UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #866
ADAMS, TERESA

ADAMS, TERESA (1924- )
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Director of the Midwest Regional University Transportation Center
At UW 1989-
At UW: 1989-
Interviewed: 2007	
Interviewer: Sandy Pfahler 
Length: 1.5 hours

Abstract: Childhood and early education; life in a military family; undergraduate major in civil engineering at the University of Pittsburgh; professional work for Alcoa; graduate study at Carnegie Mellon Institute; hiring by UW; tenure process;  research and funding; Regional University Transportation Center and transportation systems management; teaching; climate for women at UW; awards and honors.
							
Interview Session (May 23, 2007): Tape 1

Tape 1/Side 1

00:01:24	Adams was born in Pittsburgh in 1958.  Her family has roots in Pittsburgh.  She has four siblings.  Her father was in the military and the family moved frequently, including a period in Germany.  She talks about learning how to meet new people and get accustomed to new places.

00:02:52	She talks about her early education.  She attended school in many different places, including four different high schools.  She discusses her love of school and interest in math and science.

00:04:24	She talks about “culture shock” she felt as the family moved from place to place.  She talks about an influential 8th grade math teacher and her interest in math.

00:06:25	After high school graduation, her father was assigned to a base in Germany.  Adams took courses at a branch of the University of Maryland at the base for two years.  The family then returned to Pittsburgh and she attended the University of Pittsburgh for the rest of her undergraduate years.  

00:08:00	Adams explains how she decided to go into engineering.  She talks about what draws her to civil engineering.  

00:10:15	After graduating from college, she worked as a structural engineer for Alcoa in Pittsburgh. She talks about construction and remodeling work for Alcoa.  She was eventually laid off during corporate downsizing in the early 80s.

00:12:38	TA had been taking some graduate classes at Carnegie Mellon during her time with Alcoa.  She decided to go full time.  She explains why she chose Carnegie Mellon.  She also did some part time consulting work.

00:16:07	She talks about her work in graduate school.  Using early computer technology.  She finished her Master’s degree in 1986 and decided to continue on for a doctorate.

00:18:10	She discusses her Ph.D. research on retaining wall engineering. Advances in computer technology. She talks about her plans to make a career in academia.

00:19:40	Adams talks about looking for a faculty position.  She was hired by UW in 1989.  She was the first women hired in the department.  She talks about her status as a woman in the department.  She feels she might have gotten less support from the department than a male would have.  Most of the faculty at the time were older professors at the end of their careers and many new, young people were soon hired.

00:21:42	TA talks about life as an assistant professor in the department.  She talks about going through the tenure process.  She talks about the independence and freedom of academic life.

00:24:54	Adams is now married and has a 7 year old daughter.  

00:28:05	She discusses the evolution of her research program during her career.  She was a “management and data” person when she started.  Her more recent work focuses on geographic and spatial information systems.  Multi-modal transportation systems and data management.  She talks about a shift toward management of facilities, rather than new construction and describes several project.

00:35:37	She talks about the funding she receives through the state and federal government.

00:36:40	Adams talks about the creation of the Regional University Transportation Center in 1999. She was associate director, and subsequently became the director. She talks about some of the Center’s projects.  It is going to become a national center in the next year or two.  Freight management issues.

00:45:39	End of Side.

Tape 1/Side 2

00:45:40	Adams continues to discuss some of the issues with freight management that the Center studies.  “Highways as warehouses” (Time stamp: 00:44:38). She explains how increasing congestion hurts the economy and American competitiveness in the global market.

00:48:16	She talks about the evolution of the relationships between the states and between the states and federal government for transportation systems management.  Much of the Center’s work has been to facilitate these changes and enhance efficiency.

00:51:51	She talks about taxes and regulations that limit the use of waterways for freight.  

00:53:30	Adams discusses her teaching career. She has developed courses in the use of computer technology in engineering. She is helping to start a certificate program for Transportation Management and Policy.

00:55:54	She talks about some new faculty members who are working with the certificate program. The program is housed in the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.  Courses in the certificate program.

00:58:40	She outlines some of the projects that have emerged from the program.  

01:01:40	Adams discusses the climate for women in the sciences at UW.  

01:05:40	She talks about other female professors in the department.  

01:06:35	Adams talks about department support during a medical treatment.

01:07:08	She lists some of the awards and honors she has won during her career.  Committee service on campus and national organizations.  

01:10:24	End of Side.  End of Tape. 

End of Oral History #866