Bev Law Oral History Interview

Childhood lessons in forest cycles from her grandfather in Minnesota laid the groundwork for Beverly Law’s future career as a prominent researcher in forest ecosystem processes. She has studied and researched in both the Southeast and Pacific Northwest, assessing the impacts of climate change, natural disturbance, and human management decisions on vegetated landscapes. Her work on the vegetation-atmosphere continuum has incorporated advanced technology in micrometeorology and contributes to earth system models.

Law recounts her path from a child roaming the Minnesota forests to a researcher and teacher at Oregon State University. She recalls how early research experiences in the southeast influenced later considerations of human impacts on forests. Law describes the role forests play in the carbon cycle and how management decisions, such as using wood biomass for bioenergy, impact this role. She discusses her experiences in communicating science to policymakers and a sense of urgency due to anthropogenic climate change. Other video highlights include her work with the Environmental Protection Agency, micrometeorology technology and networks, and a broader discussion of climate change.