Oregon State University. Dept. of History.
"How OSU Grew Nuclear Science" oral history collection, 2009-2010.
The How OSU Grew Nuclear Science Oral Histories consist of interviews of Oregon State University faculty and alumni in the Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics Department that were conducted in 2009 as part of the 50th anniversary of the graduate program. The collection includes transcripts of all of the interviews (11), digital sound recordings for 10 interviews, biographical information, and signed releases. Interviews with the following 11 individuals are part of the collection: Shirley Campbell, Wes Frey, Gordon Little, Camille Lodwick, Grant McCallum, Wanda Munn, Todd Palmer, Don Reed, Roman Schmitt, Stephen H. Shepherd, and Thomas Van Witbeck. Transcripts are available for all of the interviews; digital sound recordings are available for all of the interviews except Shirley Campbell. Topics addressed in the interviews include the TRIGA Reactor at Oregon State, Professor Dale Trout and Chih Wang, research at Oregon State on lunar rock samples, Radiation Center business management, contamination control, and the experiences of women students and employees in nuclear engineering. Biographical materials documenting the career of Ray D. Walton that were compiled by Carl Cooley for an award nomination are also included. Walton was not interviewed as part of the oral history project. A timeline of major events in the development of the OSU Radiation Center, TRIGA Reactor, and Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics is also included. The oral history project was organized and overseen by Anita Guerrini and Linda Richards of the Oregon State History Department. Interviews were conducted by Guerrini and Richards as well as Carmel Finley, Ken Jacobsen, Karl McCreary, Katie Parker, Doug Schulte, and Ty Volin.
Nuclear research and education began at OSU soon after World War II. In the 1950s, the first classes in nuclear physics and radiochemistry were taught, and in 1955 a cyclotron was constructed. A graduate program in nuclear engineering was established in 1959. In the early 1960s, a committee recommended that a research lab be established to house nuclear and radiation facilities. Funding was secured in the fall of 1962, and construction began in early 1964. The labs were occupied in August 1964 and the research reactor was completed in January 1967. Oregon State University was among the first in the nation to offer an undergraduate curriculum in nuclear engineering. In 1968 the first Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering was awarded. The Nuclear Engineering Department was established as a separate entity in 1972. In the early 1980s, the Radiation Health Physics graduate program was transferred from the General Science Department to the Department of Nuclear Engineering. In 1991, an undergraduate program in Radiation Health Physics was established.
Campbell, Shirley C.
Frey, Wesley D.
Little, Gordon Adolph.
Lodwick, Camille J.
McCallum, Grant.
Munn, Wanda.
Palmer, Todd S.
Reed, D. J.
Schmitt, Roman A.
Shepherd, Stephen H.
Trout, E. Dale (Edrie Dale), 1901-1977
Van Witbeck, Thomas L.
Walton, R. D. (Ray D.) 1921-
Wang, Chih Hsing, 1917-
Oregon State University
Oregon State University. Dept. of History.
Oregon State University. Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
Oregon State University. Radiation Center.
Nuclear engineering.
Nuclear reactors.
Radiology
Women in engineering
Interviews. aat
Oral histories. aat
Nuclear physics
Campbell, Shirley C., interviewee.
Finley, Carmel, interviewer.
Frey, Wesley D., interviewee.
Guerrini, Anita, 1953-, interviewer.
Little, Gordon Adolph., interviewee.
Lodwick, Camille J., interviewee.
McCallum, Grant., interviewee.
McCreary, Karl interviewer.
Munn, Wanda., interviewee.
Palmer, Todd S., interviewee.
Reed, D. J., interviewee.
Richards, Linda Marie., interviewer.
Schmitt, Roman A., interviewee.
Schulte, Douglas. interviewer.
Shepherd, Stephen H., interviewee.
Van Witbeck, Thomas L., interviewee.
AIP-ICOS
Oregon State University. Libraries. University Archives. Corvallis, OR 97331, USA