Six Great Ideas That Changed Science and the World (Part 2)
ARPICO and PROF. DOUW STEYN PRESENT:
Six Great Ideas That Changed Science and the World (Part 2)
a talk by Prof. Douw Steyn
In the second part of this two-part series, Prof. Steyn will illuminate three more revolutionary ideas and the minds behind them:
Douw Steyn, PhD, ACM, FCMOS is a Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Science at The University of British Columbia, in the Department of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. His professional, teaching and research activities are in the field of air pollution meteorology, boundary layer meteorology, mesoscale meteorology, environmental science and interdisciplinary science. His research involves measurement and modelling studies of regional air pollution, especially in regions with complex terrain. He has worked extensively on the statistics of air pollution, air pollution monitoring and monitoring network design. He is winner of a UBC Killam Teaching Prize, the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society Andrew Thompson Prize in Applied Meteorology, and the Canadian Federation for Earth Sciences Mentorship Medal. He has served as Chair of the scientific committee that leads the International Technical Meeting series on Air Pollution Modelling and its Application. He has published regularly in the international peer reviewed literature, and served as Director of Publications for the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. He is an Accredited Consulting Meteorologist, and has international consultancy experience in his areas of expertise, and has provided expert testimony in numerous court cases, appeal board hearings and environmental assessment panels in British Columbia, and Nationally.
- Quantum Mechanics. Einstein single handedly overturned our understanding of energy at a molecular and sub-atomic level. The idea of energy quantization explained the three great outstanding ideas of physics in the early 1900s, and laid open the way for a deep understanding of matter. Today we have LED lights, quantum computing, nuclear power (and bombs).
- Relativity. Einstein single handedly overturned our ideas of the absolute nature of space and time. The discovery (together with quantum mechanics) has lead to a deeper understanding of the origins of the universe, but also to essential applications like GPS navigation and satellite orbital dynamics.
- Mathematics. All of science is embedded in mathematics, which is both the queen of sciences and the servant of all sciences. As an example, Prof. Steyn will present Fermat’s last theorem, and its 300 year delayed solution.
REGISTRATION
Please register online via EventBrite at https://sixgreatideas2.eventbrite.ca/
May 22, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Museum of Vancouver - History Room - 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC, V6J 3J9
Event Follow-up
On Thursday, May 22nd, 2025 ARPICO was pleased to welcome an engaged audience to the Museum of Vancouver for the second installment of Six Great Ideas That Changed Science and the World, a captivating lecture by Emeritus Professor Douw Steyn (UBC’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences). With a career spanning over four decades, Prof. Steyn has contributed extensively to the fields of air pollution meteorology and atmospheric modeling. A recipient of UBC’s Killam Teaching Prize and the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences Mentorship Medal, he is also the author of Introduction to Atmospheric Modelling, published by Cambridge University Press.
Following the success of the first part of this series, Prof. Steyn continued his exploration of transformative scientific breakthroughs by illuminating three additional ideas that have profoundly reshaped our understanding of the universe—and our place in it: Quantum Mechanics, Relativity, and Mathematics.
Prof. Steyn guided attendees through the early 20th-century challenges that gave rise to quantum mechanics, including the ultraviolet catastrophe, the observation of spectral lines of hydrogen gas, and the photoelectric effect. These puzzles spurred the foundational insights of Einstein, Bohr, and De Broglie, leading to a radical rethinking of matter and energy. Today, this abstract revolution underpins everything from LED lights to quantum computing and nuclear technology.
The lecture then turned to Einstein’s theory of relativity, which dismantled the long-standing belief in absolute space and time. Drawing from the famous Michelson-Morley experiment and the counterintuitive implications of time dilation and space contraction, Prof. Steyn illustrated how relativity reshaped our four-dimensional conception of a curved spacetime—and paved the way for technologies like GPS and satellite navigation.
Finally, Prof. Steyn celebrated the foundational role of mathematics in science, highlighting its dual role as both a precise language and a creative force. He brought to life the centuries-long story behind Fermat’s Last Theorem, a deceptively simple equation with a deep legacy. Its eventual proof by Andrew Wiles—after years of solitary, unpublished work—offered a powerful example of mathematical persistence and the enduring lineage from Pythagoras to Fermat to Wiles.
Throughout the evening, Prof. Steyn emphasized that these were not merely abstract concepts but revolutionary ideas behind real, consequential technologies. Each breakthrough ushered in applications that continue to shape modern life, from atomic clocks to the digital infrastructure that underpins our world.
A lively Q&A followed, allowing the audience to reflect further on the history and impact of these ideas. The event concluded with a warm reception around refreshments and a convivial atmosphere of discussion and curiosity.
ARPICO extends its sincere thanks to Prof. Steyn for his illuminating and thought-provoking talk, and to all who attended and contributed to the success of the evening. We look forward to welcoming you to our next event in the 2025 fall season.
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