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March 14, 2026

PI Day and Annual Public Science Lecture

It could be said that the stars aligned perfectly for our 2026 Pi Day/ Public Science Lecture which this year fell precisely on Pi Day and was again held at the Chateau Nova Hotel Kingsway where we met several times before. The event was well attended both in person and virtually, being purposely scheduled for the afternoon in consideration of the time zones impacting national and international audiences. We had one of the largest overseas audiences ever, encompassing Tesla fans from Denmark and Belgium, and many from Canada.

The event was opened by the MC, Vice President Lydia Emanuel, with a welcome and the land acknowledgment.

The introduction and commentary were provided by NTHSA President, Lillian Beltaos.

Thereafter, the program carried on with Sabina Posadziejewski’s Science Byte presentation. Next, the keynote speaker, Dr. Bradley Kerr, delivered a riveting lecture on the mechanisms of pain in the body, along with a discussion of the numerous medical remedies for pain mitigation. It was so informative and compelling, that by popular audience demand, Dr. Kerr promised to come back with another installment in the future.

There was lots of anticipation and delight for the door prize draw and lucky winners.

To reflect the symbolism inherent in the powers of Pi, an appropriately shaped strudel by Vesna Srnic and miniature cupcakes with the letter Pi were made by Dr. Elaine Beltaos-Kerr. In addition to several bakery pies, our Treasurer, Robert Litschel, a professional baker, surprised us with a personal homemade pie. The reception included a delicious assortment of sandwiches and cheeses prepared by the Hotel. A good time was had by all!      

Gratitude is extended to all participants, Hotel Nova, volunteers and the Board. Special thanks to the skilled technical team of Marko Srnic, Simon Yewchuk and David Ballantyne and our MC, Lydia Emanuel, who led the program expertly.