Pag* 2 Suction II Portland Otoaarvar Thursday. Juna 2S, IMO
VP recommends engineering
By Gregory Gudger
Review Group on Energy” recommended.
Smith claims to be neither a pro or an anti-"nuke,”
For a number o f years, employment forcasters have
"b u t it does have a role to play insofar as the energy
consistently listed engineering as a Field having great
problems o f this nation and the world are concerned.”
promise for Blacks, yet, a few college-bound Blacks
Although political and institutional problems are
seek careers in that area. However, for Oregon State
besetting the industry, he says the technology exists to
University vice president C lifford Vaughn Smith, Jr., it
handle, for example, the critical issue o f nuclear waste
was the only Field he considered.
disposal, using non-corroding plastics for storage.
"1 never wanted to be anything else but an engineer
Those same problems are causing the U.S. to lose its
because my father was.” says the affable Smith, who
position as the technical leader in the industry — a
holds a Ph.D IN Radiological Science and Environmen­
position we can’t afford to lose. "France will be the
tal Engineering from the John Hopkins University,
leader in the nuclear industry, and we'll be buying from
Baltimore, Maryland, coupled with 25 years o f private,
them.” The U.S. job market will be affected because,
institutional and civil experience in the Field.
even now. General Electric and W'estinghouse no longer
Smith’s background is indeed impressive. Following
supply equipment and technological needs o f other
in his fa th e r’ s footsteps, the 49-year-old native o f
countries. This fa ll he plans to expound on his
Washington, D.C., earned a Bachelor o f Science in
philosophy in a course entitled "N uclear Safeguards
Civil Engineering from the University o f Iowa in 1954,
and Proliferation Issues.”
then went on to acquire a masters and Ph.d from John
By the same token, " I don’ t argue the issues too
Hopkins in I960 and 1966, respectively.
much, but people have to gel a better understanding o f
Vocationally, he has served in management positions
the concept o f risk," says Smith who, as a pioneer in
with the Pennsylvania Department o f Health, Sanitary
environmental technology, “ was working on saving the
Engineering Division, and the Ames, Iowa Sanitary
air and streams before “ Earth Day.”
Division (1954-1968); as Manager o f Sanitary
Oregon State, says Smith, is not attracting enough
Technology and as a consultant with Dorr-Oliver, Inc.
Blacks to enter its programs, however, he sees the
(1968-1970); Deputy Regional A d m in istra tio n fo r
potential for greater recruitment developing, coming
Region I, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1971-
from the affirmative action office, such as a visitation
74); Region X Adm inistrator fo r E .P .A . (1974-76);
arranged for students in the Portland Urban League’s
Executive Engineer for Bechtel, Inc. (1976); Director o f
Engineering Program.
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Division o f
Smith, himselt, is agreeable to serving as a resource,
Fuel Cycle and Material Safety (1976-77), and Director
noting, " I f I were a dean o f engineering, and if I had me
o f NRC's O ffice o f Nuclear M aterial Safety and
as a resource to draw on. I ’d certainly use me.”
Dr Clifford Vaughn Sm ith, Jr., Ph D, P.E. is vice
Safeguards.
president of Oregon State University in Corvalllis.
Unlike most positions which could be classified as
"garbage jobs,” Smith’ s positions with EPA and NRC
involved with nuclear waste afforded him direct access
to the highest levels o f government and industry both
here and abroad.
As an educator, he has held academic appointments
at T ufts U niversity, U niversity o f Massachusetts,
University o f Connecticuit, City College o f New York,
and the University o f Washington. Additionally, he has
lectured at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and North­
western University before coming to OSU in 1978.
Sm ith’ s honors and awards are many, including
membrship in the Blue Key National Honor Fraternity
as an honorary faculty member (1980); Tau Beta Pi
honorary engineering society as emient engineer (1979),
and Chi Epsilon Sigma Xi Society as honorary civil
engineering fraternity (1966). In 1973, he was awarded
the U.S. Environm ental Protection Agency’ s Gold
Medal, the highest honor award for exceptional service.
His consultation activities have included stints with
the Department o f Energy, Rockwell International and
the National Aeronauties and Space Adm inistration,
among others.
In all o f his years o f experience, he says. " I can count
on one hand the number of Black engineers I've worked
with...and I think I've only taught two or three." He
believes that the conspicuous abvence ol Black engineers
has many potential roots - from the lack o f sufficient
role models to the limited portrayal o f a variety ot Black
professionals on TV - but the traditionally debilitating
impact o f employment discrimination may not be as
impactful today as it once was.
When his father graduated from the University o f
Iowa in 1925, C lifford senior was lucky to get a job as a
bridge-builder because o f the nearly insurmountable ob­
stacles posed by a discriminatory society. In fact, "m y
father was one o f the few Black engineers working in the By Kathryn H. Bogle
Washington, D. C., Philadelphia, Boston, Texas, Iowa,
fie ld ,” he says. C liffo rd jun ior, as evidenced by his
South Carolina and a few other places. No, I don’t
record, found prospects for qualified Black engineers to
Enthusiasm for new experiences and new thresholds,
mind moving frequently because C liff always helps with
be great and, consequently, he ascended to the pinnacle and getting the most benefit out o f each, is an
of his profession.
established pattern for Nina Smith, the wife o f the vice the mechanics o f it a ll.”
I he distalf side ol this family, the wife and three
Today's aspiring Black engineers have an excellent president o f Oregon State Unviersity. The heavy carved
daughters ol Dr. C liffo rd Smith, are all beautiful,
chance of "m aking it,” he says. "The opportunities are wood door o f her modified ranch-style home is filin g
truly unlimited They (government and industry) are open wide to welcome the visitor and soon the coffee capable and poised women.
C ompleting the family constellation in an easy, com­
constantly looking for Black engineers. In the area of pot is set to perk.
nuclear technology for example. Smith leels that oppor­
" I'v e lost count o f the number o f times we have fortable traditional manner, roles among the Smiths are
tunities will expand once the United States stop using moved,” Mrs. Smith says as she pulls her feet up under well defined, but duties are intermershed with con­
the nuclear issue as a “ political football” and establish
her and settles comfortably into the deep softness ol her sideration for each other. At home, this eminent nuclear
a comprehensive federal program as he and other
davenport. "T h is move to Corvallis,” she continues, engineer, respected by some of the greatest minds in the
members o f the President's Commission's "Interagency
" is just the most recent. There were moves to country sometimes prepaies the fam ily breakfast,
chauffeurs his daughter, and bathes the dog. All o f his
Former nurse enjoys academia