The topic of discussion will be on cosmic ray research. A public lecture, “Serendipity, Colorful Scientists and the Birth of Sub-Atomic Physics,” is at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, in 208 Hubbard Hall.

Cronin is a lead scientist for the Pierre Auger Observatory, an international project to study the nature and origin of rare but extremely powerful high-energy cosmic rays that periodically bombard Earth. The project includes more than 250 scientists from 19 countries.

In 1980, Cronin won the Nobel Prize in Physics with fellow physicist Val Fitch.

The Watkins series was created in 1974 by the Watkins Foundation. The grant is now provided through the Watkins fund, a part of the WSU Foundation’s endowment.

For more information about the series, call Nickolas Solomey at (316) 978-3190.