Nat/Sci In-Person: What Is Science?

Science, the Nature of Reality, and Science in our Daily Lives
Four In-Person Sessions
Mon., Sept. 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21, 2024, 6:30-8:30 pm MT

What is science? What does it have to say about reality? How is knowledge gained through science? How do scientists pass on that knowledge to make our lives better? And what role does science play in our daily lives, from the nutrition in our breakfast, to the weather forecast we plan with, to the GPS we use to navigate, to the measure of time we set our lives by?

Join meteorologist Bill Parker, chemist John Lanning, and astronomer Paul Hemenway in a journey through experiments, observations, data collection and analysis, and the ultimate approach to objective reality that leads to the science underlying our daily lives. First, Hemenway looks at the nature of science as a human endeavor. Second, Lanning addresses the role of science in our daily lives and why we ignore it to our peril. Third, Parker explores the relation of science and science education to weather forecasting, and why the human element will always be critical. Finally, Hemenway returns with the example of how modern cosmology leads us to ever closer approximations to the objective reality that is the universe we live in.

William (Bill) Parker served in the USAF Air Weather Service, retiring as a colonel in 1995. He then served in the National Weather Service, the last 21 years of which he was Wyoming area manager and meteorologist in charge.

John Lanning is a retired chemistry professor from the University of Colorado Denver where he taught analytical and environmental chemistry and conducted atmospheric environmental research.

Paul Hemenway was a member of the Hubble Space Telescope Astrometry Science Team, and the European HIPPARCOS mission. He has contributed to DU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy.