Theme: Parasitology
Memories of Hatfield Marine Science Center
A series of interview vignettes conducted by Mike Dicianna.
April 12, 2015
Established by Oregon State University in 1965 on Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon,
the Marine Science Center - re-named for Oregon Governor and Senator Mark Hatfield
in 1983 - is both a leading marine research laboratory and a center for instruction
of university students and the interested public alike. In April 2015, HMSC hosted
a reunion of past students, faculty and staff, four of whom contributed their memories
of the center on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary. These interviews, conducted
with Range Bayer, Warren Hanson, John Markham and Anja Robinson, touch on the evolution
and impact of the Hatfield Center as observed over multiple decades.
Bob Olson Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
November 14, 2014
Bob Olson (b. 1940) is a parasitologist and emeritus member of the OSU Fisheries and
Wildlife faculty, who has taught and conducted research at the Hatfield Marine Science
Center since his arrival in 1968. For nearly two decades, Olson was HMSC's Associate
Director of Education Programs, and in this capacity oversaw both classroom instruction
as well as public outreach through activities including the Seataqua Program. An
expert on parasites that affect fish, Olson has received the unusual honor of having
a parasite named after him - trypanoplasma bobolsoni. His interview concentrates on his teaching and research career at HMSC, as well
as his observations of the forward evolution of HMSC as a facility and community partner
over his five decades of affiliation.