Speaker to discuss ‘Adventures of a Chemist Collector’

Alfred Bader, research chemist, business executive and art connoisseur, will deliver two lectures at Wake Forest University-one dealing with chemistry and another about his art collection.

Author of the book, “Adventures of a Chemist Collector,” Bader will speak about his collection at 7 p.m. Oct. 6 in Scales Fine Arts Center, Room 102. A reception will follow the talk.

“I have been collecting art since I was a boy,” says Bader. “At first, I liked northern baroque, mainly Dutch, best. But, then in mid-life I discovered the beauty of Italian works.”

In his talk, he will present an overview of his collection from his first to his most recent acquisitions.

He will also present a lecture on chemistry titled “Credit Where Credit is Due: Kekule, Couper and Loschmidt” at 4 p.m. Oct. 5 in Salem Hall, Room 10.

Born in Vienna in 1924, Bader left Austria in 1938 to escape Nazi persecution. He earned a doctorate in chemistry from Harvard and went on to found the Aldrich Chemical Company, which merged with the Sigma-Aldrich and is now the world’s largest supplier of research chemicals. Until 1992, he served Sigma-Aldrich as president and chief executive officer and then as chairman and chairman emeritus.

Both events are part of “Science and Technology: The Next Millennium,” a series of speakers, events and activities during the 1999-2000 academic year. Admission to the lectures is free. For information, call 758-5788.

Categories: Arts & Culture, Events, Speakers