Brenda J. O'Brien (Taylor) '84
Brenda O’Brien earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan Tech in 1984. She continued her education while advancing in her career and will earn a master’s degree in Mathematics from Eastern Michigan University in May 2008.
Not your typical student, Brenda was a single parent with two small children when she earned her degree. Although unable to join clubs or to participate in extracurricular activities, Brenda was able to balance the responsibility of raising a family with the demands of Michigan Tech’s challenging Civil Engineering program, demonstrating to her children the importance of hard work and commitment.
Mr. Robert J. Ockun '63
Mr. Robert J. Ockun, upon his graduation from Michigan Tech with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1963, joined Hercules Powder Company in Applications Research in Wilmington, Delaware, becoming an authority on corrosion prevention coatings, specialty coatings for the US Military, and adhesion promoters for plastics. In 1967 he transferred to Chicago in plastic sales, eventually becoming Product Director for Hercules in 1982.
With the formation of HIMONT in 1983, a worldwide joint venture of Hercules and . . .
Mr. Bruce L. Oliver '63
Mr. Bruce L. Oliver was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1941. He later moved to Clinton, MI where he was Valedictorian of his high school class in 1959. He then attended Michigan Tech receiving his BS in Chemical Engineering in 1963.
Bruce joined the Dow Chemical Company immediately after graduation. Bruce spent his career at Dow Chemical in research and development working with such products as polypropylene, polyethylene, latex, Ziploc, Handi-Wrap and Saran Wrap. His first assignment . . .
Janice Olson '72
Jan Olson transferred to Michigan Tech from Wayne State in 1970 and enrolled in Tech's new major, Technical Writing, after being introduced to Michigan Tech by her husband, Stan Olson, who was attending Tech's School of Business. Graduated cum laude in 1972, Jan and her husband were both hired by General Motors. Jan began her career at Buick Motor Division, as a Technical Writer for the engineering group. She was the first female college graduate to work for that division. Her career successfully progressed to include numerous promotions and a wide variety of responsibilities, including Interior Component Engineer Contact, Product Planner, District Sales Manager at Rockford, Illinois, Zone Organizational Manager at Houston, Texas, Sales & Engineering Manager at Flint, Michigan, and Assistant Zone Manager at Los Angeles, California.
Peri J. Ozker '77, '74
Peri Ozker received a B.S. degree in Biology in 1974, followed by a M.S. degree in 1977. After leaving Michigan Tech she first supervised a clinical microbiology laboratory and then returned to graduate school in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan to receive a second master's degree in Epidemiology in 1983. She relocated to Cambridge, Massachusetts where she began a distinguished career in the biotechnology industry.
Hatice Orun Ozturk '83
Hatice graduated from Michigan Tech in 1983 with a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering. She continued her graduate studies at North Carolina State University and earned a PhD degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 1991. She is currently a Teaching Associate Professor at NCSU dividing her time between the Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering departments.
