Oral History Interview, Bill Kreamer (2282)

Abstract

On June 16th, 2023, Troy Reeves interviewed Bill Kreamer, Martha Casey Award for Dedication to Excellence winner, about his 45 years working at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with a particular focus on his early days at the university. Kreamer helped set up many labs, starting in the Department of Entomology in 1978, then moving to the Department of Pediatrics in 1986, and finally moving to the Waisman Center where he would go on to work for Waisman Biomanufacturing from 2002 until his retirement in 2023. Kreamer talks about working with toxic substances, flies, rats, cockroaches, dirty diapers, and various equipment. He also reflects on the historical moments he witnessed including, pink flamingos on Bascom Hill, Lady Liberty in Lake Mendota, a boombox parade down State Street, and all the ambulances moving to the new University Hospital. This interview was conducted for inclusion into Academic Staff Award Winners project of the UW-Madison Oral History Program.