Interview with Orie Loucks, March 25, 1985

Segment Synopsis: This is an interview with Orie Loucks, director of the Holcomb Research Institute at Butler University in Indianapolis. It takes place on March 25, 1985.

Keywords: Butler University; Holcomb Research Institute; Indianapolis; Orie Loucks; TIE; The Institute of Ecology

Partial Transcript: in the early years of TIE, you took part in a number of TIE’s activities

Segment Synopsis: Loucks describes his role in activities with the International Biological Program, whose responsibilities transitioned into The Institute of Ecology’s early years, in the 1970s.

Keywords: IBP; International Biological Program; TIE; Texas; The Institute of Ecology; big-biology; environmental programs; leadership; transition

Partial Transcript: TIE was reorganized and moved to the Holcomb Institute at Butler University

Segment Synopsis: Loucks talks about his involvement in The Institute of Ecology once it moved to the Holcomb Research Institute at Butler University. He discusses how he ended up in a leadership position at TIE, even though he had originally avoided it.

Keywords: Board of Trustees; Butler University; DOE; EPA; Holcomb Research Institute; NSF; ORB; Ohio River Basin; TIE; The Institute of Ecology; competition; deficit; environmental problems; large-scale; leadership; networking

Partial Transcript: your interaction with the Trustees, sponsors, assembly

Segment Synopsis: Loucks recalls the organization's administrative network and how this affected the workings and scientific objectives of the Institute.

Keywords: Board of Trustees; TIE; The Institute of Ecology; active networking; assembly; constitution; grants; network; passive networking; political review; sponsors

Partial Transcript: the TIE/Holcomb relationship come to an end

Segment Synopsis: Loucks illustrates the factors leading to the termination of the relationship between The Institute of Ecology and the Holcomb Research Institute. He explains in particular how the Institute came to accept their model's lack of financial sense.

Keywords: Board of Trustees; Holcomb Research Institute; TIE; The Institute of Ecology; financial problems; indirect cost recovery; research projects; universities

Partial Transcript: did TIE not develop stronger interdisciplinary research programs rather than being stuck

Segment Synopsis: Loucks discusses his observations based on 20 years of experience with interdisciplinary research studies. He talks about the difference between the way the ecological community does things and other physical scientists.

Keywords: ecological community; ecologists; harmony; interdisciplinary studies; mathematical relationship; money

Partial Transcript: the report of the 5 year review committee state that TIE development was not focused

Segment Synopsis: Loucks discusses the implementations that TIE had improved on after its 5 year review was made. He compares the first five-year period with the second five-year period.

Keywords: TIE; The Institute of Ecology; development; director; funding; funds; geographic dispersion; goals; implementing; objectives; orientation; supervision

Partial Transcript: In retrospect, was the idea for the Institute misguided

Segment Synopsis: Loucks displays his opinion on the idea behind TIE. He follows that although TIE didn't work out, it allowed other organizations such as the Holcomb Institute and the Institute of Ecology at the University of Georgia to flourish.

Keywords: ESA; Ecological Society of America; Holcomb Research Institute; TIE; The Institute of Ecology; University of Georgia; Washington; conflict of interest; funding; idea; misguided; response to membership; sound; structure