Conrad J. "Bud" Weiser earned a Ph.D. in Horticulture from Oregon State College in 1960, and later served as head of the OSU Horticulture department from 1973-1991, and as Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences from 1991 to his retirement in 1993.

In this, the first of three interviews, he discusses his family background and upbringing, his undergraduate studies at North Dakota State College, his graduate experience at OSC, and aspects of his years on faculty at the University of Minnesota, where he established and managed the Cold Hardiness Laboratory. The interview was conducted by Chris Petersen for inclusion in the History of Science Oral History Collection (OH 017), Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries.