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Chemistry/physics department holds lecture 

LAKELAND, Fla. (Sept.13, 2004) - The FSC chemistry and physics department along with the Florida Section of the American Chemical Society will host a lecture on Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m. in Polk Science Room 152. Guest speaker Sister Mary Virginia Orna, O.S.U. (Order of Saint Ursula) will discuss "Doing Chemistry at the Art/Archaeology Interface." The lecture is free, open to the public, and geared for a general audience.

Orna, a professor of chemistry at the College of New Rochelle and editor-at-large of Chemical Heritage magazine, will lecture on her archaeological chemical work during a sabbatical year in Israel and Italy. She will discuss modern methods used to examine both ancient and modern artifacts, including such famous artifacts as the Shroud of Turin and the forgeries of Han van Meegeran. 

"I am so delighted that Sister Mary Virginia Orna accepted our invitation to visit the Tampa Bay area and give a lecture at FSC," said Dr. Carmen Gauthier, associate professor of chemistry. "She is an outstanding speaker whose lectures appeal to a variety of audiences."

Orna has lectured and published widely in the areas of color chemistry and archaeological chemistry. She has received a number of major awards, including the 1984 CMA Catalyst Award for excellence in college chemistry teaching, the 1989 New York State Professor of the Year and National Gold Medalist, the 1989 Merck Innovation Award, the 1996 ACS Visiting Scientist Award, the 1996 James Flack Norris Award, the 1999 ACS George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education, and the 2001 New England Association of Chemistry Teachers J. A. Timm Award for excellence in chemistry teaching. She is presently president of ChemSource, Inc., a 

major effort in chemistry teacher preparation and enhancement funded by the National Science Foundation. She was a Fulbright Fellow in Israel (1994-95), where she lectured at The Hebrew University, The Weizmann Institute of Science, and Shenkar College of Textile Technology. 

Refreshments will be served prior to the lecture. For more information, please contact Gauthier at cgauthier@flsouthern.edu or 680-4320.


About Florida Southern College

Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 38 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 24 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelors. Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.

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