Tri-State University continues its Distinguished Speaker Series for fall 2005 with three successful speakers. The series begins on Wednesday, September 21, with “Artifacts from the Travels of a Chemical Historian.” Herb Pratt, Tri-State College ’45, will begin his presentation at 7 p.m. in Best Hall 229. The event is free and open to the public.

Pratt, a professionally certified chemical engineer, retired from the DuPont Company in 1985. He has a varied background in textile research, manufacturing, and quality management, and has 50 or more publications relating to these activities. Her served as an Adjunct Professor of Textiles at North Carolina State University (1972-1979) and has been an expert witness for the prosecution in several murder cases involving textile fibers.

An avid collector of antiquarian chemistry books for forty years, Pratt holds a master’s degree in history from Goddard College and owns about 150 publications relating to history. His active areas of historical research include biography of American chemists, the discovery of the calcium carbide process for making acetylene, friends of John Dalton, Michael Faraday’s religion, and textile chemistry and dyeing. Pratt is active in a number of scientific and professional societies and is a member of the Heritage Council of the Chemical Heritage Foundation.

The series continues with Lucinda Yates, founder of the ‘Women’s Pins,” on Wednesday, October 19. Bruce Haines, general manager of Northeast Indiana Public Radio, will be the final speaker of the fall semester on Monday, November 10. Both events begin at 7 p.m. in Best Hall 229.

The TSU Distinguished Speaker Series resumes in February 2006. For more information on the speaker series or speakers, contact Patrick Johansen at 260.665.4122.

Tri-State University is a private, independent, co-educational institution offering associate, baccalaureate and master degrees in more than 40 programs to students in engineering, mathematics, science, computer science, business, teacher education, communication, criminal justice and social sciences. TSU is a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and offers 19 varsity sports. Founded in 1884, Tri-State today operates a 400-acre main campus in Angola, IN, with off-campus centers in Fort Wayne, South Bend and Merrillville, IN.