Jason Hanauska Oral History Interview, March 22, 2018

Partial Transcript: Today is March 22nd, 2018.

Segment Synopsis: Date and location of interview. Introduction of Jason Hanauska, undergraduate student in Environmental Engineering. Introduction to focus of interview: climate change and academic career.

Keywords: Climate Change; Environmental Engineering Student

Subjects: Climatic changes; Oregon State University. College of Engineering; Undergraduates

Partial Transcript: Where were you born?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska describes growing up in Salem, Oregon, playing sports and recreating at the Oregon coast and Cascades with his family. His mother works as a nurse and his father works in IT. He recalls not taking school seriously until attending community college.

Keywords: Motorcycling; Outdoor recreation; Salem, Oregon

Subjects: Motorcycling; Oregon--Salem; Outdoor recreation

Partial Transcript: Did you play a musical instrument growing up?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska discusses the role of music and drum corps in his childhood. Although he started playing the trumpet in fifth grade, he recalls not enjoying it for several years. Watching a drum corps performance that his older brother played in, inspired Hanauska to join. He describes the commitment of drum corps, including rigorous practices and traveling nationwide for competitions.

Keywords: Drum Corps; Playing a musical instrument; Trumpet

Subjects: Drum Corps International; Trumpet

Partial Transcript: So you graduated high school- did you immediately go to community college, or did you have a plan at that point?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska describes graduating high school and working in the restaurant industry before attending Chemeketa Community College. He discusses his decision to return to school, and the influence of his grandparents' roles as educators. Hanauska speaks positively of his experience at CCC. He recalls instructors, like Wynn Cudmore, and an environmental science course that had a large impact on his academic path.

Keywords: Chemeketa Community College; Studying Environmental Engineering

Subjects: Chemeketa Community College; Environmental engineering

Partial Transcript: So around this time your son was born?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska discusses how having a son in 2013 changed his reality as a 23 year old. He recalls how the experience was both grounding and stressful.

Keywords: Fatherhood

Subjects: Fatherhood

Partial Transcript: So you transferred to OSU after a couple years at Chemeketa?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska discusses his decision to transfer to OSU. He recalls his initial apprehension around entering the engineering program, and describes becoming acclimated to the large university classes and engineering coursework.

Keywords: Oregon State University, College of Engineering; Transfer Student

Subjects: Oregon State University. College of Engineering; Transfer students

Partial Transcript: What has it been like being a parent and a student at OSU?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska discusses the influence of his son on his academic studies. He describes the resources available to him through the university, as well as the difficulty of being an anomaly in the student population.

Keywords: OSU Student Parent

Subjects: College student parents

Partial Transcript: So your program is under the Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering Department. What has your experience been like as- under the chemical engineering umbrella, since that's not traditional for environmental engineering at other universities?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska discusses the pros and cons of being an environmental engineering student in a chemical engineering program. He reflects on commentary from Mark Miller, an engineering instructor at Chemeketa Community College, about the convergence of engineering disciplines outside of academia. He describes the focus of the environmental engineering program on water treatment and bioremediation. Hanauska discusses the indirect relationship of environmental engineering to climate change. He frames climate change as more of a political problem than an engineering problem.

Keywords: Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering Department; Environmental Engineering and Climate Change; Environmental Engineering at OSU

Subjects: Chemical engineering; Environmental engineering

Partial Transcript: Can you talk about your involvement with Engineers Without Borders?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska recalls how he got involved with Engineers Without Borders at OSU, particularly with a project aimed at expanding clean drinking water for a community in Cambodia. He describes the dynamic of the student group and how his role has changed over time. Hanauska discusses a recent assessment trip to O'rana, Cambodia, including the trip goals and outcomes. He reflects on the impact of traveling abroad on his perspective as an American and as an engineer. He also describes sightseeing in Cambodia after spending time in O'rana. Hanauska expresses a desire to work with EWB as a professional engineer in the future.

Keywords: Engineers Without Borders; O'rana, Cambodia

Subjects: Cambodia; Non-governmental organizations

Partial Transcript: How has your perception of what an environmental engineer is or does shifted over your academic career?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska reflects on how his perception of environmental engineering has narrowed over time. He discusses his interests in watershed restoration, management, and modeling. He anticipates going into consulting after graduation and becoming a licensed professional engineer.

Keywords: Professional Engineering License; Water Quality Modeling; Watershed Restoration and Management

Subjects: Engineers--Licenses; Water quality--Mathematical models; Watershed management--Environmental aspects

Partial Transcript: What do you feel like have been the biggest strengths of the CBEE program, now that you are on the brink of graduating and leaving?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska reflects on the benefits of being in a chemistry-heavy program as it relates to environmental engineering. He considers returning to academia for graduate school in the future, particularly if he were to become a teacher later in his career. An opportunity to teach in drum corps and his positive experience in community college sparked an interest in teaching.

Keywords: Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Department; Graduate Studies; Teaching

Subjects: Engineering--Education; Teaching

Partial Transcript: How old were you when you first learned about climate change? Was it a part of your education experience at a young age?

Segment Synopsis: Hanauska discusses broader aspects of climate change with respect to communication, education, and policy. He describes learning about climate change mainly through the news coverage of the Fukushima nuclear disaster and Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He reflects on how communication around climate change has shifted over time, particularly in media coverage and education. Hanauska points to systematic political issues as inhibiting policies around climate change. He discusses how being a parent has affected his perspective on the future of the planet, and expresses hope for the future as a means of moving forward with solutions.

Keywords: Climate Change; Climate Change Policy; Global Warming; Media Coverage of Climate Change

Subjects: Climatic changes--Government policy; Climatic changes--Social aspects; Global warming