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SFU only Canadian stop for controversial scientist
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November 13, 2002
Renowned scientist Stephen Wolfram, author of a recently published, controversial book that may change the way we think of science, will speak about his book, A New Kind of Science, at Simon Fraser University November 22 at 2:30 pm in Images Theatre, SFU Burnaby campus and at 7:30 pm at SFU Harbour Centre, 515 W. Hastings St., Vancouver.
Wolfram’s book tour, which has taken him to universities across the U.S., has attracted thousands of audience participants. His visit to SFU, organized by the Centre for Systems Science, will be the only Canadian stop on his tour.
Educated at Eton, Oxford and Caltech, Wolfram earned his PhD in theoretical physics by the age of 20. He went on to make a series of now-classic discoveries about cellular automata, simple geometric rule-based computer programs leading to numerous applications in physics, mathematics, computer science, biology and other fields. He is also the creator of Mathematica, the world’s leading software system for technical computing and symbolic programming.
His book, a 1200-page compendium of his work over the past 15 years, took 10 years to write and became an instant bestseller on its release in May this year.
During his talk at SFU, Wolfram, now 43, will describe his new approach to science, an approach which studies rules of the kind embodied in the simplest computer programs, rather than in traditional mathematical equations. Wolfram has discovered that such rules can lead to behaviour that shows immense complexity and mirrors many features seen in nature.
For more information, visit http://www.css.sfu.ca/speakers_series Note: Talks are free but seating is limited at Harbour Centre. Call 604.291.5100, or email cs_hc@sfu.ca or fax 604.291.5098 to book seats for the Harbour Centre talk.
-30-
Contact
Barry Shell, Centre for Systems Science, 604.291.3125 or
shell@sfu.ca
Wolfram’s book tour, which has taken him to universities across the U.S., has attracted thousands of audience participants. His visit to SFU, organized by the Centre for Systems Science, will be the only Canadian stop on his tour.
Educated at Eton, Oxford and Caltech, Wolfram earned his PhD in theoretical physics by the age of 20. He went on to make a series of now-classic discoveries about cellular automata, simple geometric rule-based computer programs leading to numerous applications in physics, mathematics, computer science, biology and other fields. He is also the creator of Mathematica, the world’s leading software system for technical computing and symbolic programming.
His book, a 1200-page compendium of his work over the past 15 years, took 10 years to write and became an instant bestseller on its release in May this year.
During his talk at SFU, Wolfram, now 43, will describe his new approach to science, an approach which studies rules of the kind embodied in the simplest computer programs, rather than in traditional mathematical equations. Wolfram has discovered that such rules can lead to behaviour that shows immense complexity and mirrors many features seen in nature.
For more information, visit http://www.css.sfu.ca/speakers_series Note: Talks are free but seating is limited at Harbour Centre. Call 604.291.5100, or email cs_hc@sfu.ca or fax 604.291.5098 to book seats for the Harbour Centre talk.
-30-
Contact
Barry Shell, Centre for Systems Science, 604.291.3125 or
shell@sfu.ca