“Science knows no bounds.”
“My connection to science started early in life,” says Lui Petrollini, chair of Science World’s Advisory Council and one of Science World’s 2024 Patrons. “I'm one of those people who loves to understand how things work.”
It’s this innate curiosity that Lui says inspired him to pursue the sciences early in his education. As an undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University, Lui’s initial aim was to become a dentist—a career in healthcare would suit his personable nature—but this was during a particularly bad recession in the early 1980s.
“I remember going into the career services office and seeing bulletin boards filled with job postings for accountants,” he says. “So, I turned toward business and never looked back.”
Unlocking Inspiration
Over the following decades, Lui would incorporate his passion for the STEAM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & design and Math) into his accounting practice. He became Ernst & Young’s BC Private Services Practice and Media & Entertainment Leader and a Director of both BC TECH and the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of British Columbia.
“I never lost sight of my curiosity,” he says.
Perhaps that’s why Lui’s longest-standing community role has been at Science World, which between serving on the Board and now chairing the Advisory Council, has spanned more than a decade.
“I see Science World as a place that is defined by opportunity and inspiration,” he says. “When you see a child's eyes light up at Science World, that's when you realize it doesn't matter what walk of life you're from, or what your history is. Science World is the mechanism that can unlock curiosity, inspiration and hope.”
Lui’s roles on the Science World Board means he has previously been involved in naming Science World Patrons, an experience he says makes being named one of this year’s Patrons all the more humbling.
“I’m quite cognizant of the kind of deliberations that occur when naming Patrons,” he says. “That’s what truly makes it an honour; to be in the company of those we've acknowledged in the past.”
Icons Only
Lui’s connection with Science World began long before Science World itself existed. He and his now wife Sharon went on some of their early dates at what is today the Science World dome, but that was in 1986, when the dome played the role of Expo Centre at Expo 86.
“That was my first introduction to the iconic building that now houses Science World,” he says. “It’s very special to me personally because it takes me back to my younger years, when I was just getting started in my career and starting my family.”
Now, he says he feels a great sense of pride knowing he’s been able to experience Science World with his adult children, attending events like Science of Cocktails and Science World After Dark.
“Hopefully they’ve come away from these events thinking their dad is a little bit cooler than they did before,” he says, laughing.
Of the many highlights over his decade-plus service to Science World, Lui cites the Disney Pixar exhibit as a point of particular pride, especially since it encapsulates his interest in film and animation production, technology and of course, the sciences.
“Science knows no bounds,” he says. “And I think the same is true of Science World itself. It is an organization that should be here for a long, long time, solving problems and providing opportunities to inspire people to not only have great experiences, but also help them achieve their own goals and dreams.”