A creativity expert has been honored by the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, psychology professor at the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University in California, has been named the Dean Helen LeBaron Hilton Chair. He will be visiting Iowa State from Sept. 10 to Oct. 20 to give three public lectures, said Ann Marie Fiore, associate professor of textiles and clothing. “[Csikszentmihalyi] covers the issue of creativity that has an influence on every part of our lives,” Fiore said. “He is an eminent scholar who has done research related to optimal performance of either one’s personal or professional abilities.” The Hilton Chair, established in 1995, brings several departments in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences together. It brings in people to help enhance some aspect of the college, said Mary Jo Glanville, communications specialist in FCS. One of the concepts Csikszentmihalyi’s research is based on is called “flow.” In an October 1999 article of American Psychologist, he described flow as “a particular kind of experience that is so engrossing and enjoyable that it becomes autotelic, that is, worth doing for its own sake even though it may have no consequence outside itself.” The Flow Network, a Web page dedicated to Csikszentmihalyi and his work, describes flow as “a state of concentration so completely focused that it amounts to absolute absorption in an activity.” It is believed that flow inspires creativity or is directly connected to it, Fiore said. The first speech by Csikszentmihalyi will be at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11 in the Benton Auditorium of the Scheman Building. The speech is titled “The Creative Person and the Creative Context.” Csikszentmihalyi will be giving his second speech at 8 p.m. Oct. 2 in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union. It is titled “The Family’s Role in Fostering Creativity.” The final speech will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. It is called “Creativity in Work and in Leisure” and will begin at 7 p.m. All three speeches will be open to the public. Fiore said Csikszentmihalyi will also be speaking to several classes in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences during his stay at Iowa State. She said he will be available to speak to classes in other colleges.