FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Chancellor John A. White and the University of Arkansas are proud to welcome Bassam Z. Shakhashiri as 2003’s Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecturer. The presentation, entitled "The Joy of Learning," will take place at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, September 18 in Giffels Auditorium.

Known best for his annual program, "Once Upon a Christmas Cheery/In the Lab of Shakhashiri," Shakhashiri has earned acclaim as the "dean" of lecture demonstrators in America. His shows have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Time and on national and local radio and television programs including NBC Nightly News, CNN and the Larry King Show.

"We’re honored to have Dr. Shakhashiri participate as this year’s distinguished lecturer," White said. "His knowledge and expertise in the field of chemistry make him one of the most respected scholars in the world. His entertaining style of presentation will certainly make this one of the finest in this lecture series to date."

A native of Lebanon, Shakhashiri earned an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Boston University and masters and doctoral degrees in chemistry from the University of Maryland. He serves as the William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea and professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

"Shakhashiri serves as an advocate of literacy in science, mathematics, and technology," Dean of Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Don Bobbit said. "He promotes the understanding and appreciation of science, the benefits of technology, and the potential risks associated with advances in both."

Shakhashiri has given more than 1000 invited lectures and presentations in the United States and other countries. He has co-authored several publications including Manual for Laboratory Investigations in General Chemistry; Workbook for General Chemistry ; Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry, Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4; and semi-programmed booklets on equilibrium, kinetics, and organic chemistry. The Shakhashiri Chemical Demonstrations Videotapes and Videodiscs were published in 1991. Another of his pioneering efforts is an interactive chemistry exhibit on permanent display since 1983 at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.

Among his many awards are the 1977 Kiekhofer Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and the 1979 Manufacturing Chemists Association Catalyst Award. He is the youngest recipient of two of the American Chemical Society's most coveted recognitions - the James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry and Award in Chemical Education. He received the Ron Gibbs Award of the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers for outstanding contributions to science education at the local, regional, national, and international levels.

Shakhashiri will provide an additional lecture, entitled "Enlightenment for the Responsibility of the Enlightened," at 3:00 p.m., Friday, September 19 in the Donald W. Reynolds Center. The second presentation is part of the 2003 BRIN Research Symposium-Networking Arkansas Institutions of Higher Learning.