Watch Sunday, October 23, 2016 at noon on WMHT-TV
Divine Discontent: The Life of Charles Proteus Steinmetz is a one-hour public television documentary co-produced by WMHT.
Charles Proteus Steinmetz was one of the best-known figures of the early 20th Century. His work made the generation and transmission of electricity safe and possible, and today we live in a world built from the tools that he enabled. Steinmetz’s theories gave control to the electrical age. They were the key to the mystery and power of a force that few of his contemporaries understood. And while his formulas and computations were dense and complex, he reveled in life’s simple pleasures and cared deeply about the condition of his fellow man.
Steinmetz was a General Electric Pioneer who deeply impacted the world and the community of Schenectady. The documentary will bring national attention to Schenectady as it highlights the critical role the city played in the field of manufacturing and innovation in the early 20th century. The subject, Charles Proteus Steinmetz, was a man who defied his significant physical disabilities and through his achievements in mathematics, science and engineering, made critical contributions to the electrification of the world. His love of family led him to legally adopt his assistant and their family. His devotion to families permeated his work in Schenectady’s school and government system where he made many contributions to the educational environment and provided opportunities for many disadvantaged persons.
"Charles Proteus Steinmetz was an innovator in electrical engineering, supplying many of the underlying formulas that made widespread electrical transmission possible. He was a leader in the Schenectady community and a professor at Union College"
The project has been recognized by a major grant from the IEEE Foundation with additional funding from Union College. Leading authors, historians, and museums are contributing to the production.
