NEWARK, NJ , September 27, 1999 - Herman "Doc" Estrin, the professor who brought language and literature vividly to life for three generations of engineering and technology students at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), will be honored with a "Celebration of His Life" Oct. 3 at the university's Newark campus. Dr. Estrin, an emeritus professor of English at NJIT and an educator for more than 60 years, died at the age of 83 on May 7.

     Mary Higgins Clark, an international, best-selling author, will be the guest speaker at the celebration, which will start at 3 p.m. in the University Hall Theatre on campus. New Jersey author John Cunningham will serve as Master of Ceremonies. The event is under the auspices of the NJIT Board of Trustees, NJIT Alumni Association and the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame.

     Dr. Estrin authored over 400 articles and 14 books and initiated the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame at NJIT. Born June 2, 1915, Estrin began his teaching career at the Grant School in South Plainfield, in 1938, and recently concluded 50 years of teaching at NJIT. He was a 1933 graduate of North Plainfield High School and a 1937 graduate of Drew University, where he received an honorary degree last year. He received his master's degree from Columbia University in 1942 and his doctorate from Columbia in 1954.

     Dr. Estrin served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1942-1946, attaining the rank of captain. Estrin joined NJIT, then Newark College of Engineering, as an instructor of English, in 1946. He touched the lives of NCE and NJIT students for more than five decades. Until his retirement in 1981, he was advisor for almost every student publication at the university, including the school newspaper, yearbook, literary magazine and technical magazine. He was founder of the "The Log," the student handbook.

     "Doc Estrin by a wide margin was the most asked for professor whenever I visited alumni groups throughout the nation and world," said NJIT President Saul K. Fenster. "Doc taught students to have an appreciation for arts and humanities, communications, and to have a regard for their fellow human beings."

     For 30 years, the Estrin Scholarships have been given to NJIT students showing leadership in extracurricular activities. He was the first recipient of NJIT's Robert Van Houten Excellence in Teaching Award in 1970, and was given the 1971 Western Electric Fund Award for excellence in the instruction of engineering students, and the Distinguished Teaching Award by the New Jersey Council of Teachers of English. Estrin received the Silver Medal from the mayor of Paris for teaching chemical engineering graduate students at the University of Paris. In 1976, he initiated the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame at NJIT, which includes the most prestigious writers from the Garden State.

     "He's an icon," said Mary Higgins Clark, guest speaker at the Celebration. Ms. Clark is the author of numerous best-selling suspense novels and is a member of the Literary Hall of Fame.

     Further information about the RSVP, invitational event may be obtained from the Alumni Association Office at NJIT (973) 596-3441.

     NJIT is a public research university enrolling nearly 8,200 bachelor's, master's and doctoral students in 76 degree programs through its five colleges: Newark College of Engineering, School of Architecture, College of Science and Liberal Arts, the School of Management and the Albert Dorman Honors College. Research initiatives include manufacturing, microelectronics, multimedia, transportation, computer science, solar astrophysics, environmental engineering and science, and architecture and building science.

     Yahoo! Internet Life magazine has ranked NJIT the "most wired" public university for two consecutive years, U.S. News and World Report's 1999 Annual Guide to America's Best Colleges ranked NJIT among the nation's top universities, and Money magazine's most recent issue of Best College Buys rated NJIT as the sixth best value among U.S. science and technology schools and among the top 100 overall. In September 1999, Mademoiselle ranked NJIT as the second most Internet-connected university in the nation.