Theme: Civil Engineering
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.