aircraft carrier, the USS Yorktown.
During his service on the Yorktown, Driscoll was exposed to two nuclear blasts - Operation
Frigate Bird and Operation Swordfish - both detonated in May 1962 as part of the Dominic
I series of atmospheric tests. Driscoll is one of an estimated 400,000 U.S. military
personnel subjected to nuclear tests of this type. Much of his interview details
the specifics of his experiences as an Atomic Veteran, beginning in May 1962 and running
to present day.
Jeff Edgerton Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Tiah Edmunson-Morton.
November 18, 2015
Jeff Edgerton (b. 1963) is a 1987 OSU graduate in Microbiology. Over the three decades
that have followed his graduation, Edgerton has held multiple positions in the brewing
industry, beginning with laboratory work at Blitz-Weinhard, and moving on to a successful
career at BridgePort, where today he holds the titles of Brewmaster and General Manager.
In his interview, Edgerton shares his thoughts on the radical shifts in brewing culture
that have taken place in the Portland area since the 1980s. He likewise comments on
his own work as a scientist, brewer and administrator at two iconic companies that
are central to Oregon's rich brewing history.
Jim Edmunson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
November 10, 2014
Jim Edmunson (b. 1951) graduated from Oregon State University in 1973 with a bachelor's
degree in Liberal Studies. As an OSU undergraduate, Edmunson was heavily involved
with student journalism during a turbulent era in U.S. history. As news editor of
the Daily Barometer, Edmunson coordinated coverage of anti-war protests and the murder of OSU student
Nancy Wyckoff, among other topics. In 1983, following stints as a professional news
reporter and editor, Edmunson began a new career as a lawyer and political figure,
serving in the Oregon legislature from 1987-1995 and chairing the Democratic Party
of Oregon from 1999-2007. His interview focuses primarily on his undergraduate experience
with particular emphasis placed on his activities as a student journalist.
Don Essig Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
May 19, 2014
Don Essig (b. 1938) attended Oregon State College from 1956-1960, graduating with
a degree in Elementary Education. Essig went on to a career as a public school teacher
and administrator, primarily in the Eugene school system, that lasted for three decades.
Since 1967, Essig has also served as the public address announcer for University of
Oregon football and men's basketball games. His interview focuses on his undergraduate
experience at OSC, his career in education, his experiences as the PA voice of the
Ducks, and his unique perspective on the storied athletics rivalry between OSU and
UO.
Paul Farber Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
October 2014
Paul Farber (b. 1944) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of the History of Science
who worked at OSU from 1970 to his retirement in 2008. During his tenure as a member
of the OSU faculty, Farber served as chair of the General Science department and,
after the department's dissolution, the History department as well. A scholar of
the naturalist tradition and evolutionary ethics, Farber has published on a variety
of subjects, including the history of ornithology and changes in American views on
race mixing. His interviews focus on his evolution as a historian, the means by which
he acquired his scholarly toolkit, and his memories of General Science and History
over four decades working at OSU.
Steve Fenk Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 12, 2014
Steve Fenk (b. 1963) is an OSU Liberal Studies graduate from the class of 1987. Fenk
was heavily involved with the OSU Athletic Department as an undergraduate, a time
period during which he served as a color commentator working alongside radio "Voice
of the Beavers" Darrell Aune during Beaver basketball games. As a student, Fenk also
helped to organize a number of Oregon State wrestling meets. In 1990 Fenk accepted
a position with his alma mater as Assistant Sports Information Director. Since 2011
he has served as Associate Director of Athletic Communications. His interview focuses
on his Oregon State undergraduate experience as well as his memories of key people
and events in the modern history of OSU athletics.
Dorothy Fenner Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
March 22, 2014
Dorothy Fenner (b. 1917) attended Oregon State College as an undergraduate from 1935-1939
and as a master's student from 1939-1941, obtaining degrees from the college's Home
Economics program. During World War II, Fenner served her country as a code-breaker,
intercepting and interpreting Japanese signals from a base in northern California.
After the war, she and her husband John engaged the OSU and Corvallis communities
in numerous capacities, including work with the OSU Alumni Association, OSU Foundation
and Music Department. Fenner's interview focuses on her years as an OSC student, her
war service and her connections to the university in the decades that followed.
Justin Fleming Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
December 15, 2015
Justin Fleming (b. 1980) is a 2007 graduate of OSU, majoring in Business and minoring
in Environmental Economics. While a student, Fleming was central to a number of activities
related to environmental sustainability on campus, including the creation of the Student
Sustainability Initiative in 2006. Following graduation, Fleming worked for OSU as
a Business Analyst before being hired as Manager of the Motor Pool in 2008. Since
then, Fleming has overseen the absorption of the University of Oregon Motor Pool into
a larger University Motor Pool that is managed at OSU. He was also responsible for
the first purchase of electric cars for inclusion in the Motor Pool fleet. His interview
touches upon his involvement in multiple sustainability initiatives as well as the
history, activities, work culture, and future of the University Motor Pool.
Balz Frei Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
January 10, 2014
Balz Frei (b. 1958) served as Director of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State
University from 1997 to 2016. A Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and
Biophysics, Frei's research has focused on the mechanisms causing chronic human disease,
in particular atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, and the role that micronutrients,
phytochemicals and dietary supplements might play in ameliorating these diseases.
His interview provides an overview of his life experiences and career path, beginning
with his formative years in Switzerland and continuing on to his academic appointments
in the United States. The interview's primary emphasis is Frei's tenure at OSU, with
particular attention paid to the growth of the Linus Pauling Institute under his leadership.
Aya Fujii Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
September 15, 2015
Aya Fujii was born in 1927 in Hillsboro, Oregon and grew up with six siblings on her
family's farm. In May 1942, she and her family were forcibly relocated from their
home as part of the war-era policy of Japanese American internment on the west coast.
Fujii ultimately spent nearly all of her high school years in Adrian, Oregon, where
her family participated in a field labor program for interned citizens that was administered
by the Eastern Oregon Farm Labor Bureau. In fall 1945, just after the conclusion
of World War II, Fujii enrolled at Oregon State College, where she majored in Home
Economics. She later spent more than thirty years working as a dietician at two Portland-area
hospitals. In her interview, Fujii shares her memories of her family background and
upbringing; her experience of being interned for over three years; her undergraduate
tenure at OSC; and her life and work following college.
John Gardner Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 13, 2014
John Gardner (b. 1939) was a member of the OSU Physics faculty from 1973-2001, during
which time he established himself as a world leader in perturbed angular correlation
spectroscopy, a discipline within the field of solid state physics. Afflicted with
poor vision from birth, Gardner lost all sight in 1988, when surgery to stem glaucoma
went awry. Gardner's blindness led to a shift in his research from solid state physics
to accessibility initiatives for low- or no-sight students and researchers in the
sciences. In 1996 he founded ViewPlus Technologies as a vehicle for developing and
marketing products that support this accessibility work. Gardner's interview focuses
on his upbringing and training, his career in solid state physics, the loss of his
sight, and the changes that his blindness brought about, both personally and professionally.
An Oral History of the Francois Gilfillan family
An interview with Nan Jensen and Ellen Johnson conducted by Anne Bahde and Trevor
Sandgathe.
November 1, 2013
An iconic figure in the history of Oregon State University, Francois Gilfillan (1893-1983)
was a Pharmacy alum of Oregon Agricultural College, graduating in the class of 1918.
After a period of time spent on the East Coast, Gilfillan returned to his alma mater
serving as its Dean of Science and, from 1941-1942, Acting President. A professionally
trained chemist, Gilfillan was instrumental in furthering science education both regionally
and nationally. Gilfillan was also a true Renaissance man who spoke or read at least
nine languages, including Chinook, collected rare books and antique silver, and cultivated
an authentic Japanese garden. With his wife Violette, Gilfillan raised four children
including Elizabeth (Ellen) and Nansie, who share their recollections of Gilfillan
family life in this interview.
Legends of OSU Gymnastics
Three life history interviews with Mary (Ayotte) Law and Joy (Selig) Petersen, conducted
by Janice Dilg.
October 2014
Gymnastics national champions Mary (Ayotte) Law and Joy (Selig) Petersen are two of
Oregon State University's most accomplished athletes. An Education major who attended
OSU from 1978-1982, Law won the 1982 national title in the floor exercise and finished
third in the all-around, still the highest all-around placing in school history.
A seven-time first team All-American, Petersen won two national championships in the
beam competition and another in the floor exercise. She graduated from OSU with a
degree in Psychology in 1991. Over the course of three interviews, Law and Petersen
reflect on their experiences as student athletes at OSU, sharing their memories of
going to school while training and competing at the highest levels of collegiate athletics.
Tim Hall Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 25, 2014
Tim Hall (b. 1955), a native of Los Angeles, attended Oregon State University from
1973-1978, graduating with a degree in Technical Journalism. Hall came to OSU during
a period of damaged relations between African American students and the OSU and Corvallis
communities. Hall has helped to rebuild these relationships, in part through his
contributions to the founding of the Black Cultural Center while a student at OSU,
and later through his service to the President's Board of Advisors for Minority Affairs.
His interview focuses on the challenges faced by black OSU students in the 1970s,
his experience of the African American student community that emerged during that
time, and the impact that OSU made upon him as he pursued a career in public relations.
Karim Hamdy Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
October 10, 2014
Karim Hamdy (b. 1952), a native of Tunisia, has been associated with OSU since 1981,
first as a doctoral candidate in Civil Engineering, and later as an instructor of
both French and Arabic. A student activist who helped to form multiple groups representing
and supporting North African students at OSU, Hamdy later co-founded the university's
Tunisia Study Abroad program. He has also taught Arabic classes at Oregon State since
their first formation in 2002. His interview focuses on his upbringing in Tunisia,
his experiences studying and working at OSU, and the evolution of the university's
Arabic language courses and the Tunisia Study Abroad program.
Paula Hammond Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
December 4, 2013
Paula Hammond (b. 1956), a native of Klamath Falls, attended Oregon State University
from 1974-1978, during which time she was one of eight undergraduate women in the
university's Civil Engineering program. Following graduation, Hammond began a thirty-year
career with the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT), first as a field
engineer and later in administrative roles of increasing responsibility. In 2007
she was appointed Secretary of Transportation for Washington state, a position that
she held for six years until her retirement from WSDOT in 2013. Her interview focuses
on her undergraduate experience at OSU as one of a handful of women in engineering,
her career at WSDOT and her thoughts on the future of transportation.
Memories of Hatfield Marine Science Center
A series of interview vignettes conducted by Mike Dicianna.
April 12, 2015
Established by Oregon State University in 1965 on Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon,
the Marine Science Center - re-named for Oregon Governor and Senator Mark Hatfield
in 1983 - is both a leading marine research laboratory and a center for instruction
of university students and the interested public alike. In April 2015, HMSC hosted
a reunion of past students, faculty and staff, four of whom contributed their memories
of the center on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary. These interviews, conducted
with Range Bayer, Warren Hanson, John Markham and Anja Robinson, touch on the evolution
and impact of the Hatfield Center as observed over multiple decades.
Erin Haynes Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
July 25, 2014
Erin Haynes (b. 1950) attended OSU from 1968-1972, during which time he both played
on and helped to coach the school's freshman football team, and also served as Senior
Class President. Following graduation, Haynes built a long career at Oregon State,
working in the Department of Admissions for eight years, the OSU Foundation for twenty-two
years, and the Alumni Association for two more. Haynes has also served as an advisor
to the OSU chapter of Phi Delta Theta fraternity for more than four decades. His interview
focuses on fraternity culture at Oregon State, campus life in the late 1960s and early
1970s, and Beaver lore throughout its history, including several stories of notable
Oregon Staters from the past.
Charlotte Headrick Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
April 7, 2015
Charlotte Headrick (b. 1948) is a professor of Theater Arts who, in 1982, became the
first woman hired to the drama faculty at OSU since the 1930s. A scholar of the Irish
theater and female playwrights, Headrick has directed in the vicinity of one-hundred
theater pieces and readings during her tenure at Oregon State. An award-winning teacher,
Headrick has also served as guest director at a variety of other colleges and universities,
and has traveled to Turkey and Ireland to stage plays and research dramatic history.
Her interview focuses on her deep family roots and upbringing in the American South,
her institutional memories of the theater program at OSU, and her academic interests
in Irish drama.
Ken Hedberg Oral History Interviews
Four life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
September - October 2011
Ken Hedberg (b. 1920) has a personal connection to OSU that spans parts of nine decades.
Born in Portland and raised primarily in southern Oregon, Hedberg attended Oregon
State College from 1939-1942, graduating with a degree in Chemistry. Following a
stint working for Shell Development Company during World War II, Hedberg continued
his education at the California Institute of Technology, completing his Ph.D. in 1948
and developing a friendship with Linus Pauling that would last until Pauling's death
in 1994. Hedberg returned to his alma mater in 1956, accepting a position in the OSC
Chemistry department and remaining on faculty until retiring in 1987. Recognized
internationally as an expert on the determination of molecular structures through
the use of electron diffraction, Hedberg has continued to work and publish in the
years since his formal retirement, solving the structures of numerous compounds using
an apparatus that he designed and built in the mid-1950s. Over four interviews Hedberg
shares his memories of campus life in the years prior to World War II; discusses the
environment at Caltech during its "golden age"; provides insight into the life, work
and personality of Linus Pauling; and reflects on more than half a century of Chemistry
at OSU.
Joe Hendricks Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 4, 2014
Joe Hendricks (b. 1943) is an acclaimed gerontologist who chaired the OSU Sociology
department from 1989-1995. On the OSU campus, he is more widely known for having
served as the first Dean of the University Honors College (UHC), which he led from
its formation in 1995 to 2008. As Dean, Hendricks helped to shape the UHC's admissions
standards, grew enrollments, recruited teaching faculty, and carved out physical spaces,
including an honors dorm and two dedicated honors study spaces. Hendricks' interview
focuses on his scholarly achievements in gerontology, and the formation and growth
of the University Honors College at OSU.
John Henley Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
December 22, 2014
John Henley (b. 1951) is a Portland native and appraiser of rare books and manuscripts
who was instrumental in building Powell's Books, serving as the store's first manager
and remaining on staff for more than a decade. He is also the son of Elizabeth Henley
(1912-1981), an accomplished poet and former member of the English faculty at Oregon
State. In the 1930s, during her tenure as an English professor at the University of
Washington, Elizabeth Henley was active in the American Communist Party. In 1956,
fearful of the potential repercussions that might arise from her past political activities,
Henley consented to being committed to the Oregon State Penitentiary for the Criminally
Insane. She remained there for more than two years before securing her release and
joining the staff at Oregon State College. She taught English at Oregon State from
1959 to her retirement in 1975. Over two interviews, John Henley tells his mother's
remarkable story; details the history of Powell's Books; and shares numerous other
tales of a life spent scouting rare books and working in the retail book trade.
Michael Henthorne Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
August 29, 2014
Michael Henthorne (b. 1952) worked as an administrator at OSU's Memorial Union from
1987 to his retirement in 2016, serving as Executive Director of the MU beginning
in 1994. During his time at Oregon State, Henthorne guided significant physical renovations
to the MU building, while also bolstering MU programming and serving as a vital advocate
for the Student Experience Center, a sister facility which was completed in Spring
2015. His interview focuses on the state of the Memorial Union upon his arrival,
work that was done to improve the MU's physical space and programming outreach, the
genesis of the SEC building, and the exciting future that Henthorne envisions for
MU operations going forward.
Jack Higginbotham Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 3, 2015
Jack Higginbotham (b. 1958) has been a member of OSU's Nuclear Engineering faculty
since arriving in Corvallis in 1987, and has led the Oregon Space Grant program since
2002. During his years at Oregon State, Higginbotham has also served as Senior Reactor
Operator and Senior Health Physicist at the OSU Radiation Center; chair of the Radiation
Health Physics program; Associate Dean of the Graduate School; and President of the
Faculty Senate. In a wide-ranging interview, Higginbotham discusses his education
and academic work in nuclear science and engineering; his institutional memories of
Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science at OSU; and the activities of Oregon Space
Grant during his years of association.
Aki Hill Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
April 14, 2015
Aki Hill (b. 1940) is the winningest women's basketball coach in OSU history, compiling
a career record of 274-206. A native of Japan who counted legendary UCLA coach John
Wooden as among her mentors, Hill took over the Oregon State program during its third
year in existence and spent the next seventeen years as head coach. During that timespan,
OSU competed in the post-season eight times and won the National Women's Invitational
Tournament on two occasions. In her interview, Hill details her introduction to and
early love for basketball, the important role that John Wooden played in her advancement
as a coach, and the years that she spent building the women's basketball program at
OSU.
Darlene Hooley Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
February 3, 2014
Darlene Hooley (b. 1939) graduated from Oregon State University in 1961 with a bachelor's
degree in Physical Education. After fourteen years as a high school teacher, Hooley
entered the political arena, first as a member of the West Linn city council, followed
by stints in the Oregon legislature and on the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners.
In 1996 she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon's fifth district.
She served for six terms, retiring from political life in 2008. Her interview focuses
on her upbringing, her college years, her transition into public service and her experiences
in Washington, D.C.
Tom House Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
June 7, 2014
Tom House, a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, graduated from Oregon
State College in 1949, serving as student body president his senior year. In a short
interview, House reflects on his student years in the late 1940s and shares his memories
of the Mt. St. Helens eruption in 1980.
Chet Houser Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
July 16, 2015
Chet Houser (b. 1948) is a 1970 OSU graduate in Agricultural Economics who was involved
in ROTC for most of his undergraduate years. Upon completing his degree, Houser was
commissioned into the United States Army where he spent twenty years working in various
capacities, including as a war planner. Following his retirement from the military,
Houser spent another two decades as a public employee for Oregon OSHA, the state Vocational
Rehabilitation Department, and the state Parks Department. His interview concentrates
on his undergraduate experience as an ROTC member during the escalation of the Vietnam
War; his career in the military; and his later work as a civilian.
Leon Hubbard Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
December 18, 2013
Leon Hubbard (1917-2014), the son of two Oregon Agricultural College graduates, earned
a degree in Horticulture from Oregon State College in 1941. Hubbard was engaged with
agriculture in Oregon for the whole of his life. A well-known and much respected
crop specialist and cannery administrator, Hubbard spent nearly four decades working
for Birds Eye General Foods, the Gresham Berry Growers Cooperative and its successor
organization, Norpac Foods, Inc. His interview focuses on his upbringing in rural
Oregon, his undergraduate experience at OSC, his seven years as an independent farmer,
and his long career as a field representative for agricultural operations in the northern
Willamette Valley.
The Lives of International Students
Three life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 3 - 6, 2015
In 2015, Oregon State University served as a home away from home for over 4,000 international
students hailing from 107 different countries. Over the course of three interviews
conducted in March 2015, the experiences and perspectives of four current OSU international
students were recorded, with particular emphasis paid to changing perspectives on
U.S. culture, contrasting systems of education around the world, and the major social
and cultural adjustments required of international students studying at Oregon State.
The international students who shared their stories are Jenny Urbina, a Ph.D. candidate
from Colombia; Kong Zheng Yeang, an undergraduate from Malaysia; Andrea Jara, also
a Ph.D. student from Colombia; and Chidi Okonkwo, a master's candidate from Nigeria.
Bob and Kaety Jacobson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
January 20, 2015
Bob Jacobson (b. 1939) attended Oregon State as an undergraduate and member of the
Beaver basketball team, graduating with a degree in Business and Technology in 1963.
Three years later, he became the country's first Marine Extension Agent, working with
coastal fishermen and seafood processors, as well as state-wide policymakers, for
nearly three decades. His daughter Kaety Jacobson (b. 1981) is a 2003 OSU graduate
in Natural Resources. In 2005, she too began a career as a Marine Extension Agent,
operating out of her hometown of Newport. In their interview, the Jacobsons reflect
on their closely connected experiences as OSU students and Marine Extension Agents
on Oregon's coast, commenting on the similarities and differences that each has observed
over the decades.
Katharine Jefferts Schori Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 15, 2014
Katharine Jefferts Schori (b. 1954) has lived a life inspired by both science and
faith. Jefferts Schori received both a master's degree and a Ph.D. in Oceanography
from Oregon State University, in the process becoming the first female to earn a doctorate
from the university's Oceanography program. It was in Corvallis that Jefferts Schori
also grew more actively involved in the Episcopal Church, first as a lay member and
later as a member of the clergy. In 2000 Jefferts Schori entered into a more prominent
leadership role within the church when she was elected Bishop of the Nevada diocese.
And in 2006 she was elected to a nine-year term as Presiding Bishop and Primate of
the Episcopal Church, the first woman to occupy this role. Her interview focuses on
her upbringing and education, her development as a scientist and a woman of faith,
and her experiences as a leader within the Episcopal Church.
Chris Johns Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 15, 2014
Chris Johns (b. 1951), a native of Central Point, Oregon, attended OSU from 1970-1974,
studying Agriculture before changing his major to Technical Journalism. A photojournalist
for the OSU student newspaper, Johns went on to become a lauded photographer for several
newspapers and magazines, and was named National Newspaper Photographer of the Year
in 1979. In 1988 Johns began a formal association with National Geographic magazine, where he was hired as a staff photographer, and spent the next two years
living and working in Africa. In the late 1990s, Johns joined the magazine's editorial
staff and, in 2005, he was named Editor in Chief, the ninth such person to hold this
position since the founding of National Geographic in 1888. His interview focuses on the roots of his love for photojournalism and
the arc of his career as a photographer, writer and editor.
Becky Johnson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 3, 2015
Becky Johnson (b. 1955), Vice President for OSU-Cascades, has led OSU's branch campus
in central Oregon since 2008. Prior to her shift into administration, Johnson was
a natural resources economist in the OSU College of Forestry, whose research and teaching
focused on the economic values and impacts of non-market resources. Johnson has been
a member of the Oregon State faculty since first arriving in Corvallis in 1984 and
her administrative appointments have included several years as Vice Provost for Academic
Affairs and International Programs. Her interview provides insight into curricular
and demographic shifts that she has observed within the College of Forestry; changes
in the leadership roles that women have assumed at OSU in recent decades; the history
and growth of OSU-Cascades; and Johnson's sense of challenges and opportunities that
are specific to OSU-Cascades and its mission.
Ruth Jones and Rita Kilstrom Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
August 21, 2014
Corvallis natives Ruth (Martin) Jones and Rita (Young) Kilstrom, both born in 1938,
have been friends since kindergarten and attended Oregon State College together, graduating
in the class of 1959. Kilstrom is the daughter of D. Palmer Young, an early professor
of speech and theater craft at Oregon State College. Though Education majors, both
Jones and Kilstrom were heavily involved with the OSC drama program during their college
years. Their interview focuses on growing up in Corvallis in the 1940s and 1950s,
the OSC campus climate in the mid- to late 1950s, and the early years of theater arts
at Oregon State.
Zhian Kamvar Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
June 19, 2015
Zhian Kamvar (b. 1984) is a Ph.D. student in Botany and Plant Pathology who is conducting
research on plant pathogen bioinformatics. Kamvar is also the co-founder and a co-host
of Inspiration Dissemination, a student radio talk show broadcast weekly on KBVR-FM. Created in 2012 to provide
a forum for OSU graduate students to discuss their research, and meant to inspire
undergraduates to consider further education as graduate students, the show was honored
with the Most Innovative Radio Program Award at the 2014 Intercollegiate Broadcasting
System Conference. In his interview, Kamvar reflects on his own educational path up
to his current life as a doctoral student, discusses the history and progression of
Inspiration Dissemination, and shares his perspective on graduate student culture at Oregon State.
Nancy Kerns Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 21, 2014
Nancy Kerns (b. 1956) graduated from OSU in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in American
Studies. After completing law school in 1981, Kerns began a career in the legal profession
that has included stints as deputy district attorney for Umatilla County and, since
2011, city attorney for the city of Pendleton. Kerns is the first and only woman
in Pendleton's history to have held the office of city attorney. Her interview includes
reflections on the American Studies program at OSU during the mid-1970s; memories
of law school and studying for the bar exam; and a look back on an accomplished legal
career spent primarily in rural eastern Oregon.
Ann Kiessling Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 13, 2014
Ann Kiessling (b. 1942), a native Oregonian, attended Oregon State University as a
doctoral candidate from 1967-1971, ultimately obtaining her Ph.D. in Biochemistry
& Biophysics. In 1996, after stints at Oregon Health Sciences University and Harvard
Medical School, Kiessling founded the Bedford (Mass.) Stem Cell Research Foundation,
an independent biomedical research institute that conducts stem cell and related research
for diseases presently considered incurable. Kiessling is considered an international
leader in both reproductive biology and stem cell research. Her interview focuses
on her ties to the state of Oregon, including her upbringing in Baker City and Klamath
Falls, and her memories of life as a Ph.D. student at OSU.
A Century of Extension in the Klamath Basin
Five life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen and Geoff Somnitz.
July 2015 - March 2016
The Klamath Basin has been home to OSU Extension and Experiment Station activities
for more than one-hundred years. In July 2015, four interviews conducted at the Klamath
Basin Research and Extension Center traced this history, with particular emphasis
placed on the work of legendary Extension Agent Charlie Henderson (1892-1969), as
well as that of Extension Veterinarian Guy Reynolds (1920-1995). Each of these sessions,
as well as a fifth interview conducted in March 2016, touches upon the impact that
Extension and Experiment Station work has made on the region and provides perspective
on the challenges and opportunities facing the Klamath Basin today. Of particular
interest are the interviewees' thoughts on the water crisis that crippled the area
in 2001, making national headlines in the process. Interviewees include Linda Weider,
Sen. Doug Whitsett, Rodney Todd, Jean Pinniger, and Ron Hathaway.
Ilene Kleinsorge Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
February 10, 2015
Ilene Kleinsorge (b. 1949) was a member of the OSU College of Business faculty from
her arrival in 1987 to her retirement in 2015. For the final twelve years of her career,
Kleinsorge served as the college's Dean, a time period that saw significant change
within Business. As Dean, Kleinsorge oversaw broad changes to the college's curriculum
as well as the implementation of several new programs, a strengthened emphasis on
innovation, and the construction of a state-of-the-art facility, Austin Hall. Her
interview focuses on her atypical career path - which included stints as a factory
worker and licensed practical nurse - as well as the strategic planning process that
was central to the renewal of the College of Business. She also discusses her interactions
with Ken and Joan Austin, and recounts the story behind Austin Hall.
Kelvin Koong Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
October 9, 2014
Kelvin Koong (b. 1943) worked in numerous administrative and faculty positions at
OSU from 1987 to 2011. During his tenure at Oregon State, Koong did much to advance
the missions of the College of Agricultural Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine,
and the OSU Extension and Experiments Stations. Known for his ability to work well
with state legislators, in 2001 Koong secured funds to expand the university's veterinary
medicine curriculum into a complete four-year program. He also led the fundraising
campaign that resulted in the Oldfield Animal Teaching Facility, opened in 2012. His
interview focuses on his upbringing in Taiwan, his education and research in animal
sciences, and his multifaceted administrative career at OSU.
Paul Kopperman Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
September 2, 2014
Paul Kopperman (b. 1945) has taught history at OSU since his arrival in 1978. Specializing
in 18th century British military and medical history, Kopperman has also served as
advisor to both the OSU History Club and the OSU Religious Studies Club. An active
member of the local Jewish community, Kopperman has been closely associated with Holocaust
Remembrance Week at OSU from the time of its initial organization in 1986. Kopperman
has directed Remembrance Week activities since 1993 and, in this capacity, has been
responsible for bringing to campus several prominent scholars of genocide as well
as some two dozen Holocaust survivors. His interview focuses on his academic career,
growth and change in the regional Jewish community, and the history of Holocaust Remembrance
Week at Oregon State University.
Milo Koretsky Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 13, 2015
Milo Koretsky (b. 1962) has been a member of the Chemical Engineering faculty at Oregon
State since his arrival in Corvallis in 1992. Koretsky is recognized internationally
as a pioneering scholar of engineering education whose textbook, Engineering and Chemical Thermodynamics, has been widely praised for its conceptual approach to the teaching of thermodynamics.
At OSU, Koretsky has also been instrumental in the development of virtual learning
modules that provide student engineers with practical experience that closely simulates
the environment that they will encounter in the workplace. Koretsky has likewise been
closely associated with OSU's MECOP internship program for the entirety of his career,
and has been instrumental in its growth over the decades. His interview focuses on
his personal development as an engineer and educator; his institutional memories of
Chemical Engineering and MECOP at OSU; and his continuing efforts to rethink and improve
engineering education.
Denise Lach Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
July 21, 2015
Denise Lach (b. 1955) is a social scientist who has lead multiple research institutes
at OSU, including the Center for the Analysis of Environmental Change, and the Center
for Water and Environmental Stability. A member of the Oregon State faculty since
1996, Lach was named director of the College of Liberal Arts' School of Public Policy
when it was created in 2010, and she continues to serve in that capacity today. Lach's
interview focuses upon her path through academia, her development as a social scientist,
her research on the social and policy dimensions of various natural resources issues,
and her perspective on change and advancement within OSU's College of Liberal Arts.
Andy Landforce Oral History Interviews
Six life history interviews conducted by Mike Dicianna and Debora Landforce.
May 2013 - October 2015
Andy Landforce (b. 1917) graduated from Oregon State College in 1942, serving as student
body president his senior year. A World War II veteran, Landforce enjoyed a long career
at Oregon State University, first as a County Extension Agent and later as a Wildlife
Management Specialist. He also worked for an additional fifteen years in retirement
as a professional fishing guide. Among many other topics, the Landforce oral history
interviews focus on campus life at Oregon State College during the 1930s, the 1942
Rose Bowl game, his military service during World War II, and his post-war career
at OSU.
Brent Lawrence Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
December 28, 2015
Brent Lawrence (b. 1958) attended OSU from 1977-1980, during which time he served
as the first chairperson of the Minority Affairs program at the Memorial Union. Not
long after completing his bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Lawrence also
came out to his family, revealing his identity as a gay man. After obtaining an MBA
from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Lawrence embarked upon a successful
career as a project manager and independent consultant, working in fields as varied
as software development, team building, and psychometrics. For seven years, Lawrence
lived and worked in New Zealand, during which time he and his partner obtained dual
citizenship. In his interview, Lawrence traces his path through academia and the business
world, commenting in particular on his experiences as a gay man, and on the crucial
role that his multicultural perspective has played over the course of his life.
Phyllis Lee Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
January 28, 2015
Phyllis Lee (b. 1936) was the first Director of OSU's Office of Multicultural Affairs,
which was created in 1991 and charged with promoting diversity and improving the campus
climate for students, faculty and staff of color. A graduate of OSU's doctoral program
in Education and a former member of the university's Board of Visitors, Lee spearheaded
a number of outreach and curricular activities meant to promote dialogue on issues
of diversity, both in the classroom and in the community. Lee retired from OSU in
2003. One year later, President Ed Ray created the Phyllis S. Lee Award, which is
presented annually and honors a member of the OSU community who exemplifies Lee's
commitment and dedication to social justice and to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Her interview focuses on her education, her long commitment to diversity
issues, and her many activities as Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
Jon Lewis Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 4, 2017
Jon Lewis (b. 1955) is a Distinguished Professor of Film Studies who has been a member
of the OSU English faculty since arriving in 1984. The first professor in university
history to be dedicated full-time to Film Studies, Lewis created much of the curriculum
used in OSU's film classes today. He is also a prolific author who has written well-received
books on different shifts in Hollywood film culture, and is a scholar of the life
and work of director Francis Ford Coppola. His 2010 book on The Godfather has been translated into French, Turkish and Mandarin. In his interview, Lewis reflects
on his discovery and love of film; his work in creating a Film Studies program at
OSU; and the different books that he has authored over the course of his career.
An Oral History of the Linus Pauling Institute
Six interviews with Steve Lawson, conducted by Chris Petersen.
August - December 2011
The Linus Pauling Institute was founded in 1973 by Linus Pauling and two colleagues,
and was originally located near the campus of Stanford University. Primarily devoted
to exploring Pauling's controversial ideas on the health benefits of large doses of
vitamin C, the Institute gradually developed a broad and eclectic research agenda
that included work on superconductivity, molecular evolution, and metabolic profiling.
Consistently hamstrung by financial woes and further embattled by personnel disputes
that resulted in legal actions, the Institute was on the brink of closure by the time
of Pauling's death in 1994. Buoyed by a handful of timely donations and the administrative
acumen of Pauling's eldest son, Linus Pauling Jr., the Institute managed to stay afloat
and, in 1996, relocated to Oregon State University. Today the Linus Pauling Institute
is a thriving research enterprise that makes regular contributions to the fights against
cancer and cardiovascular disease, and to the promotion of healthy aging. Over the
course of six interviews, Steve Lawson, an Administrative Officer at LPI who has worked
for the Institute since 1977, relays his memories of the Institute's colorful history
and shares his impressions of Linus Pauling, whom Lawson knew as a colleague and as
a friend for nearly two decades.
Walter Loveland Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen and Linda Richards.
July 22, 2015
Walter Loveland (b. 1939) is a nuclear chemist who has been a member of the OSU faculty
since 1968. A decorated scholar who has made important contributions to the study
of super-heavy elements, Loveland enjoyed a twenty-three year collaboration with Glenn
Seaborg (1912-1999), a Nobel laureate and fellow nuclear chemist who was based at
the University of California, Berkeley. The organizer of a 2012 symposium to celebrate
the centenary of Seaborg's birth, Loveland was honored by the American Chemical Society
with the 2014 Glenn T. Seaborg Award for Nuclear Chemistry, an acknowledgement of
his key contributions to the understanding of super-heavy elements and heavy-element
synthesis. In a wide-ranging interview, Loveland shares his institutional memories
of nuclear chemistry and radiation science at OSU; recalls his work and friendship
with Glenn Seaborg; and provides his perspective on cultural and academic change at
Oregon State.
Jane Lubchenco Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Janice Dilg.
October 2014 - April 2015
Jane Lubchenco (b. 1947), Distinguished Professor of Zoology, is among the most accomplished
scientists to have ever served as a member of the OSU faculty. Professors in the
Zoology Department since 1977, Lubchenco and her husband, Bruce Menge, have contributed
greatly to the scientific understanding of marine ecosystems around the world. Since
the late 1980s, Lubchenco has also been actively involved in the formation of science
policy, especially as it relates to the nation's coastlines and oceanic environments.
In 2009 Lubchenco was confirmed as the first female head of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, a post that she held until 2013. Her interviews discuss
the arc of her education, her career path, highlights of her research program, her
increasing interest in public policy, and her tenure as leader of NOAA.
Bill Lunch Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2015
Bill Lunch (b. 1949) was a member of the OSU Political Science department from 1984
to his retirement in 2011, serving as chair of the department for his final eight
years on faculty. For the majority of his time at Oregon State, Lunch also worked
as a political commentator for Oregon Public Broadcasting, filing reports and offering
his opinions on regional political affairs, and regularly appearing on both radio
and television. Over two interviews, Lunch describes the ways in which this dual
career evolved and flourished over the course of nearly three decades at Oregon State.
He also offers his opinions on numerous individuals who have made a major impact on
the university, and shares his perspective on the resignation of Governor John Kitzhaber,
which took place just one month before these interviews.
Bob Lundeen Oral History Interviews
Four life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
July - August 2013
Bob Lundeen (1921-2016) graduated from Oregon State College in 1942 with a BS in Chemical
Engineering. Lundeen served in the Army Air Corp during World War II as a weather
officer stationed in China. After the war, he began working for Dow Chemical Co.,
eventually rising to the position of Chairman of the Board. Following his retirement
from Dow in 1986, he served on the Board of Directors for Tektronix and later became
CEO. In retirement Lundeen has made a deep impact at OSU as a donor, an honorary OSU
trustee, and a member of the Board of Trustees for the OSU Foundation. Topics covered
in the Lundeen interviews include his early life, his experiences during wartime,
and his memories of Oregon State College. Other subjects discussed include his long
career at Dow, family life, retirement and philanthropy.
Bob Malouf Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
April 19, 2017
Bob Malouf (b. 1946) spent his entire career in the world of Sea Grant, working on
two coasts and intersecting with Oregon State University on three different occasions.
Malouf earned his master's degree from OSU in 1971, a time period during which he
distinguished himself as Oregon Sea Grant's first trainee. In 1975 he completed his
Oregon State Ph.D. and, from 1991 to 2008, he served as Director of Oregon Sea Grant.
At various points, Malouf also worked as a scientist and administrator for Sea Grant
programs in Delaware and New York. In his interview, Malouf recounts key points in
his evolution as an academic and leader, and also provides detailed insight into the
development of Oregon Sea Grant as well as the ways in which it compares with other
Sea Grant programs on the Atlantic Coast.
Melinda Manore Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 30, 2015
Melinda Manore (b. 1951) received her Ph.D. in Nutrition from Oregon State University
in 1984. In 2001, Manore returned to OSU, joining the faculty as chair of what was
then the Department of Nutrition and Food Service Management. A pioneering scholar
of the intersections between nutrition and exercise, Manore has published widely on
topics including rural obesity in children, nutrition and exercise for women, and
healthy eating for athletes. Her interview traces the arc of her academic career with
a particular focus on her achievements in research. Included as a secondary topic
are Manore's institutional memories of the transformation of the College of Home Economics
into what is now the College of Public Health and Human Sciences.
Alyssa Martin Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 13, 2014
At the time of her interview, Alyssa Martin (class of 2015) was an OSU student athlete
who had spent four years on the women's basketball team while majoring in Civil Engineering.
The daughter of former Beaver basketball player Earl Martin, Alyssa concluded her
OSU playing days with 985 career points and earned Pac-12 All-Academic accolades three
years in a row. Her interview provides an insightful glimpse into the busy world
of the student athlete, juggling school, sports, travel and social life.
Bruce Mate Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
September 8, 2016
Bruce Mate (b. 1946) has been associated with OSU for more than four decades, first
as a post-doctoral fellow in Oceanography, then as a Marine Extension Agent, and ultimately
as a faculty member and administrator. Mate is internationally recognized as the chief
pioneer of radio and satellite tracking of marine mammals; specifically, of whale
populations. Beginning in 1979, Mate and his research group have used increasingly
sophisticated tagging and tracking devices to better understand the migratory, feeding
and reproductive habits of a wide range of whale species across multiple habitats.
Mate and his colleagues have tagged over eight-hundred whales in all of the world's
oceans, traveling to fifty-five countries in the process. The founder and director
of the OSU Marine Mammal Institute, Mate's scientific contributions have led to numerous
policy initiatives that have helped to rehabilitate whale populations that were once
bordering on extinction. His interview largely recounts the specifics of his groundbreaking
research, while also touching upon the history of the Marine Mammal Institute as well
as his personal memories of working in Extension.
Chris Mathews Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 2, 2011
Chris Mathews (b. 1937) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and
Biophysics who worked at OSU from 1978 to his retirement in 2002, chairing the Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics for the whole of that time. Internationally recognized
as a major contributor to the field of biochemistry with an emphasis on enzymology,
virology, and genetics, Mathews is also a co-author of a highly successful textbook,
Biochemistry, now in its third edition. Mathews was likewise involved with the creation of the
Center for Gene Research at OSU, as well as the establishment of the Linus Pauling
Institute on the OSU campus and the planning of the Agricultural and Life Sciences
Building. His interview focuses on his path through academia, the research that he
has pursued in biochemistry, and his memories of involvement with numerous initiatives
in the sciences over a twenty-four year career at OSU.
LaMont Matthews Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
July 1, 2015
LaMont Matthews (b. 1934) graduated from Oregon State College in 1956, earning a degree
in Mechanical Engineering. As a senior at Oregon State, Matthews began working part-time
at a local engineering firm called Cornell, Howell, Hayes, and Merryfield. The thirtieth
employee hired by what was later known as CH2M Hill, Matthews spent nearly fifty years
as an engineer, project manager and executive with the company, ultimately rising
to the position of Vice President of Industrial and Energy Systems and serving on
the CH2M Hill Board of Directors. His interview is largely devoted to reflections
on Matthews' many years at the company, with memories of undergraduate engineering
study at OSC included as a secondary topic.
June McCallister Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna and Chris Petersen.
July 3, 2014
June (Geil) McCallister (1919-2016) was the matriarch of a five-generation Oregon
State family. A 1940 OSC graduate in Secretarial Science, McCallister married into
a lineage that traced back to William A. Finley, the first president of Corvallis
College, as well as Hugh M. Finley, co-founder and first president of the school's
Alumni Association. She was also mother to three children, all of whom graduated
from OSU, as well as nine grandchildren, many of them Beaver alumni. Her interview
focuses on her memories of undergraduate life at Oregon State College in the 1930s
as well as her family's extraordinary connection to the university, which dates back
to the 1860s.
Mike McCallister Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna and Chris Petersen.
June 26, 2014
Mike McCallister (b. 1943), a 1967 OSU graduate in Geology, represents the fourth
generation of his family to graduate from Oregon State. An officer in the United
States Navy for nearly thirty years, McCallister served tours of duty in multiple
locations throughout the Pacific, including Guam, Vietnam, Hawaii and the Philippines.
A trained oceanographer, meteorologist and geophysicist, McCallister has also worked
for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the Snohomish County
Emergency Management Agency, and in the private sector, where he researches renewable
tidal energy. His interview focuses on his career in the military and his family's
deep roots at Oregon State.
Brenda McComb Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen and Kalia Flocker.
February 24, 2015
Brenda McComb was born William McComb in 1952. Over two stints at OSU, McComb worked
as a member of the faculty in the Department of Forest Sciences and Department of
Fisheries and Wildlife, as Dean of the Graduate School, as Vice Provost for Academic
Affairs, and as a member of the OSU Board of Trustees. In addition, McComb has been
central to the development of a support network for transgender individuals both on
campus and throughout the mid-Willamette Valley. Her interview focuses largely on
the story of her own gender journey, including discussion of the personal and professional
impacts of her gender transition from male to female. The session also touches upon
her work in academia as a faculty member, an administrator and an advocate.
Mina McDaniel Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 1, 2015
Mina McDaniel (b. 1944) earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from OSU in Food
Science and Technology. A sensory scientist, McDaniel returned to her alma mater in
1983 to lead the OSU Sensory Science Laboratory, overseeing projects related to beer,
wine, and Asian noodles, among many other topics. McDaniel also emerged as an important
advocate for women on campus, and filled numerous roles in this capacity during her
years as a faculty member. She concluded her OSU career as Director of Academic Programs
and Academic Assessment before retiring in 2006. McDaniel's interview provides a detailed
account of campus life and the Food Science student experience in the 1960s. McDaniel
also discusses the arc of her own career; the activities of the Sensory Science Lab
during her years of association; and her sense of the changing status of women at
OSU over five decades.
Duane McDougall Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
July 15, 2015
Duane McDougall (b. 1952) is a native Oregonian and an OSU alum who graduated in 1974
with a degree in Business and Technology, focusing primarily on Accounting. After
college, McDougall spent twenty-three years at Willamette Industries, a forest products
company with headquarters in Oregon. During that time, McDougall rose steadily up
the ranks within the company until ultimately receiving promotion to the position
of President and Chief Executive Officer in 1998. McDougall led Willamette Industries
for the remainder of its existence, stepping down only after the company succumbed
to an eighteen month-long hostile takeover bid launched by Weyerhaeuser and consolidated
in 2002. Later on, McDougall joined the leadership team at Boise Cascade, serving
as CEO for nine months and chairing the company's board for nearly six years. McDougall's
interview traces his memories as a student and supporter of OSU as well as his years
as a forest products executive during very turbulent times.
Jessina McGregor Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 4, 2016
Jessina McGregor (b. 1978) is an OSU alumna who graduated in 2001 with honors bachelors
degrees in Microbiology and International Studies. Following her doctoral training
in Epidemiology, McGregor returned to her alma mater in 2006, joining the faculty
of OSU's College of Pharmacy. McGregor was hired as part of an initiative to boost
the research program within the college's Portland branch, and she has been based
at either the OHSU main campus or at the health sciences complex on the South Waterfront
for the whole of her career as an OSU faculty member. Her interview details her undergraduate
years at Oregon State; her research on antibiotic resistance and optimized patient
care; and her perspective on the forward advancement of OSU Pharmacy's aims in Portland,
including the impact that has been made by the construction of the Collaborative Life
Sciences Building.
Starr McMullen Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 4, 2015
Starr McMullen (b. 1951) was a member of the OSU Economics faculty from 1980 to her
retirement in 2014, serving as department chair from 2001 to 2005. An award-winning
scholar of transportation economics, McMullen has also served on the Oregon Governor's
Council of Economic Advisors since 2003. McMullen is likewise an accomplished violinist
and fiddler, who won the 2014 National Senior Fiddle Championship at the National
Oldtime Fiddle Contest. Her interview traces her work in economics; her institutional
memories of the Economics department at OSU; her perspective on the struggles that
women continue to face in academia; and her on-going pursuits as a musician.
Charlie Miller Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
May 12, 2015
Charlie Miller (b. 1940) is an oceanographer and ocean ecologist who spent thirty-four
years as a faculty member at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, arriving in 1969
and retiring in 2003. An expert on zooplankton, Miller has made several important
contributions to the scientific understanding of the world's oceans, including the
discovery of a new species of plankton, Neocalanus flemingeri, first identified in 1982. Miller is also a social and environmental activist who
has, in particular, spoken out against a liquefied natural gas terminal that is proposed
to cross Oregon. His interview provides an overview of his scientific research as
well as his institutional memories of HMSC and his activism in retirement.
Frank Moore Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
April 11, 2017
Frank Moore (b. 1945) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Zoology who was an
active member of the OSU faculty from his arrival in Corvallis in 1975 to his retirement
in 2007. Moore is perhaps best known for his discovery of vasotocin, a hormone that
plays a major role in the reproductive behavior of many different types of animal
species, including the salamanders that Moore used as his primary research model.
Moore also made significant contributions to the scientific understanding of neurological
systems in amphibians. In his interview, Moore traces the unusual path that he took
to academia; comments on the major themes of his research; and shares his perspective
on his personal and academic partnership with Kathleen Dean Moore, herself an OSU
Distinguished Professor and acclaimed author.
Sylvia Moore Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
March 31, 2015
Sylvia Moore (b. 1942) played a vital role in advancing women's athletics over a thirty-three
year career as a coach, official, instructor and administrator at OSU. Moore, who
at various points coached both the women's basketball and gymnastics teams, also served
as Director of Women's Athletics on two different occasions. She is likewise the
first woman to have worked as Athletic Director for the entire university, having
held that post as an interim appointment in 1985. Moore also volunteered as an unpaid
official for five different sports during her OSU career. Her interview focuses on
the early years of women's athletics at Oregon State, the implementation and impact
of Title IX, and Moore's activities both within the Athletic Department and in service
to other areas of the university.
Mike Newton Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
March 15, 2016
Mike Newton (b. 1932) is an Oregon State alum - having completed a master's degree
in Forestry in 1959 and a Ph.D. in Botany in 1964 - and also an emeritus member of
the OSU Forestry faculty. Over a forty-year career at Oregon State, Newton conducted
influential research on weed control in forested settings, work that took him to Vietnam
in the early 1970s to investigate the biological impact of Agent Orange. A highly
productive scholar, Newton also led long-term studies focusing on competition between
tree and plant species in areas of differing rainfall and soil type; tree growth in
cold weather climates; and the cultivation of mature forests through managed thinning
and harvesting. In his interview, Newton reflects primarily on the research that he
has conducted in forested areas all around the world, and on contemporary controversies
surrounding forest management. His upbringing in rural New England and his years as
a student at Oregon State College are also included as secondary topics.
Keith Nishida Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 20, 2014
At the time of his interview, Keith Nishida was a Ph.D. candidate and Graduate Teaching
Assistant in the OSU School of Design and Human Environment. In 2012 he challenged
a group of his students to collaborate and create a fashion magazine for their final
class project. This assignment quickly bloomed into a continuing creative endeavor,
called DAMchic magazine, that is now its own student-run organization. In its short history, DAMchic has attracted a wide audience - one issue of the online publication has logged over
500,000 views - and broad student support within the School of Design and Human Environment.
In his interview, Nishida reflects upon his personal experiences in the world of fashion
and at OSU, as well as the history and aspirations of DAMchic magazine.
Janet Nishihara Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 2, 2015
Janet Nishihara (b. 1956) first came into contact with OSU as an undergraduate, majoring
in English Education and completing her degree in 1978. She returned to Oregon State
in 1980 as a master's degree student in the College Student Services Administration
program, a time period during which she also became involved with the Educational
Opportunities Program (EOP) at OSU. For more than three decades following, Nishihara
has played a central role in a wide variety of student support and diversity development
initiatives on campus. In 2009, after many years on staff, Nishihara was promoted
to director of EOP, the mission of which is to provide support for the personal and
academic development of traditionally underrepresented students at OSU. In her interview,
Nishihara reflects on her upbringing as a third generation Japanese-American raised
in rural eastern Oregon; discusses her multifaceted experiences as a student and faculty
member at OSU; and shares her perspective on diversity advancement at the university
from the mid-1970s to present day.
David Noakes Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 4, 2015
David Noakes (b. 1947) is a professor of Fisheries and Wildlife at OSU as well as
director and senior scientist at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center (OHRC). Noakes
came to Oregon State in 2005 after a long and distinguished career at the University
of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, where he developed an international reputation as a
scholar of fish behavior, evolution and genetics. Under Noakes' leadership, the OHRC
engages with researchers from around the world as well as local groups in exploring
the relationship between hatchery raised fish, wild fish, and the environment. Noakes'
interview focuses on his upbringing and education in Canada, his academic work in
fish behavior, and the on-going work of the OHRC.
Mary Jo Nye Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2015
Mary Jo Nye (b. 1944) is a historian of science who was a member of the OSU History
faculty from 1994 to her retirement in 2008. Nye and her husband Robert, also a historian,
served as the first Thomas Hart and Mary Jones Horning Professors of the Humanities,
and in this capacity were charged with deepening the link between the sciences and
the humanities at OSU. A prolific and accomplished scholar of 19th and 20th century
history of science in Europe and the U.S., Mary Jo Nye received the Sarton Medal,
the highest award granted by the History of Science Society, in 2006. Over two interviews,
Nye traces the evolution of her academic interests in science and the history of science,
discusses her work on several books, and reflects on her fourteen years as Horning
chair at OSU.
Gloria O'Brien Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
October 13, 2016
Gloria O'Brien (b. 1960) is a Biological Science Technician in OSU's Department of
Greenhouse Operations who has worked at Oregon State since 2008, specializing in integrated
pest management. O'Brien is also actively involved with sub-local 083 of the statewide
Service Employees International Union, serving for many years as a union steward and
also completing a four-year term as president of the sub-local from 2010-2014. In
2015, O'Brien also became an OSU alumna, after earning a degree in Horticulture that
she began pursuing, on a part-time basis, some seventeen years before. Her interview
provides insight into union activities on campus, the issues facing classified workers
across Oregon, and the roles filled by the Department of Greenhouse Services at Oregon
State University.
Bob Olson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
November 14, 2014
Bob Olson (b. 1940) is a parasitologist and emeritus member of the OSU Fisheries and
Wildlife faculty, who has taught and conducted research at the Hatfield Marine Science
Center since his arrival in 1968. For nearly two decades, Olson was HMSC's Associate
Director of Education Programs, and in this capacity oversaw both classroom instruction
as well as public outreach through activities including the Seataqua Program. An
expert on parasites that affect fish, Olson has received the unusual honor of having
a parasite named after him - trypanoplasma bobolsoni. His interview concentrates on his teaching and research career at HMSC, as well
as his observations of the forward evolution of HMSC as a facility and community partner
over his five decades of affiliation.
An Oral History of the OSC Class of 1959
An interview with Jim and Jane Schaeffer, Harley Smith and Dave Socolofsky, conducted
by Mike Dicianna.
February 14, 2014
The Class of 1959 alumni interviewed here relate their experiences in student government,
running on the "Shamrock Party" ticket. The participants likewise relay their memories
of campus life in the late 1950s, with special focus upon athletics, military training
and, of course, student politics. Three of the interviewees held student offices
in 1958 and 1959, and all four participated in ROTC. Jane Saling was the first female
to take military training classes at Oregon State College and Harley Smith drafted
the Student Senate petition to rename Oregon State College as Oregon State University.
The participants are also responsible for donating and installing the Trysting Tree
sculpture in the Memorial Union lounge that bears its name.
The OSU Extension Service Centennial Oral History Collection
Sixteen life history interviews conducted by Elizabeth Uhlig.
August 2007 - June 2009
In anticipation of its centennial in 2011, the Oregon State University Extension Service
interviewed several of its emeritus faculty in 2007, 2008, and 2009. These interviews
help to tell the story of Extension in Oregon over a fifty-year period following World
War II, and cover topics including agriculture, 4-H, home economics, energy, community
development, Sea Grant, communications, administration, and support. The interviewees
who are included in the collection that is presented here are: Roberta Anderson, Len
Calvert, Dean Frischknecht, John Hansen, Bob Jacobson, Duane Johnson, Alberta Johnston,
Harold Kerr, Glenn Klein, Linda Modrell, Owen Osborne, Jack Ross, Jane Schroeder,
Walt and Sally Schroeder, Greg Tillson, and Tom Zinn.
An Oral History of the OSU Press
An interview with Jo Alexander and Jeff Grass conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 26, 2014
Founded in 1961, the Oregon State University Press was, for much of its existence,
a component of the university's Office of Publications. Burdened by chronic funding
challenges, the Press experienced a roller coaster existence for many years and was
nearly shuttered in 1990 following the passage in Oregon of the property tax limitation
Ballot Measure 5. Now administratively organized alongside the OSU Libraries, the
Press has evolved into a flourishing scholarly publisher responsible for nearly 400
titles focusing principally on the history and character of the Pacific Northwest.
In this interview, Jo Alexander (b. 1944) and Jeff Grass (b. 1948) discuss their long
association with the Press, which together spanned parts of five decades.
Michael Oriard Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2015
Michael Oriard (b. 1948) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of American Literature
and Culture who worked at OSU from 1976 to his retirement in 2013. Oriard is also
a former professional football player who, after receiving All American honors at
the University of Notre Dame, spent four seasons in the National Football League as
an offensive lineman with the Kansas City Chiefs. As an academic, Oriard's primary
focus has been the cultural history of football, and he is widely recognized as an
expert on the United States' most popular sport. In two interviews, Oriard discusses
his life as a student athlete and professional football player, his growth and productivity
as a scholar, and the fragile status and uncertain future of American football.
José-Antonio Orosco Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 25, 2015
José-Antonio Orosco (b. 1971) is a Philosophy professor at OSU and the director of
the university's Peace Studies program. A former union organizer and student activist,
Orosco is presently the faculty advisor for the Centro Cultural César Chávez as well
as the OSU chapter of Movimiento Estudantil Chicano/Chicana de Aztlan. The author
of the 2008 book, Cesar Chavez and the Common Sense of Nonviolence, Orosco is also a founding member of OSU Faculty and Staff for Peace and Justice,
a co-founder of the Anarres Project for Alternative Futures, and president of the
OSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors. His interview focuses
on the path that he has taken as an academic and activist, his involvement with student
organizations and multicultural programming, and his perspectives on the teaching
and practice of engaged philosophy.
Bud Ossey Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Mike Dicianna.
October - November 2014
Bud Ossey (b. 1919) is the son of Russian immigrants whose father enrolled in the
Engineering program at Oregon Agricultural College shortly after arriving in the United
States in 1923. Ossey grew up attending Oregon State sporting events at Bell Field
and the Men's Gymnasium, and notably sat on the visiting bench as a spectator during
the famous OSC vs. USC "Iron Men" game in 1933. A 1943 OSC graduate in Civil Engineering,
Ossey led Combat Engineering units during World War II. Following the war, he spent
thirty-six years working as an engineer, primarily with the Bonneville Power Administration,
and specializing in the hydroelectric design of power houses across the Northwest.
Ossey is also a charter member of the Beaver Club and has been actively involved with
many other groups that have worked to advance the mission of Oregon State University.
Over two interviews, Ossey reflects on his early memories of campus life, his close
involvement with Beaver athletics, his service during wartime, and his career as a
BPA engineer.
Doug Oxsen Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Mike Dicianna.
July - December 2015
Doug Oxsen (b. 1952) played for Ralph Miller's OSU basketball squads in the early
1970s, graduating in 1975 with a degree in Business. After a period where he continued
to play on a semi-professional basis, Oxsen settled into a private sector career in
the health industry. In 2002, Oxsen returned to his alma mater when he accepted a
position as Director of Development in Athletics with the OSU Foundation. In this
capacity, he has played a lead role in raising funds to support the expansion and
renovation of Reser Stadium, the construction of the Basketball Practice Facility,
and the building of the Whyte Track and Field Complex, among other initiatives. Over
two interviews, Oxsen shares his memories of playing basketball for Ralph Miller,
defeating mighty UCLA, and helping to modernize OSU's athletics facilities as a fundraiser
with the OSU Foundation.
Al Parr Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 18, 2014
Al Parr (b. 1942) graduated from Oregon State in 1964 with bachelors degrees in Physics
and Mathematics, as well as decorations from the university's Honors Program. Parr
spent close to forty years working as a physicist, primarily for the National Institute
of Standards and Technology, where he specialized in radiometrics and optics. Parr
is also a rare book collector of consequence and a member of the OSU Libraries Advisory
Council. His interview focuses on his memories of Oregon State, his career in science,
and his passion for books.
Erwin Pearson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
July 8, 2016
Erwin Pearson (b. 1932) graduated from Oregon State College in 1954 with a bachelor's
degree in Animal Husbandry. Following a career in private veterinary practice that
spanned nearly two decades, Pearson earned a master's degree from the OSU College
of Veterinary Medicine and later joined its faculty, working primarily in the college's
teaching hospital. A full-time member of the faculty for eighteen years, Pearson spent
an average of 1,200 hours per year teaching practical veterinary medicine to OSU's
Vet Med students, and also established himself as an expert on the impact of different
toxins on animal livers. In addition, Pearson chaired the college's curriculum committee
for many years and was central to the creation and implementation of a new organizational
plan that was put into place once Vet Med had secured funding for a full four-year
program at OSU. His interview touches upon his student experience and his years in
private practice, but is more centrally focused on the sometimes tumultuous history
of OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine.
Don Pettit Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
March 26, 2014
Don Pettit (b. 1955), a native of Silverton, attended OSU from 1973-1978, graduating
with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering. After completing his Ph.D. at the
University of Arizona, Pettit began work at the National Laboratory in Los Alamos,
New Mexico. In 1996 he was selected to become a NASA astronaut and, in 2002, he participated
in his first spaceflight, Expedition 6, during which he spent over five months on
the International Space Station. While at NASA, Pettit has logged more than a year
in space, during which time he has filmed and televised experiments from space for
a series titled "Saturday Morning Science." His interview focuses on his upbringing
in Oregon, his undergraduate experience at OSU, and highlights from his career as
an astronaut.
George Poinar Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
October 23, 2014
George Poinar (b. 1936) is a Courtesy Faculty member in the OSU Department of Entomology
who has lived in Corvallis since retiring from the University of California, Berkeley
in 1995. Poinar is internationally known for his groundbreaking research in Paleoentomology.
In the mid-1970s, Poinar and his wife, Roberta, created an entirely new field of study
when they began actively collecting, analyzing and describing long-extinct insect
and animal specimens that had been trapped for millennia in fossilized amber. Poinar's
work inspired author Michael Crichton to write his best-selling novel, Jurassic Park, and indeed, many of Poinar's scientific discoveries - ranging from extinct flowers
to giant fleas to a theory that parasites may have killed off the dinosaurs - have
made headlines of their own. In his interview, Poinar discusses the path that he
followed through academia, the many travels that he has taken in pursuit of scientific
discovery, and the details of his pioneering work with ancient amber.
Clara Pratt Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 4, 2015
Clara Pratt (b. 1948) worked as a faculty member at OSU for more than thirty years,
directing the university's Gerontology program from 1974 to 1993, and also serving
as Oregon State's final dean of Home Economics. It was in this latter capacity that
Pratt was closely involved with the dissolution of what was then known as the College
of Home Economics and Education, and the creation of the predecessor to today's College
of Public Health and Human Sciences. Pratt was likewise involved in the early conversations
surrounding the creation of a branch campus in Bend, and to this day works part-time
as an instructor at OSU-Cascades. Her interview touches upon her forty year association
with OSU and her key involvement in major changes within Gerontology, Home Economics,
Health and Human Sciences, and OSU-Cascades.
Ed Ray Oral History Interviews
Four life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
June - August 2015
Ed Ray (b. 1944), the fourteenth President of Oregon State University, has overseen
both historic growth on campus and a major recalibration of university ambitions.
Trained as an economist, Ray spent thirty-three years at Ohio State University, where
he served as chair of the Economics department before moving into central administration,
first as Chief Information Officer and later as Provost. Ray came to OSU in 2003
and set in motion a strategic planning process that realigned university structures
and goals. He also launched OSU's first comprehensive capital campaign, The Campaign
for OSU, which raised $1.142 billion and resulted in a busy period of campus construction
as well as the endowment of seventy-nine faculty positions and the creation of over
600 scholarship and fellowship funds. Over four interviews, Ray reflects on his upbringing
and education; discusses his roots as a scholar and an administrator; and shares his
perspective on a wide array of initiatives that have moved forward during his tenure
as OSU President.
Pat Reser Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
April 24, 2015
Pat Reser (b. 1938) and her family have made a major impact on OSU as donors, leaders
and high profile advocates for a variety of university initiatives. Pat and her husband
Al both graduated from Oregon State College in 1960, she in Elementary Education and
he in Business Administration. A public school teacher and mother of five children,
Pat organized Reser family life while her husband worked long hours building Reser's
Fine Foods from a family business to an international corporation employing more than
3,000 people. The Reser family later played a significant role in advancing multiple
goals important to OSU, including the renovation and expansion of the school's football
stadium, which was renamed Reser Stadium in 1999 in honor of a major gift made by
the family. The Resers later provided lead gifts for two signature projects of the
Campaign for OSU - the Linus Pauling Science Center and Austin Hall. Pat Reser served
as a co-chair of the school's capital campaign, and later was elected as the first
chair of the OSU Board of Trustees. Reser's interview focuses on her life and partnership
with her husband Al, her professional work in education and her volunteer work in
Beaverton and Corvallis, and her insight into the Reser family's key involvement with
development at OSU.
Beth Rietveld Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 11, 2014
Beth Rietveld (b. 1953) served as Director of the OSU Women's Center from 1992-2011
and was an influential agent of change within both the Women's Center and the larger
campus community. A recipient of the National Women's Studies Association's Lifetime
Achievement Award, Rietveld made important contributions to campus dialogues concerning
inclusiveness for the LGBT community, salary equity for women faculty, and work-life
balance issues. Prior to her tenure as head of the Women's Center, Rietveld was,
variously, Assistant Director of Physical Recreation and Assistant Director of Student
Involvement at OSU. Her interview focuses on the arc of her career, the development
of her voice as a womens rights activist, and the changes in campus climate that she
has observed over more than three decades of involvement with OSU.
Les Risser Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
March 24, 2014
Les Risser (b. 1949), a native of Cleveland, Ohio, met her husband Paul while both
were employed by Miami University of Ohio. The couple married in November 1995 and
moved to Corvallis shortly thereafter, when Paul assumed the President's office at
Oregon State University. As university ambassador and First Lady, Les Risser engaged
actively with numerous groups both on campus and off. In her interview, she discusses
the six years that she spent in Corvallis and the activities that helped define her
life while at OSU.
Paul Risser Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Janice Dilg.
March 24 - 25, 2014
Paul Risser (1939-2014), an internationally renowned botanist, served as President
of Oregon State University from 1996-2002. While President, Risser did much to increase
enrollments and expand the Corvallis campus, while also establishing a branch campus
in Bend, Oregon and boosting the reach of OSU's online course offerings. His interviews
discuss the formation and implementation of his presidential agenda including important
changes in the Colleges of Business and Engineering, and a renewed emphasis on athletics.
He also reflects upon numerous capital projects that came to fruition during his time
in Corvallis as well as the establishment of the Bend campus, the creation of the
University Honors College, and the arrival of the Linus Pauling Institute.
Bill Robbins Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
June 27, 2017
Bill Robbins (b. 1935) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History who was an
active member of the OSU faculty from 1971 to 1999. Regarded today as a premiere historian
of the American West, Robbins came from a humble background, working as a logger and
elementary school teacher before completing his Ph.D. at the age of thirty-five. During
his highly accomplished career at Oregon State, Robbins authored a two-volume history
of Oregon as well as an acclaimed study of socioeconomic change on Oregon's central
coast. His later works include a biography of Oregon politician Monroe Sweetland and
a history of Oregon State University titled The People's School. Robbins' interview details his unusual path toward academia as well as his institutional
memories from a long career as an OSU History professor.
David Robinson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
September 30, 2015
David Robinson (b. 1947) was a member of the OSU English faculty from 1976 to his
retirement in 2016, and held the Oregon Professorship in English - the OSU College
of Liberal Arts' first endowed chair - from its inception in 1991. Recognized internationally
as an authority on American Transcendentalist authors, Robinson has written numerous
books on Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, among other nineteenth century
American writers and philosophers. For fifteen years Robinson also directed the OSU
Center for the Humanities, an institute dedicated to improving the vitality and quality
of humanities teaching and research at Oregon State. His interview focuses on his
personal scholarly evolution; his memories of significant change within the OSU English
department; and his perspective on the broader advancement of the humanities over
a forty year career at OSU.
Hossein Rojhantalab Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 2, 2014
Hossein Rojhantalab (b. 1944), a native of Iran, conducted doctoral studies at OSU
in Physical Chemistry, completing his Ph.D in 1976. Rojhantalab then returned to Iran,
working as a university professor and textbook publisher. In 1985, alarmed by the
turmoil that had arisen in the wake of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, Rojhantalab
came back to the United States, ultimately settling into a successful career at Intel,
Inc. His interview discusses his background, the time that he spent in Corvallis,
the circumstances that led to his final departure from Iran, and his life at Intel.
Larry Roper Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
November 7, 2014
Larry Roper (b. 1953) served as Vice Provost for Student Affairs from 1995 to his
retirement from upper administration in 2014. During his years as Vice Provost, Roper
proved instrumental to a number of university initiatives, including the OSU "Campus
Compact," the development of the first-year experience program, and a university-wide
assessment effort. Roper, who is one of the first African American upper administrators
in Oregon State history, has also been central to a variety of diversity actions both
on campus and in the community. A faculty member in the OSU Ethnic Studies department,
Roper now directs both the College Student Services Administration program as well
as the undergraduate minor in Social Justice. His interview traces his progression
as a leader within academia; documents his activities and contacts at Oregon State;
and reflects on both the continuing issues and the gradual progress of diversity enhancement
at OSU.
Jim Rudd Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 19, 2015
Jim Rudd (b. 1948) was an employee of the OSU Athletic Department from 1974-1982,
focusing on sales and marketing, and serving as an important liaison between the department,
the OSU Foundation, and the President's Office. Since departing from OSU, Rudd has
worked in Portland at Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, where he is principal and
CEO. Throughout this time, Rudd has maintained close ties to the OSU Foundation, serving
as a trustee and, from 2006-2014, as co-chair of the steering committee for the Campaign
for OSU. His interview focuses on his upbringing and the importance that athletics
played in his youth; memories of his work and colleagues while a member of the Athletic
Department; his many years of service to the OSU Foundation; and his memories of the
OSU capital campaign as it played out.
Darlene Russ-Eft Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 23, 2016
Darlene Russ-Eft (b. 1947) is a faculty member in OSU's College of Education who arrived
at the university in 2001 after spending seventeen years in the private sector. Known
today as a founder of the field of Human Resources Development, Russ-Eft has written
widely on program evaluation and the transfer of training. In 2008, Russ-Eft became
chair of the Adult Education and Higher Education Leadership discipline within the
College of Education and, for many years, she has been actively involved in OSU's
highly regarded doctoral program in Community College Leadership. In her interview,
Russ-Eft shares a series of recollections dating to her years in the private sector,
and provides her institutional memories of the evolution and growth of the College
of Education since the turn of the century.
Patti Sakurai Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2, 2015
Patti Sakurai (b. 1966) has been a faculty member in OSU's Ethnic Studies department
since its founding in 1996. A scholar whose interests range from Japanese American
citizenship to Korean television dramas, Sakurai has also created nineteen different
courses in Ethnic Studies and Women's Studies during her tenure at Oregon State.
Sakurai has likewise branched out into the world of multimedia, producing documentary
shorts on a variety of subjects and serving as a charter member of the production
collective behind APA Compass, an Asian and Pacific American public affairs show broadcast on KBOO community radio.
Her interview focuses on her scholarly evolution from English to Ethnic Studies, the
history and ambitions of OSU's Ethnic Studies department, and the issues faced by
communities of color at OSU today.
Taylor Sarman Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 16, 2015
Taylor Sarman (class of 2016) is a native of Union, Oregon, a small, rural community
located in the northeastern corner of the state. Interested in politics from an early
age, Sarman became active in student government as soon as he began high school, while
also engaging with the Oregon chapter of Future Business Leaders of America as a state
officer. In 2011, his senior year of high school, Sarman was elected as national
president of FBLA. After enrolling at OSU in 2012, Sarman held a number of positions
within the Associated Students of Oregon State University, culminating with his election
as student body president at the end of his sophomore year. Sarman was also the first
student to serve on OSU's newly created Board of Trustees. His interview traces his
life-long involvement in politics and public service, with particular attention paid
to his work with FBLA, his year as ASOSU President, and his experiences as a member
of the Board of Trustees.
Henry Sayre Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 5, 2014
Henry Sayre (b. 1948) is a Distinguished Professor of Art History who has worked at
OSU since 1981 and at the OSU-Cascades campus since its opening in 2001. Sayre is
also an accomplished teacher and the author of a number of books, including a groundbreaking
art appreciation textbook, A World of Art, now in its seventh edition, and the children's book From Cave Paintings to Picasso, winner of an Oregon Book Award. As chair of the curriculum committee and as academic
provost, Sayre has also been instrumental in the on-going development of the Cascades
campus in Bend, Oregon. His interview focuses on his experiences as a professor in
the liberal arts at OSU, his leading role at OSU-Cascades, and his influential work
as an art historian and art educator.
Bob Schoning Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
November 5, 2014
Bob Schoning (b. 1923) spent over fifty years working as a fisheries biologist and
policymaker at various levels of government. A nationally ranked handball player for
much of his life, Schoning also served his country as a Marine during World War II
and the Korean War, and was honored with the Bronze Star for his courage on the battlefield.
As director of the National Marine Fisheries Service, Schoning was heavily involved
with the crafting of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act,
an important piece of legislation which established a 200-mile fishery conservation
zone buffering the shorelines of the United States. Schoning spent four years as a
visiting professor with OSU's Fisheries and Wildlife Department and another sixteen
years on the advisory board of the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station. His interview
focuses on his military service; his work as a fisheries policymaker; and his multiple
associations with OSU.
John Selker Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 25, 2015
John Selker (b. 1960) is a Distinguished Professor of Biological and Ecological Engineering
whose research has specialized in water resources engineering with a particular focus
on developing low-cost technical solutions to agricultural and environmental challenges
faced by the developing world. A veteran traveler who spent his initial years after
college leading cook stove programs in Africa and Asia, Selker is also a driving force
behind the Trans-African Hydro and Meteorological Observatory project, an initiative
that is using a collection of small weather stations to provide more accurate meteorological
information to the continent's agriculturalists. Selker's interview focuses on his
formative experiences traveling and working in Africa; his institutional memories
of agricultural engineering at OSU; and his continuing efforts to improve quality
of life for some of the planet's most vulnerable populations.
Lew Semprini Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
February 22, 2017
Lew Semprini (b. 1952) is a Distinguished Professor of Environmental Engineering who
has been a member of the Oregon State faculty since 1993. An expert on in situ bioremediation of contaminated environments, Semprini has uncovered a wide array
of mechanisms for treating hazardous substances that have polluted industrial, military
and residential locations alike. One project in particular, which used samples of
Willamette River water collected in Corvallis, led to the discovery of microorganisms
that could metabolize chlorinated solvents. In his interview, Semprini details the
evolution of his career as a scientist and engineer, with particular attention paid
to the development of the Environmental Engineering program at OSU.
Jon Shepard Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
January 23, 2015
Jon Shepard (b. 1941) graduated from OSU in 1963, earning a degree in Biology. Beginning
in junior high school and running through his years at Oregon State and beyond, Shepard's
chief professional and personal interest has been lepidoptery, the study butterflies
and moths. Based primarily in British Columbia from the early 1970s to 2014, Shepard
pursued a career as a lepidopterist by teaching at community colleges, filling in
for colleagues who were away on sabbatical, and engaging in contract work, all the
while pursuing his own research and collecting projects. His interview traces his
years at OSU and documents a few highlights of his many years of devotion to a more
detailed understanding of butterflies, moths, and other insects.
Gilbert Shibley Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
November 10, 2015
Gilbert Shibley was born in Estacada, Oregon in 1938 on land that his family homesteaded
in 1863. After spending a decade teaching Biology at Lawrence University in Appleton,
Wisconsin, Shibley returned to the family property and found work as a 4-H Extension
Agent in Multnomah and Columbia Counties. After retiring in 1990, Shibley became increasingly
interested in family forestry, completing the Extension Service's Master Woodland
Manager program in 1993, and ultimately moving into a half-time position as Extension
Forestry Assistant for Clackamas County, from which he retired in 2008. Shibley's
interview details his deep family ties to the Estacada area and concentrates, in large
part, on his experiences managing the family property and working to educate other
family foresters on issues of resource management, taxation, and political action.
Larry Sidor Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Tiah Edmunson-Morton.
November 6, 2015
Larry Sidor (b. 1950) is a 1972 graduate of Oregon State University in Food Science.
He has since established himself as a leading brewer in the Pacific Northwest, having
spent twenty-three years working in various capacities at the Olympia Brewing Company,
followed by stints as brewmaster at the Deschutes Brewery in Bend, and now at the
Crux Fermentation Project, which he founded in 2013. Sidor's father was an OSU Extension
Agent, and in his interview, Sidor reflects on the impact that was made upon him by
his exposure to his father's work. He likewise recalls his memories of the undergraduate
academic experience in Food Science at OSU in the early 1970s; traces his long and
influential career in the brewing industry; and shares his thoughts on the future
of craft brewing in the Northwest and nationwide.
Dick Smiley Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 21, 2014
Dick Smiley (b. 1943) was a Professor of Plant Pathology at the Columbia Basin Agricultural
Research Center (CBARC) for nearly thirty years, and served as director of the branch
from 1985 to 2000. CBARC is located just outside of Pendleton, Oregon, and the research
and extension work conducted there serves eastern Oregon's farmers and ranchers, and
focuses primarily on agricultural concerns related to wheat and other dry land crops.
Smiley created the region's first plant pathology research program when he arrived
at the station in 1985, and later conducted important work on the impact of nematodes
on area crops. His interview focuses on his scientific research in soils and plant
pathology, and his institutional memories of life, work and community engagement in
Oregon's wheat country.
Loretta Smith Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
January 21, 2015
Loretta Smith (b. 1966) graduated from OSU in 1987. A Broadcast Communications major,
Smith was involved with KBVR television and radio during her student years, and also
developed close ties to the university's Educational Opportunities Program. Following
the completion of her degree, Smith spent twenty-one years working in the office of
Oregon Congressman Ron Wyden, first as a receptionist and later as a community liasion
and staff manager. In 2010 Smith successfully ran for election to the Multnomah County
Board of Commissioners, a position to which she was re-elected in 2014. In her interview,
Smith discusses her college experience at OSU, her political education as a member
of Wyden's staff, and her own career as a public servant.
Clemens Starck Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
July 30, 2015
Clemens Starck (b. 1937) is an accomplished poet whose first published collection,
Journeyman's Wages, received the Oregon Book Award for Poetry in 1996. Starck published the book at
the age of fifty-seven, after thirty-six years of writing in near anonymity. He was
also working as a carpenter for the OSU Physical Plant at the time, a job that he
held for eighteen years and from which he retired in 2005. Over the course of his
life, Starck traveled broadly and was employed, variously, as a journalist, ranch
hand, construction laborer, and merchant seaman. In addition to Journeyman's Wages, Starck has released three additional volumes of his verse and has recorded two CDs
of his poetry set to music. His interview focuses on his broad experience in a variety
of workplaces, his development as a writer, and his memories of OSU. At multiple
points throughout the session, Starck also reads selections of his work, both published
and unpublished.
Eighty Years of Starker Forests, Inc.
An interview with Gary Blanchard, Bond Starker and Anna (Starker) May, conducted by
Mike Dicianna.
August 29, 2016
Founded in 1936 by OAC alum and professor T.J. Starker, the Corvallis-based timber
management and harvest company Starker Forests, Inc. has been managed by four generations
of Starkers, each of them educated in Forestry at Oregon State University. The model
of a successful family business, Starker Forests, Inc. now manages over 85,000 acres
of forestland and employees twenty people full-time. In this interview, company CEO
Bond Starker, his daughter Anna (Starker) May, and long-time employee Gary Blanchard
share their memories of the company and of OSU, while also detailing the field innovations
and business acumen utilized by T.J. Starker and his son Bruce in building the company
into a regional powerhouse.
Jean Starker Roth Oral History Interviews
Four life history interviews conducted by Maia Fischler.
September - November 2007
Jean Starker Roth (1920-2015) was an influential alumna who supported a wide range
of initiatives on the OSU campus and in the Corvallis community. The daughter of
T.J. Starker - an OAC graduate and faculty member in Forestry, and a successful businessman
and civic leader - Starker Roth completed her degree in Home Economics in 1942. She
worked for seven years as a teacher and Extension staffer, and also supported the
war effort at Camp Adair and elsewhere. In 1948 she married Kermit Roth, and over
the decades that ensued the couple raised four children. After Kermit's death in 1979,
Jean assumed control of the family's business activities while also giving back generously
to the community and to her alma mater. Over the course of four interviews, Starker
Roth recalls her upbringing and schooling in Corvallis, her management of the Roth
family household, her involvement with a variety of business concerns, and her many
philanthropic activities.
Kevin Stoller Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
September 28, 2015
Kevin Stoller (b. 1976) earned two degrees from OSU, completing a double-major bachelor's
degree in Mathematics and History in 1999, and a master's degree in the History of
Science in 2002. Formerly the forum page editor for The Daily Barometer, Stoller was also a member of the first cohort of the University Honors College (UHC),
which began enrolling students in 1995, Stoller's sophomore year. After a period
of study at Harvard University, Stoller returned to Corvallis in 2009 where he is
now Director of External Relations and Operations for the UHC. His interview focuses
on OSU's campus culture during the mid- and late-1990s; the early years of the UHC;
and the many ways in which the college and university have changed in recent decades.
Pat Stone Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
July 2, 2015
Pat Stone (b. 1947) is an Oregon State alum who graduated with a degree in History
in 1974. In the years that followed, Stone found success in the real estate title
business, at one point rising to the rank of CEO at Fidelity National Information
Services, and also founding two companies of his own - The Stone Group and Williston
Financial Group. Stone has also been heavily involved with the activities of the OSU
Foundation, spending more than a decade as a Foundation trustee or board member, and
serving as a co-chair of the Campaign for OSU fundraising initiative that raised over
$1.1 billion to support OSU's strategic goals. Stone's interview focuses on his early
years and military service in Vietnam, his path through college and university studies,
the progression of his career as a real estate executive, and the many contributions
that he has made to OSU and the OSU Foundation.
Fred Stormshak Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
December 22, 2015
Fred Stormshak (b. 1936) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Animal Sciences
who was a member of the OSU faculty from 1968 to his retirement in 2001. Stormshak
spent much of his career at Oregon State studying the ovary and uterus of the domestic
animal, with particular attention paid to the functioning of the corpus luteum, an
ephemeral and short-lived gland that plays a crucial role in the reproductive process.
In 1996, he and a colleague began a program of research on the biological basis of
male-oriented behavior in rams; work that eventually made headlines around the world.
Funded by the NIH and continuing to this day, the studies have focused on a group
of neurons in the anterior hypothalamus that may play a crucial role in the scientific
understanding of sexual behavior in sheep. Stormshak's interview details his upbringing
in rural Washington; his education in Dairy Science and Endocrinology; the broad array
of research that he has conducted at OSU; and his institutional memories of Animal
Science at OSU.
Dale Story Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
January 9, 2014
Dale Story (b. 1942) overcame polio as a child and developed into an elite distance
runner, breaking the national high school record for the one-mile run in 1959. Story
attended Oregon State as an undergraduate from 1961-1965. During that time, he set
numerous school records as a cross country and track athlete, often training and competing
barefoot. Perhaps the pinnacle of Story's collegiate career came in 1961 when he won
the NCAA cross country championship, leading OSC to the team title at that same event.
The Story oral history interview focuses on his upbringing in California, his athletic
achievements and extracurricular interests at Oregon State, and his lifelong passion
for the outdoors.
Warner Strausbaugh Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 12, 2014
Warner Strausbaugh (class of 2014) served as Editor-in-Chief of the OSU Daily Barometer student newspaper for the 2013-2014 academic year. A Political Science major, Strausbaugh
spent four years on the Barometer staff and worked there in a number of capacities, including stints as a reporter
for multiple OSU sports beats as well as Sports Editor, Managing Editor and, finally,
Editor-in-Chief. His interview sheds light on the culture of the Barometer newsroom and the life of a student journalist. He also shares his opinions on student
attitudes and OSU's campus culture as it stood in 2014.
Steve Strauss Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 7, 2017
Steve Strauss (b. 1955) is a Distinguished Professor of Forest Biotechnology who has
been a member of the Forestry faculty at OSU since 1985. Over the course of his career,
Strauss has conducted groundbreaking research on tree genetics, using poplars as his
primary model organism. Much of this work has incorporated techniques of genetic engineering,
an issue that has become increasingly contentious over the course of Strauss' years
in academia. In his interview, Strauss traces the arc of his research and comments
on the many ways in which changes in the conventional wisdom have compelled him to
adapt or reorient his scholarly work. Strauss likewise provides valuable insight into
the evolution of the College of Forestry during the years of his association.
Bernadine Strik Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
August 21, 2015
Bernadine Strik (b. 1962) is an OSU Professor of Horticulture who has been a member
of the Oregon State faculty since arriving in 1987. In addition to her Extension,
research and teaching appointment within the Department of Horticulture, Strik is
the Berry Crops Research Leader at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center
in Aurora, Oregon. Recognized internationally as an expert on numerous berry crops,
Strik's research and Extension programs have directly impacted crop yields and diversification
in the Pacific Northwest through her work on plant physiology and nutrition, as well
as crop production and harvesting systems. Her interview traces her broad and active
program of research while at OSU, and her deep connection to furthering the Land Grant
mission in Oregon.
Mas Subramanian Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 30, 2015
Mas Subramanian (b. 1953) joined the OSU Chemistry faculty in 2006, following a prolific
twenty-two year research career at DuPont, a time period during which he published
more than 200 papers and secured some 50 patents. A leader in the field of solid state
chemistry, and a heavily cited expert on a class of minerals called pyrochlores, Subramanian
is perhaps best known for his laboratory's discovery of a new form of blue pigment.
First synthesized accidentally in 2009, this new type of colorant possesses highly
advantageous environmental properties and can also be structurally manipulated to
create nearly every color in the spectrum. Subramanian's interview traces his upbringing
and education in India; his work habits and hugely productive tenure at DuPont; his
institutional memories of Chemistry at OSU; the import of his serendipitous pigment
discovery and his thoughts on the role that chance has often played in the history
of scientific advancement.
Bill Sundermeier Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
December 12, 2014
Bill Sundermeier (b. 1963) is a 1985 graduate of OSU's Computer Science program. While
at Oregon State, Sundermeier worked as a consultant for Tektronix, writing programs
on a large Tektronix 4051 personal computer while in his dorm room at Weatherford
Hall. Following graduation, Sundermeier spent eight years as a product marketing manager
at Northwest Instrument Systems, and another twenty years with an infrared camera
technology company, FLIR Systems. At FLIR, Sundermeier rose to the position of Senior
Vice President and General Manager for Portland Operations. In 2004, Sundermeier was
inducted into the OSU College of Engineering's Academy of Distinguished Engineers.
His interview concentrates primarily on his memories of living in Weatherford Hall
in the years prior to its decade-long closure in 1994. Sundermeier's undergraduate
experience in Computer Science and his professional activities in the technology sector
are also included as secondary topics.
John Talbott Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
June 29, 2015
John Talbott (b. 1955) has been the director of the Sun Grant Western Regional Center
at OSU since arriving on campus in 2011. Under his leadership, Sun Grant has facilitated
important scientific research on biofuels, life cycle analysis, and bioproduct conversion
processes, all projects that seek to improve environmental sustainability while also
contributing to a more diversified agricultural and industrial economy. Since 2013,
Talbott has also served as Assistant Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment
Station, managing the grant processes, work plans, and research emphases for Experiment
Station faculty across the state. His interview provides an overview of his career
in carbon sequestration and environmental sustainability, and details the mission
and activities of Sun Grant at OSU from its inception up to present day.
Robert Tanguay Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
April 21, 2017
Robert Tanguay (b. 1966) is a Distinguished Professor of Molecular Toxicology who
joined the OSU faculty in 2003. The Director of the Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory,
Tanguay has built an international reputation for his use of zebrafish as a model
for analyzing the toxicological impact of thousands of different chemical compounds.
In 2009, his laboratory received a major grant from the Environmental Protection Agency
that was used to conduct the largest in vivo toxicological study to date - an examination
of some 1,200 compounds yielding data on half a million zebrafish. Tanguay also speaks
regularly to both public and private entities on the biosafety of various commercial
developments, including flame retardants and the practice of fracking. His interview
traces his career in science with particular attention paid to his zebrafish studies
at OSU.
Lisa Templeton Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 6, 2015
Lisa Templeton (b. 1967) has been instrumental to online learning at OSU since its
first programmatic inception in 2002, and has served as director of the university's
Extended Campus since 2008. Under Templeton's leadership, OSU Ecampus has emerged
as a national leader in online education to the point where, in 2015, it was ranked
fifth out of three-hundred online bachelor's degree programs, delivering nineteen
undergraduate majors and twenty-two graduate programs to over 4,500 students. Templeton's
interview focuses on the institutional history of distance education at OSU during
the internet age, the inner-workings of OSU Ecampus today, and the environment navigated
by faculty who are teaching and students who are learning online.
Maret Traber Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 23, 2014
Maret Traber (b. 1950) is the Director of the Oxidative/Nitrative Stress Core Laboratory
at Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute. Traber joined the Institute
as a principal investigator in 1998 after twenty-two years spent working in support
of others' research efforts. The author of over 180 peer-reviewed papers, Traber is
now internationally recognized as a leading authority on Vitamin E, and has helped
to establish the recommended daily allowance for the vitamin. Her interview focuses
on her long journey to institutional stability, the research that she has conducted
in nutrition and biochemistry, and her reflections on change and growth at the Linus
Pauling Institute.
Cliff Trow Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 13, 2013
Cliff Trow (b. 1929), a native of Kansas, spent thirty-one years on the OSU History
faculty, receiving the Organization of American Historians' Binkley-Stephenson Award
in 1972. In addition to his academic career, Trow - who has been involved in Democratic
Party politics since the late 1950s - was elected to the state Senate in 1974 and
represented District 18 until his retirement from office in 2003. A champion of education
in Oregon, Trow served on a number of committees, including periods chairing the Senate
Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Education Committee. He was also elected President
Pro Tempore of the Senate for 1981-1983. His interview focuses on his career at OSU
and in politics, and his long and fruitful marriage to Jo Anne Trow, herself a former
member of the OSU President's cabinet and a respected public figure.
Jo Anne Trow Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 13, 2013
Jo Anne Trow (b. 1931) enjoyed a long and notable career at OSU, where she held numerous
positions in teaching and administration; among them, Trow was the university's last
Dean of Women and its first female Vice President. Over the course of her career,
Trow spearheaded work to address numerous issues of inequality faced by female faculty,
such as salary parity. These discussions and activities eventually led to the formation
of a new infrastructure to support women on campus, including the OSU Women's Network
and the Women's Center. With her husband Cliff Trow, an emeritus professor of History
and retired state Senator, Jo Anne has also been very active in the Corvallis community.
Her interview focuses on her upbringing and education, her career at OSU, the advancement
of equality initiatives on campus, and her volunteer work in retirement.
Paul Turner Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 24, 2015
Paul Turner (b. 1961) is a former OSU student in English who has founded and operated
two independent cinemas in downtown Corvallis - The Avalon and The Darkside. A student
journalist while at Oregon State, Turner has spent the majority of his working life
managing and operating movie theaters, beginning with his first job as an assistant
at the Woodburn Drive-In (where he lived in an apartment located under the screen)
and including a decade running the Kuhn Cinema in Lebanon, Oregon. In a decidedly
colorful interview, Turner discusses his life-long affection for movies, his associations
with OSU, the births and evolutions of The Avalon and The Darkside, and the many memorable
moments that have arisen over the course of a career spent working in independent
theaters.
Paul Valenti Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen and Dominic Cusimano.
February 24, 2014
Paul Valenti (1920-2014) was integrally connected to Oregon State University for more
that seventy years, beginning with his arrival on the Oregon State College campus
as a student athlete in 1938. A member of the Beaver basketball squad during his
undergraduate years, Valenti later served as freshman baseball coach, freshman basketball
coach, head basketball coach and head tennis coach, spanning a time period from 1946-1970.
He continued on as Assistant Athletic Director until retiring in 1982, and remained
an enthusiastic ambassador for OSU until his death in 2014. His interview covers
his upbringing in California, his school and coaching experiences at OSU, and his
recollections of many people that he met along the way.
Jack Van Loan Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
November 7, 2014
Jack Van Loan (b. 1931) is a career military officer who graduated from Oregon State
College in 1954 and was promptly commissioned into the United States Air Force. A
fighter pilot, Van Loan flew both Super Sabre and F-4 Phantom aircraft during the
early years of his career. Van Loan's life changed dramatically in May 1967, when
his jet was shot down over North Vietnam. Van Loan was promptly captured and spent
the next 2,116 days - nearly six years - as a prisoner of war. He was released in
March 1973 as part of Operation Homecoming and, after a period of recovery, resumed
his military career until retiring in 1984 with the rank of Colonel. His interview
touches upon his undergraduate years at OSC, but primarily focuses on his experience
of being imprisoned in the "Hanoi Hilton."
Tony Van Vliet Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
November 14, 2013
Tony Van Vliet (b. 1930) is both an alum and an emeritus member of the OSU faculty.
Van Vliet studied Forestry at Oregon State College, graduating with a B.S. in 1952
and attaining a master's degree in Forest Products in 1958. He began his teaching
career in 1955, a tenure that lasted until 1990 and included thirty-five years on
faculty in the College of Forestry. From 1971-1978, Van Vliet was also involved with
the university's Career Planning and Placement Center, serving as Director from 1978
until his retirement from OSU. Van Vliet likewise built a second career as a legislator
in the Oregon House of Representatives. A moderate Republican, Van Vliet served in
Salem from 1974-1995, during which time he focused on support for education and revision
of the state's tax system. His interview focuses on his background and early years,
his experiences as an OSC student, his memories of working in the legislature, and
his successful advocacy of the Corvallis Riverfront project.
Nicthé Verdugo Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
February 13, 2015
Nicthé Verdugo (class of 2015) was heavily involved with a variety of student activist
groups during her undergraduate years at OSU. An Ethnic Studies major who also minored
in Women's Studies, Verdugo spent two years on staff at the OSU Women's Center and
was also an active member of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) and
the Alta Gracia workers rights campaign, as organized by United Students Against Sweatshops,
a group that she helped to found. In her interview Verdugo discusses the development
of her own sense of identity, her activism in support of fair labor practices, the
culture of the Women's Center, and evolving conceptions of feminism among young people
today.
Marianne Vydra Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
May 27, 2015
Marianne Vydra (b. 1963) is the highest-ranking female administrator in the OSU Athletic
Department. A member of the Athletic Department staff since 1992, Vydra initially
came to Corvallis to work as an academic counselor. In 1996 she was promoted to Associate
Athletic Director for Academic and Student Services, and in 1998 she became the Athletic
Department's Senior Women's Administrator. In this capacity, Vydra has been central
to a number of initiatives, playing a key role in the forward advancement of women's
sports at the university and helping to found the popular Beavers Without Borders
international service program. In her interview, Vydra discusses her path through
athletics administration, the great strides made by the Athletic Department during
her years at OSU, and the legacy of Title IX in propelling women's intercollegiate
athletics programs across the country.
Dick Waring Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
December 18, 2015
Dick Waring (b. 1935) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Forest Science who
was an active member of the OSU Forestry faculty from 1963 to his retirement in 2001.
Waring's career at OSU was characterized by influential research on a number of topics
in forest science, from building models of the flow of carbon and water through forest
systems, to investigations of trees' defenses against bark beetles and spruce budworm.
In the 1980s, he developed a relationship with NASA that led to multiple projects
utilizing remote sensing technology to better understand forest systems. More recently,
he has turned his attention to climate change and the future of the world's forests,
co-authoring a 2014 book on the subject titled Forests in Our Changing World. Waring's interview details his wide range of research interests over the decades,
and includes commentary on the evolution of the OSU College of Forestry as well.
Warren Washington Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 29, 2015
Warren Washington (b. 1936) earned two degrees from Oregon State College, completing
a B.S. in Physics in 1958 and, two years later, a M.S. in General Science with a concentration
on meteorology. Washington subsequently went on to a career at the National Center
for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) that has spanned more than five decades, a time period
during which he has established himself as a leading thinker on climate modeling.
An adviser to five different presidential administrations, Washington received the
2010 National Medal of Science for his achievements as a scientist and administrator.
Washington and his colleagues at NCAR also made fundamental contributions to the work
of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a body that was awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize in 2007 for its efforts to create an "ever-broader informed consensus
about the connection between human activities and global warming." Washington's interview
focuses on his experience as an African American youth growing up in Oregon; the progression
of his research in the atmospheric sciences; his experiences operating in Washington,
D.C.; and his thoughts on the issue of climate change.
Ed Waymire Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
July 29, 2015
Ed Waymire (b. 1949) is an Emeritus member of the OSU Mathematics faculty who first
arrived at Oregon State in 1982. A scholar of stochastics and probability theory,
Waymire has spent more than three decades studying the mathematics associated with
random phenomena such as rain, turbulent flows, branching networks, solute dispersion
and other processes from hydrology. The editor of several professional journals over
the course of his career, Waymire has received both the Carver Medal from the Institute
of Mathematical Studies and the F.A. Gilfillan Award from OSU for his achievements
as a mathematician. His interview provides an overview of his upbringing and the importance
of family in shaping his life; the ways in which mathematics have come to influence
his perception of the world around him; and his institutional memories of OSU's Mathematics
department over an affiliation that has spanned more than thirty years.
Janet Webster Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 14, 2014
Janet Webster (b. 1953) served as the head of the Guin Library at Hatfield Marine
Science Center from 1989 to her retirement in 2015. Active in regional and international
professional organizations alike, Webster received numerous awards over the course
of her career including, in 2003, Librarian of the Year from the Oregon Library Association.
While at Guin, Webster oversaw library activities during a period of major technological
change, and was instrumental in building an infrastructure suitable for serving Guin's
very diverse user base on the Oregon coast. For several years, Webster also administered
the work of OSU's other branch libraries, including the OSU-Cascades library in Bend.
Her interview focuses on her upbringing, educational experiences and ultimate decision
to pursue a career in libraries; her work and contacts at HMSC; and the changes that
she has witnessed in coastal community life and within the library profession.
Dick Weinman Oral History Interviews
Two life history interviews conducted by Janice Dilg.
October 2014 - January 2015
Dick Weinman (b. 1933) was a Speech professor at Oregon State from 1967 to his retirement
in 1998, and also the on-air voice of Oregon Public Broadcasting's Morning Edition for nearly twenty-five years. During his career at OSU, Weinman played a fundamental
role in the creation and growth of KBVR-TV as well as the Broadcast Media Communications
program, which he led until its dissolution in 1992. An influential and innovative
teacher, Weinman also spearheaded a number of workshops and campus events meant to
improve the quality of education for the university's aspiring broadcasters. Among
many topics discussed over two interviews, Weinman reflects on his life in broadcasting;
his involvement with a wide array of documentary films and campus events; the evolution
of KBVR-TV; and the creation of the New Media Studies program.
Jim Welty Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
April 21, 2015
Jim Welty (b. 1933) earned three degrees from Oregon State, completing bachelor's
(1954) and master's (1959) studies in Mechanical Engineering, as well as a doctorate
in Chemical Engineering, which he finished in 1962. His Ph.D. in hand, Welty was
promptly hired to the Oregon State Mechanical Engineering faculty, where he remained
until retiring in 1996. During this time, Welty served as department chair for fifteen
years, from 1970 to 1985. A respected scholar of fluid dynamics and heat transfer,
Welty, along with two OSU colleagues, co-authored a hugely successful textbook that
was first published in 1969 and is still used in classrooms today. His interview provides
an overview of a personal association with Oregon State's College of Engineering that
has few parallels, one that spans parts of seven decades.
Roger Werth Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
June 16, 2014
Roger Werth (b. 1957) attended Oregon State University from 1975-1980, graduating
with a degree in Liberal Studies with emphases on journalism and photography. In May
1980, early in his career as a photojournalist, Werth captured several iconic images
of the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens. In 1981 the staff of Werth's newspaper,
the Longview (Washington) Daily News, received the Pulitzer Prize for Local, General or Spot News Reporting, a major recognition
of the paper's coverage of the Mt. St. Helens story. Special commendation was given
by the Pulitzer committee to Werth for his photographs. Werth's interview focuses
upon his undergraduate years at OSU, his memories of the Mt. St. Helens eruption,
and his broader experiences in photojournalism.
Charlie White Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Dwaine Plaza and Natalia Fernández.
May 18, 2011
Charlie White (b. 1938) was the first African American recruited to play basketball
on scholarship at OSU, and only the second African American student-athlete in the
history of the program. White transferred to OSU after a three-year stint in the military
and two years at a California junior college. A dynamic guard/forward on the court,
White captained the Beavers during his senior year, leading to the 1965-66 team to
the Pacific-8 Conference championship and a first-round win over the University of
Houston in the NCAA tournament. A member of the Oregon State Sports Hall of Fame,
White was inducted into the Pac-10 Basketball Hall of Honor in 2011. His interview
focuses primarily on his memories of campus and community life as a trailblazing African
American student-athlete in the mid-1960s.
Tony Wilcox Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 23, 2015
Tony Wilcox (b. 1951) was a member of the faculty of the College of Public Health
and Human Sciences from his arrival at OSU in 1987 to his retirement in 2015. Primarily
interested in exercise physiology as a researcher, Wilcox also served as chair of
the Department of Exercise and Sports Science from 1994 to 2011, and as co-director
of the School of Biological and Population Health Sciences from 2011 to 2015. Wilcox
likewise spent more than a dozen years as an OSU Faculty Senator and was President
of the Faculty Senate in 1997. His interview focuses on his work as a researcher and
administrator in exercise science, his life-long passion for running, and his many
contributions to the Faculty Senate and to a wide swath of university committees.
A Remembrance of William Appleman Williams
An interview with Bill Robbins conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 27, 2012
William Appleman Williams (1921-1990), an influential American historian and writer,
was a member of the History faculty at Oregon State University from 1968-1986. He
is regarded to be a founder of the "revisionist school" of American diplomatic history.
A prolific author, Williams' The Contours of American History (1961), was named by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best non-fiction books
written in English in the twentieth century. Bill Robbins, Distinguished Professor
Emeritus of History, was a member of the OSU History faculty from 1971 to his retirement
in 1999. Williams and Robbins were close friends and valued colleagues, and in this
interview Robbins shares his recollections of Williams' work, personality and impact.
Bryan Wolfe Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
October 31, 2014
Bryan Wolfe (b. 1944) is a farmer and rancher whose family has worked lands in eastern
Oregon for five generations. A 1966 OSU graduate in Agricultural Economics, Wolfe
has devoted his entire adult life to agricultural concerns, based primarily in the
Hermiston area. The founder of the Wolfe Feedlot and the W. Bryan Wolfe Ranch, Wolfe
has also served on the Umatilla Energy Cooperative Board of Directors, the Oregon
Board of Forestry, and the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council. His interview concentrates
on the rich tradition of agriculture in the Wolfe family, his experiences as an OSU
student, the expansion and diversification of the family's agricultural operations,
and his own civic engagement both locally and regionally.
Dawn Wright Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 10, 2016
Dawn Wright (b. 1961) was an active member of the Geosciences faculty at OSU from
1995 to 2011. Now a Courtesy Professor at Oregon State, Wright is the Chief Scientist
at Esri, a Geographic Information Systems software firm with headquarters in southern
California. Nicknamed "Deep Sea Dawn," Wright is internationally recognized for her
use of GIS technologies to map both the geology and the geography of the ocean floor.
A veteran of dozens of ocean cruises, Wright has also participated in multiple ALVIN
submersible dives to explore the depths of the ocean. She is the recipient of numerous
awards including, in 2007, the Carnegie Foundation's U.S. Professor of the Year Award
for the state of Oregon. Her interview details the roots of her love for the ocean
and for science; her progression through academia; and her memories of an accomplished
career at OSU.
Ron Wrolstad Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
December 14, 2015
Ron Wrolstad (b. 1939) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Technology
who attended Oregon State College as an undergraduate and was an active member of
its faculty from 1965 to his retirement in 2004. An accomplished and highly cited
agricultural scientist, Wrolstad has made important contributions to the study of
fruit juice adulteration, ultimately becoming a trusted authority on the subject and
receiving funding from both public and private sources to act as a check on fruit
juice producers worldwide. Wrolstad likewise contributed to the body of research on
natural colorants, including a project investigating the use of radish extract to
achieve the red color associated with maraschino cherries. In his interview, Wrolstad
reflects on his undergraduate years at OSC; comments on the legacy of maraschino cherry
work at Oregon State; details the themes of his research over time; and shares his
institutional memories of a sixty-year association with the Food Science and Technologies
Department.
Russ Yamada Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
August 17, 2015
Russ Yamada (b. 1946), a second generation Japanese American whose mother was interned
during World War II, attended OSU from 1964-1968, earning a degree in General Science
with a focus on pre-dentistry. Following further schooling, Yamada returned to Corvallis
and established the city's first endodontic practice, which he ran for twenty-seven
years. He retired from the dental profession in 2014 having spent more than forty
years in the field. His interview focuses on his family background, including his
mother's experience of internment and his father's military service during World War
II; his own memories of a relatively placid OSU campus amidst the tumult of the late
1960s; and his reflections on his years as a local dental practitioner.
Mary Yates Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 15, 2014
Mary (Carlin) Yates (b. 1946), a Portland native, attended Oregon State University
from 1964-1968, majoring in English. In 1980, following a brief teaching career and
graduate work in Asian Studies, Yates entered the diplomatic corps, beginning with
an assignment in South Korea as Public Affairs Officer. Over the course of a career
in public service that ultimately spanned more than thirty years, Yates served as
U.S. ambassador to Ghana and Burundi, as well as National Security Advisor on African
issues to the Obama White House. She likewise occupied posts in the Philippines, France,
Zaire and Sudan. Her interview focuses on her memories of Oregon State, her diplomatic
training, the numerous positions that she occupied within the Foreign Service, and
the details of daily life while living abroad.
Tom Yates Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
February 10, 2016
Tom Yates (b. 1927) was among the very first individuals to be hired as a computer
programmer by the state of Oregon. Trained in mathematics and intending to become
a teacher, Yates instead discovered a love of computers in the mid-1950s. In 1957,
the state hired Yates to fill the newly created position of Electronic Data Processing
programmer, and over the course of the next five years he wrote programs that supported
the functions of multiple governmental departments. In 1962, Yates accepted a position
as director of the Statistics department computer lab at Oregon State University,
and he later proved crucial to expansion of computing functions on campus, including
the automation of OSU's class registration process. In 1976, he was named Director
of the OSU Computer Center, a position that he held until his retirement from Oregon
State in 1985. His interview traces his long and pioneering career in computer programming,
and provides institutional memories of the advancement of OSU's computing infrastructure
in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Harry Yeh Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
September 22, 2014
Harry Yeh (b. 1950) is a professor of Civil Engineering at OSU and an international
authority on tsunamis. Since 1992, Yeh has traveled around the world to conduct field
surveys of areas impacted by massive tsunami waves. In 2011 and 2012, Yeh made two
extended trips to his native Japan to conduct research on the effects of the devastating
Tohoku tsunami, trips which included visits to the restricted zone surrounding the
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. His interview focuses on his education in
multiple disciplines including hydrodynamics, his field work analyzing tsunamis in
Asia, South America and elsewhere, and the wave modeling research that he conducts
at OSU's O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory.
Russ Youmans Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
May 7, 2015
Russ Youmans (b. 1936) joined the OSU faculty in 1966 as a researcher and Extension
liaison operating out of the Agricultural Economics department. From 1977 to his retirement
in 1999, Youmans headed the Western Regional Development Center (WRDC), a federally
funded organization based at OSU and charged with linking land grant universities
with local policymakers to more effectively address issues of socio-economic development
in rural communities. As director, Youmans oversaw a wide swath of activities focusing
on, among other issues, health care, economic progress, and leadership education in
rural areas all across the western United States. His interview recounts his own rural
upbringing and education in agricultural economics; the creation and mission of the
WRDC; and the many activities with which he was involved as center director.