The Clemens Oral History Project

Bill Clemens

The UCMP is zeroing in on its goal of $25,000 for the Bill Clemens Oral History Project. At this time, total contributions are near $16,000. After consultation with the Regional Oral History Office (ROHO) of the Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley, we find that sufficient funds have been raised to begin the project. We thank all of you for your contributions, large and small! Continuing donations will provide for additional interviews with Bill's colleagues, former students, family, and friends, plus the transcription of these interviews.

The project will begin with a series of interviews with Bill starting in late September, continuing through the fall and into the first months of 2015. Paul Burnett, a historian of science with ROHO, will conduct the interviews, touching on the most important aspects of Bill's career. Topics will include the debate over the nature of the Late Cretaceous extinction and vertebrate evolution across the K/Pg Boundary, Bill's life, his research in vertebrate paleontology, his service to UCMP, and his 50+ years of contributions to the evolution of the Museum and paleontology at Berkeley. The interviews will also try to capture some of Bill's deep knowledge of the history and nature of UCMP's collections.