All posts by Jason Donev

Jason Donev is tenured at the University of Calgary, and has received awards for teaching and outreach. Dr. Donev teaches nuclear power, electricity and thermodynamics, the senior project class for energy and a course that introduces issues related to energy to a non-technical audience, affectionately called 'energy for everyone.' Dr. Donev regularly talks with advocates and interested parties all over the political spectrum about various energy issues, especially - but not limited to - nuclear power and climate change. Energyeducation.ca is a major project of Dr. Donev's, and he hopes to continually improve and adapt the site.

Public perception, Science Fiction

Part 5 of 5. Great Power and Great Responsibility

October 19, 2018 Jason Donev

Technology changes what we are capable of doing. Science fiction allows us to decide who we want to be with this new power. This video explores the power of nuclear science and technology, but also looks at how stories have shaped this conversation, and will continue to.

Public perception, Science Fiction

Part 4 of 5. Human Identity

October 18, 2018 Jason Donev

Science fiction grapples with questions of identity when our genetic information changes. Laboratories explore the connection between radiation and DNA, but popular views of this connection come from comic books!

Public perception, Science Fiction

Part 3 of 5. Computers and robots

October 17, 2018 Jason Donev

Science Fiction explores how technology changes people’s place in community. From Talus in Greek mythology to Rossum’s Universal Robots, from fake chess playing machines to unbeatable computers, human imagination has always included artificial humans and artificial thinking. The world has shifted from a time when ‘calculator’ was a person who calculates, to devices that we have on our phones. This lecture explores some of the most surprising predictions to have come true in all of science fiction!

Public perception, Science Fiction

Part 2 of 5. New Tools Creating a Brave New World

October 16, 2018 Jason Donev

The world’s technology has changed in shocking ways over the past 150 years. Despite how unexpected these developments were, various writers predicted these shocking technologies like Skype, nuclear reactors and atmospheric breaking. Some technologies even get their names and designs from science fiction stories. People need science fiction to process our rapidly changing technological landscape.

Public perception, Science Fiction

Part 1 of 5. The Power of Science Fiction Stories

October 15, 2018 Jason Donev

Human imagination is a powerful tool. On one extreme, this imagination creates stories to help us understand our world and our place in it. Humans share stories to find meaning, connection and purpose. These stories shape our culture and our identities.

On another extreme, imagination explores the universe and apply those discoveries into technology. Science fiction stories synthesize these two extremes of human imagination to help people find their place in a world with rapidly changing technology.