O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory History
Timeline
1972
The HWRL originated with the construction of the large wave flume to study the stability of coastal structures. Jack Nath developed the design specifications for the Large Wave Flume and Wave Generator, and secured with O.H. Hinsdale the initial funding for the Laboratory.
1972-1980
Jack Nath served as its Founding Director.
1981-2001
Charles Sollitt succeeded Jack Nath and served as Director.
1989
HWRL was expanded by the Office of Naval Research to include a directional wave basin and a spiral basin to study the complex, three-dimensional nature of coastal problems.
2001
HWRL was designated by the National Science Foundation as a site for Tsunami research within the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES).
2001-2003
The Directional Wave Basin was expanded to its current layout, with the support of NSF through the NEES program.
2004-2014
HWRL became one of the Experimental Facilities for the NSF Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation. NEES program ran from 2004 until 2014.
2002-2010
Dan Cox succeeded Charles Sollitt and served as Director.
2009
A new wave machine for the Large Wave Flume was installed, specifically designed for extreme shallow water wave conditions, such as large scare periodic and solitary waves.
2011-2012
William Mcdougal succeeded Dan Cox and served as Director.
2013-2014
David Trejo served as Interim Director.
2014
Pedro Lomonaco became the current HWRL Director since Aug 2014.
2016
HWRL became one of the Experimental Facilities for the NSF Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI).
Reference in Song
In 2003, Peggy Hoecker, a close friend to the Hinsdale Family, wrote a song referring the HWRL
Ripples and Wake
By Peggy Hoecker
There was a fine man, O.H. Hinsdale was he,
Who was fascinated with the land and waves of the sea,
He contemplated the power, the rhythm and the energy,
Of white capped wave's ebb and flow, at merge of land and sea.
[Chorus]
Ripples and a wake made in history,
One man's dream left a legacy,
Like a pebble dropped into a glassy lake,
There's much to be learned from the ripples and the wake.
A generous philanthropist, O.H. Hinsdale had a dream,
Of recreating ocean waves by the use of a machine,
And a research center where all could go to learn and study,
The affects of waves upon a reef, or a great tsunami.
Could it be that wave's motions might generate energy,
The ups, downs, ebbs and flows, harnessed motion possibly?
In this place it could be tested, observed and studied,
A "wave for the future," at this center, could come to be.
So, one man's dream and vision will be a legacy:
An on-going study of waves and land and sea.
It's like Hinsdale dropped a pebble into a glassy lake,
So generations can learn from the ripples and the wake.
Lyrics to a song written by:
Peggy Dee Hoecker, September, 2003 ©
In honor and memory of a family friend,
O.H. Hinsdale Sr. Revised, 2025, PDH.
Support
This facility is supported by the National Science Foundation (Award 2037914) and the Pacific Marine Energy Center.
Get in touch
Please reach out to our director, Pedro Lomónaco with any questions.
Pedro LomónacoDirector, O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory
School of Civil & Construction Engineering
hinsdale@oregonstate.edu
541-737-2875
Get directions to the lab
Find addresses, directions, maps, and more on our detailed directions page.