Antonio Torres Oral History Interview

Antonio Torres begins by discussing his cultural background, being raised in Chile, and his education from elementary school to his undergraduate degree in Chile, to his masters and PhD at MIT in the United States. Torres then talks about his first mentor, his decision to come to Oregon State University, and his first impressions thereof. After this, he discusses his love of travel before delving into his jobs duties at Oregon State, including his role as a researcher and as an instructor. Because of the community at OSU, Torres notes several people he sees as people of importance to him from EOP and his graduate students. Also included in this is the importance of the creative architecture of some of OSU’s buildings. The interview switches to discuss diversity when Torres details personal experiences he had when first arriving in Corvallis. He has seen an increase in diversity over the years, and he highlights this when discusses the cultural centers. Building on this, Torres articulates Oregon State’s role in supporting faculty and students of color and his recommendations to improve that role. He then expresses frustration over the campus’ overutilization of its buildings before highlighting the differences between teaching in the United States and teaching overseas. He then details his scholarship program and the student successes therein. To end the interview, Torres reveals some of his greatest accomplishments: his students and his kids.

Antonio Torres was born in Viña del Mar, Chile, in 1949. He received his undergraduate degree in math and chemical engineering at the Catholic University of Chile in Santiago. After being accepted to MIT, Torres moved to the United States and received a master's in food microbiology and a PhD in food engineering. He has been at Oregon State University since 1984 and now holds the position of associate professor of food processing engineering. Several of his job duties include: research, training, and teaching. He has also contributed to creating a scholarship program for students of diversity. With a love of travel, Torres continues to foster international relationships to places such as Mexico, Spain, and Germany while maintaining his career at OSU.