The Oregon State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Project

Sort Interviews by Affiliation or Theme

Theme: Environmental Sustainability

David Bella Oral History Interview - July 9, 2014

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.

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Andy Blaustein Oral History Interview - February 3, 2017

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.

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Dennis Dimick Oral History Interview - December 15, 2014

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.

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Justin Fleming Oral History Interview - December 15, 2015

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.

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Chris Johns Oral History Interview - December 15, 2014

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.

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Denise Lach Oral History Interview - July 21, 2015

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.

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Jane Lubchenco Oral History Interviews - October 2014 - April 2015

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.

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Bruce Mate Oral History Interview - September 8, 2016

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.

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Charlie Miller Oral History Interview - May 12, 2015

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.

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David Noakes Oral History Interview - June 4, 2015

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.

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The OSU Extension Service Centennial Oral History Collection - August 2007 - June 2009

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.

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Bob Schoning Oral History Interview - November 5, 2014

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.

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John Selker Oral History Interview - August 25, 2015

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.

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Lew Semprini Oral History Interview - February 22, 2017

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.

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Steve Strauss Oral History Interview - March 7, 2017

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.

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Bernadine Strik Oral History Interview - August 21, 2015

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.

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John Talbott Oral History Interview - June 29, 2015

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.

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Robert Tanguay Oral History Interview - April 21, 2017

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.

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Dick Waring Oral History Interview - December 18, 2015

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.

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Warren Washington Oral History Interview - May 29, 2015

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.

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