Theme: Computer Science
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.
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.
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.
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.