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ORVALLIS - Sir John Meurig Thomas, an internationally recognized chemist, prominent speaker and professor of chemistry at the University of Cambridge and the Royal Institution of Great Britain, will present the 2004 Linus Pauling Lectures at Oregon State University during April.

Sir John, who was knighted in 1991 for his services to chemistry and the popularization of science, will present three lectures to OSU audiences, one of which is designed for the general public.

That presentation is titled "The Unpredictability of Science and its Consequences." It is free and will be Tuesday, April 13 at 4:30 p.m. in the Construction and Engineering Hall of the LaSells Stewart Center on the OSU campus.

"Sir John is a very compelling speaker and well known for his engaging lectures to the general public," said Arthur Sleight, a distinguished professor of chemistry at OSU and Milton Harris Professor of Materials Science. "He has been very active in efforts to popularize science among young people and general audiences, with numerous lectures and appearances on radio and television in the United Kingdom."

Sir John is head of the Department of Physical Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, and renowned for his research on solid-state materials. He is the author of more than 850 research papers, two definitive university texts on heterogenous catalysis, and other publications. He has received numerous career honors and awards.

In addition to his public lecture, Sir John will also present two professional lectures while at OSU. He will speak on Wednesday, April 14, at 4 p.m. on "The Genius of Michael Faraday"; and on Thursday, April 15, at 4 p.m. on "New Catalysts for an Environmentally Conscious Age." Both presentations will be in Gilbert Hall, Room 324.

The Linus Pauling Lectures are sponsored by the Department of Chemistry and the Linus Pauling kkInstitute at OSU, in honor of Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel laureate and OSU alumnus.