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Friday, September 1
 

10:45am PDT

The History of Science Fiction: Perspectives from the 21st Century
An overview of the genre's history as understood by recent scholarship in the field, including the evolution of many sub-genres and global traditions of SF. Come learn about the origins of SF in scientific narratives of discovery and the long traditions of Afrofuturism, Indigenous futurism, Latina/o SF, and women's SF in this…

Speakers
avatar for Patrick Sharp

Patrick Sharp

Professor of Liberal Studies, Cal State Los Angeles
Patrick B. Sharp is Professor of Liberal Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. He has written several articles and two monographs on science fiction, including Savage Perils: Racial Frontiers and Nuclear Apocalypse in American Culture (2007) and Darwinian Feminism... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna, PhD, MSB, is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Biomedical Sciences Division at WVSOM. Her PhD is in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy and she currently teaches medical gross anatomy and studies the biomechanics of locomotion. Her Masters is in bioethics, in which... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 10:45am - 11:45am PDT
Harding (100)
  Lit

12:00pm PDT

Technology of the Soul and of the Self
As technology pushes the boundaries of the human body and attempts to reimagine cognition through artificial intelligence, our notions of what defines humanity are forced to evolve. In the Cartestian sense, the metaphysical question of the "human soul" as separate from the body raises ontological questions about where to locate the humanity in human beings. As pertaining to questions of identity, the posthuman and transhuman elements of modern reality encourage a reimagining of the self and the subjective experience. Presenters will offer reflections on the ways in which contemporary literature is tackling this blurring of boundaries to question the relationship between technology and the essence of personhood.

Speakers
avatar for Alexia Clarke

Alexia Clarke

Presenting “Value and the Soul: Acceleration and Futurism in Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower”Alexia Clarke is lover of all things fantastic.  From early childhood, she has been enthralled by the worlds and words of science fiction and fantasy authors.  Her work has focused... Read More →
avatar for K.M. Ferebee

K.M. Ferebee

Presenting "Pain in Someone Else's Body: Plurality of the Self in TV's Stargate: SG-1"K.M. Ferebee is a doctoral candidate in English at The Ohio State University. Her work is located in the field of Environmental Literature, and focuses on narratives of mutation, toxicity, and bodily... Read More →
avatar for Jacob Murel

Jacob Murel

Presenting "The Deconstruction and (Re)Discovery of Human Nature in Recent Planet of the Apes Films"Jacob Murel is a graduate student at the University of Memphis, where he studies comics, film, and literature in both English and German. His research interests are focused on comic... Read More →
avatar for Summer Sutton

Summer Sutton

Summer Sutton is a soon-to-be PhD student at the University of California, Riverside, where she will pursue her research in feminist science studies and the intersections between SF studies and cultural studies. She currently resides in Williamsburg, Virginia but is looking forward... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Aisha Matthews

Aisha Matthews

Director of Literature Programs at Escape Velocity, Museum of Science Fiction
Aisha Matthews is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at Southern Methodist University, having finished her Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in early 2017. As an undergraduate at Yale (’13), she studied Young Adult Science Fiction Literature (alongside more... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT
Truman (40)

1:15pm PDT

An Everyday Future: Including Popular Culture in Science Fiction
Science Fiction writers take great pleasure in breaking the Fourth Wall and pepper their Fantasy or Science Fiction worlds with Pop Culture references. It may be a nod to a classic or successful video game. It could be a reference to a favorite movie. Popular Culture can make works more relatable, or even broaden the worldbuilding and technology of their fictional futures, but how will pop culture date your work? And what about removing pop culture from your world? What are the challenges there? (Example: Why haven't survivors in zombie apocalypses never seem to know any zombie lore?) In this panel, writers give their own perspective on the tightrope walk when making pop culture references and creating their own pop culture.


Moderators
avatar for Tee Morris

Tee Morris

Author
Tee Morris has been writing science fiction, fantasy, horror, and non-fiction for over a decade. His first novel, MOREVI: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana, became the first novel to be podcast in its entirety, ushering in a new age for authors — podcasting. He went on with... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Catherine Asaro

Catherine Asaro

Two-time Nebula ® award winner Catherine Asaro writes science fiction, fantasy and thrillers, and has over twenty-seven novels, as well as many novellas, short stories and non-fiction. Her acclaimed “Ruby Dynasty series,” also known as “The Skolian Saga,” combines adventure, hard... Read More →
avatar for Nick Kelly

Nick Kelly

Nick Kelly is a veteran musician, trainer, writer, and speaker. His musical travels have taken him all over the United States. He is the author of the Leon “Catwalk” Caliber cyberpunk series, which debuted in the 2001 comic, Independent Voices 3 and continues in novels starting... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Aisha Matthews

Aisha Matthews

Director of Literature Programs at Escape Velocity, Museum of Science Fiction
Aisha Matthews is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at Southern Methodist University, having finished her Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in early 2017. As an undergraduate at Yale (’13), she studied Young Adult Science Fiction Literature (alongside more... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Harding (100)

2:30pm PDT

Literary Representations of AI and Robotics
Scholars will discuss the role of artificial intelligence and robotics in science and speculative fiction literatures. They will address questions such as: Why do so many texts depict the dangers of AI? Why are we so afraid of our creations gaining sentience and turning against us? What do we stand to lose? To gain? Why does organic humanity need to be the only rational consciousness? And how closely do these texts mirror the reality of today's tech?

Moderators
avatar for Despina Kakoudaki

Despina Kakoudaki

Despina Kakoudaki is Associate Professor of Literature at American University, and director of the Humanities Lab, an interdisciplinary research center in Washington DC.  She works on film and media studies, science fiction, cultural studies, literature, and the history of technology... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for DB Bauer

DB Bauer

DB Bauer is a doctoral student at the University of Maryland. DB’s work explores the relationship between digital technologies and humans, often centralizing speculative material culture, interface and design, and maker practices, specifically 3D printing.
avatar for Thaddeus Howze

Thaddeus Howze

Attendee, Krypton Radio
Thaddeus Howze is an award-winning writer, editor, podcaster and activist creating speculative fiction, scientific, political and cultural commentary from his office in Hayward, California. Thaddeus works as a writer and editor for two magazines, the Good Men Project, a men's magazine... Read More →
avatar for Anastasia Klimchynskaya

Anastasia Klimchynskaya

Anastasia Klimchynskaya is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute on the Formation of Knowledge at the University of Chicago. Her current book project focuses on articulating how the new technoscientific paradigm brought about by industrialization gave rise to the literary form... Read More →
avatar for June Pulliam

June Pulliam

At the tender age of eight, June Pulliam was permitted to stay up by herself and watch George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. She was so traumatized by the experience, that she now teaches courses on horror fiction and film at Louisiana State University, where she also teaches... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Aisha Matthews

Aisha Matthews

Director of Literature Programs at Escape Velocity, Museum of Science Fiction
Aisha Matthews is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at Southern Methodist University, having finished her Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in early 2017. As an undergraduate at Yale (’13), she studied Young Adult Science Fiction Literature (alongside more... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Harding (100)

3:45pm PDT

Utopia vs. Dystopia
Scholars discuss the portrayal of utopian (and dystopian) futures in science fiction writings: What are some of the common themes? Have these portrayals changed with time? What are the odds we are heading towards these futures (or trying to move away from them)?

Moderators
avatar for Mike Pederson

Mike Pederson

Fan Guest, RavenCon
Way back in 2004, Mike came up with the crazy idea of hosting a convention in Richmond, VA. He’s been chairing RavenCon ever since.In addition to running RavenCon, Mike published the fanzine Nth Degree for seventeen years, wrote and published the Raven comic book series, and edited... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Thaddeus Howze

Thaddeus Howze

Attendee, Krypton Radio
Thaddeus Howze is an award-winning writer, editor, podcaster and activist creating speculative fiction, scientific, political and cultural commentary from his office in Hayward, California. Thaddeus works as a writer and editor for two magazines, the Good Men Project, a men's magazine... Read More →
avatar for Diane Samuelson

Diane Samuelson

Diane Samuelson has a Master's degree in 20th Century English Literature from the University of Edinburgh.  Research interests include Golden Age sf, utopian/dystopian literature, underlying philosophies of sf, and early comics.  Diane is also an actor, ballroom dance instructor... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna, PhD, MSB, is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Biomedical Sciences Division at WVSOM. Her PhD is in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy and she currently teaches medical gross anatomy and studies the biomechanics of locomotion. Her Masters is in bioethics, in which... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Harding (100)

5:00pm PDT

Visions of the Future: Science Fiction Between Science and Scripture
Science fiction, as Ursula LeGuin once argued, often uses the futuristic setting of stories as a way of analyzing and critiquing the present. In that way, science fiction is “about” the present; by showing a future that the present might plausibly develop into, a piece of science fiction can help to highlight those features of the present that are worth strengthening, as well as those that ought to be minimized or left behind. This literary form finds a rather direct parallel in the prophetic stories populating the sacred texts of many different religions — there too, the future is used to critique and analyze the present. The difference is that science fiction *also* insists on fidelity to science, making apparent miracles into occasions to be explained rather than testimonies of faith. Our panel explores these overlaps and tensions, particularly highlighting those works of science fiction that explicitly deal with religion as they advance their purportedly secular visions. Join representatives from a variety of faith traditions for a rousing conversation!

Moderators
avatar for Patrick Thaddeus Jackson

Patrick Thaddeus Jackson

Professor and Associate Dean, American University
Patrick Thaddeus Jackson is Professor of International Studies and Associate Dean for Curriculum and Learning in the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC. In addition to his work in the philosophy of science and the politics of national and transnational... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad

Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad

President, director, Minaret of Freedom Institute
Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, Ph.D. is an internationally known interdisciplinary scientist of Palestinian descent, born at sea and raised in the United States. He is author of Signs in the Heavens: A Muslim Astronomer's Perspective on Religion and Science and he teaches courses on Islamic... Read More →
avatar for Holly Jackson

Holly Jackson

Pastor, United Church of Christ of Seneca Valley
The Reverend Holly R. Jackson became pastor at UCCSV in August 2016. Previously, she served as the Minister of Christian Education at Hope UCC in Alexandria, VA. As someone who is passionate about children and families, Holly has also spent time a Stay-at-Home Parent and a School... Read More →
avatar for Mark Schaefer

Mark Schaefer

University Chaplain, American University
Mark is the tenth University Chaplain in American University's history, appointed to the position in September 2016 after having served for 14 years as AU's United Methodist Chaplain. He is a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary and is an ordained elder in the Baltimore-Washington... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Stacy Bruss

Stacy Bruss

Director, Event Programming, Museum of Science Fiction
Stacy Bruss, MS, MSIS, is a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At NIST, she supports all Physical Measurement Laboratory researchers and manages the Innovation Hub, a center with 3-D printers, technology bar, data visualization tools... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Harding (100)

5:00pm PDT

Changing and sculpting the genome
Science fiction has often discussed editing the human genome, creating clones, using human tissue for cyborgs, creating new life-forms through genetic manipulation. Many of these topics are now, in part, a reality in the scientific community. This panel will discuss the science behind genome editing, modification of humans, and building genomes to specifications. Additionally, this talk will discuss gene drives and how scientists are able to manipulate the environment, not just humans, using such technology. Finally, panelists will discuss the ethical implications of such research.

Moderators
avatar for Barbara Jasny

Barbara Jasny

Barbara Jasny has a PhD in Molecular Biology from Rockefeller University; she has conducted research in virus-host cell interactions, DNA replication, and cellular senescence. She joined Science magazine, the weekly journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Rocco Casagrande

Rocco Casagrande

Gryphon Scientific
Dr. Rocco Casagrande began his public sector career as a U.N. weapons inspector in pre-war Iraq where he led the U.N.'s biological analysis laboratories. Today, as a founder and Managing Partner of Gryphon Scientific, he is a widely respected thought leader on the risks and medical... Read More →
avatar for Renee Wegrzyn

Renee Wegrzyn

Program Manager, DARPA
In 2016, Dr. Renee Wegrzyn joined DARPA as a program manager to push the boundaries of seemingly science fictional concepts into reality in support of national security goals. Through the programs she manages, including Living Foundries and Safe Genes, she is applying the tools of... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna, PhD, MSB, is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Biomedical Sciences Division at WVSOM. Her PhD is in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy and she currently teaches medical gross anatomy and studies the biomechanics of locomotion. Her Masters is in bioethics, in which... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
6 - East (250)

5:00pm PDT

The Law of Virtual Reality
Virtual reality blurs the lines between presence and remoteness, between speech and conduct. It feels real even though we know it isn't. In this talk we will consider a number of interesting legal problems we will face as people begin to interact with each other virtually.

Moderators
avatar for Mark Lemley

Mark Lemley

Stanford University
Mark Lemley is the William H. Neukom Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and the Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology. He teaches intellectual property, computer and internet law, patent law, trademark law, antitrust, and remedies. He is the author of... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Charles Hildebrandt

Charles Hildebrandt

Production Counsel, Museum of Science Fiction
Charles represents, advises, and litigates on behalf of clients in commercial, copyright, and entertainment law matters, including film, television, publishing, games, and music production, licensing, and distribution. Charles has over 20 years of experience negotiating and drafting... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Truman (40)

5:00pm PDT

Intro to Sci-fi Competitive Gaming, and eSports
Panel host Dr. Joey Grandoziac of Press Start TV Radio discusses gaming on the professional circuit. Learn about upcoming Sci-fi related games, and answer the question “Should Gaming be considered a sport?”

Moderators
avatar for Joey Gawrysiak

Joey Gawrysiak

Director and Professor of Esports, Shenandoah University
Dr. Joey Gawrysiak is an Associate Professor and the Director of Sport Management in the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business at Shenandoah University. Dr. Gawrysiak's work in competitive gaming and virtual reality have been presented around the world at various conferences in both... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Eugene Evans

Eugene Evans

Founder, Infinite Ventures
Eugene Evans has 30+ years experience in the video game industry at start-up’s and large media companies including Electronic Arts & Viacom. As a consultant he is focused on strategy, business development & marketing including mobile games, VR/AR and esports. Clients include estarz.tv... Read More →
avatar for Reza Mahmud

Reza Mahmud

"I'm an individual incredibly passionate about the Esports industry. At the University of Maryland, College Park, I was the President of the League of Legends club and studied Psychology. In addition to organizing student groups, I've been a shout caster for several Esport titles... Read More →

Volunteers

Friday September 1, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Wilson BC (190)

6:15pm PDT

An Eternal Optimist: Arthur C. Clarke and the Search for What’s Next
Arthur C. Clarke, famed for co-writing “2001: A Space Odyssey,” based on one of his own much earlier short stories, was above all else an optimist who eagerly embraced not only what was coming next but what was coming after that. While his own long life story featured heavy involvement in the Second World War, where he was close to the cutting edge of implementing a new key technology, radar, he remained an optimist about technology helping to make life better for humankind both on earth and among the stars. His dreams were not founded on fantasy but on science, science just over the edge into the nearly impossible. Who else but Clarke could have taken the swords of the war just ended and propose using those technologies to envision global television using geosynchronous satellites? This panel will explore the fascinating life and works of Sir Arthur Clarke as the anniversary of his birth 100 years ago approaches.

Moderators
avatar for Timothy Logue

Timothy Logue

Senior Consultant, HISe, LLC
Timothy J. Logue is a lifelong science fiction fan who has been fortunate to work in thespace and satellite sectors for almost 40 years. He is currently Senior Director, Sales and Business Development, for Thales Alenia Space, a major European space manufacturer, in Washington, D.C... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Mason Peck

Mason Peck

Associate Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University
Dr. Peck is an Associate Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University and is a former NASA Chief Technologist. He has also worked at Boeing and Honeywell. His research interests include space-systems architecture and satellite flight dynamics. Among other... Read More →
avatar for Dr. Joseph Pelton

Dr. Joseph Pelton

Chairman, Alliance for Collaboration in the Exploration of Space
Dr. Joseph N. Pelton is Chairman of the Alliance for Collaboration in the Exploration of Space (ACES Worldwide https://acesworldwide.org He is also Director of Academics and Research for the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) and chairman of IAASS... Read More →
avatar for Walda Roseman

Walda Roseman

CEO, CompassRose International
Walda Roseman is Chair of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation. She is CEO of CompassRose International, an international ICT advisory firm that she established in 1993 and that she led until she joined the Internet Society in 2011. She returned to CompassRose in 2015. At the Internet... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Stacy Bruss

Stacy Bruss

Director, Event Programming, Museum of Science Fiction
Stacy Bruss, MS, MSIS, is a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At NIST, she supports all Physical Measurement Laboratory researchers and manages the Innovation Hub, a center with 3-D printers, technology bar, data visualization tools... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 6:15pm - 7:15pm PDT
6 - East (250)

6:15pm PDT

Science Fiction Criticism: Suvin and Beyond
Good SF is more than just entertainment, and the ever-increasing amount of critical attention it is receiving suggests that people have stopped viewing it as "mere" genre fiction. Addressing the legacy of Darko Suvin and his articulation of cognitive estrangement, panelists will discuss the state of modern science fiction criticism and the areas of inquiry most relevant to the serious study of the genre.

Moderators
avatar for Aisha Matthews

Aisha Matthews

Director of Literature Programs at Escape Velocity, Museum of Science Fiction
Aisha Matthews is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at Southern Methodist University, having finished her Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in early 2017. As an undergraduate at Yale (’13), she studied Young Adult Science Fiction Literature (alongside more... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for André Carrington

André Carrington

andré carrington is currently Assistant Professor of African American literature at Drexel University. His first book, Speculative Blackness: The Future of Race in Science Fiction (Minnesota, 2016) interrogates the cultural politics of race in the fantastic genres through studies... Read More →
avatar for Anastasia Klimchynskaya

Anastasia Klimchynskaya

Anastasia Klimchynskaya is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute on the Formation of Knowledge at the University of Chicago. Her current book project focuses on articulating how the new technoscientific paradigm brought about by industrialization gave rise to the literary form... Read More →
avatar for Patrick Sharp

Patrick Sharp

Professor of Liberal Studies, Cal State Los Angeles
Patrick B. Sharp is Professor of Liberal Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. He has written several articles and two monographs on science fiction, including Savage Perils: Racial Frontiers and Nuclear Apocalypse in American Culture (2007) and Darwinian Feminism... Read More →


Friday September 1, 2017 6:15pm - 7:15pm PDT
Harding (100)

6:15pm PDT

Insights Needed: Video Gaming & the Goldilocks Principle
Insights Needed is not just a panel, it’s a chance to talk about what makes video games engaging and how we can think about optimizing engagement from a health perspective. We need your insights to help answer questions like what makes games hard to put down and how do gamers self-regulate their playing? Are daily login rewards more motivating than streak bonuses? Does playing with friends make it easier or harder to take a break? What mechanics should developers consider to improve engagement without making players feel frustrated or burned out from playing too much? This panel is part of a research project designed to foster rational discussion and consensus about video games and health, and the best part is, the science will be done at Escape Velocity! We will analyze results of the panel during the convention and present them on Sunday for your feedback.  Join us to make your voice heard and help move the discussion forward! (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study Multi-stakeholder consensus development in video game research, IRB# 6931, PI Alain Labrique, Ph.D.)

Speakers
avatar for Michelle Colder Carras

Michelle Colder Carras

Michelle is a public mental health researcher and gamer devoted to changing the public health conversation around gaming. Her work explores the boundary between healthy and problematic gaming and how gaming can help mental health. She uses fancy statistics as well as interviews to... Read More →

Volunteers

Friday September 1, 2017 6:15pm - 7:15pm PDT
Wilson BC (190)

6:15pm PDT

Pop Parliament
For 15 years, (Anime) Parliament has been one of the most prolific panels in the east coast convention circuit, now that team has come to Escape Velocity and is ready to hear cases from any sci-fi, fantasy, anime or game universe you can come up with. Bring up a case against a character, a situation, a society or any other aspect of your chosen universe. It's up to the audience to debate, dispute and ultimately vote upon the guilt or innocence of your subject. Come forward, state your case, bring witnesses, but remember: Not everyone in the Parliament will agree with you. Be ready for a debate, because you'll most certainly get one.

Moderators
AH

Adam Hennessy

Co-Chairman of Anime USA 2018, 17 year convention veteran, creator of Anime Parliament.

Speakers
avatar for Dan Hepler

Dan Hepler

Dan has been doing improv comedy consistently for 5 years, and been in an ensemble with this team for most of it! If You like whatbyou see feel free to check out our Youtube Channel: A Class Apart!
avatar for D.J. Hinckle

D.J. Hinckle

D.J. doesn’t want to provide a bio because it would make it easier for the Lizardmen that control the government to track him. But to counteract this potential, his shoes are lined with aluminum foil (they live underground, after all.)
avatar for Charles Kolreg

Charles Kolreg

A Class Apart Improv 
JR

Joe Randazzo

Washington Improv Theater
Joe has been doing comedy since 2000, studied at the Uprights Citizens Brigade in New York, Annoyance Theater in Chicago and at the DC Improv. He currently performs in the "Amazing" long running duo Jive Turkey, the "Spectacular" Sistine Robot, and the "Superior" Four Heads.  
avatar for Ashley Smrcina

Ashley Smrcina

Ashley has been performing Improv since before she even understood what Improv really was! She has studied Improvisation for the Theater at Northern Virginia Community College as well as three semesters at the Washington Improv Theater and plans to move to Chicago within the next... Read More →
JS

Joseph Statkus

A Class Apart Improv 
BT

Brian Tepe

A Class Apart Improv

Volunteers
avatar for Karina DarJuan

Karina DarJuan

Director of Pop Culture, Escape VelocityAssistant Curator, Museum of Science FictionCurrently studying "Film and Fashion Makeup Design" at New Image College, Vancouver BC
avatar for Barbara Mabie-McClain

Barbara Mabie-McClain

Manager, Pop Culture Programs, The Museum of Science Fiction
Barbara, Is a Master Class costumer that has been sewing small things, crafting, and beading for over 20 years. In 2013 Barb discovered the convention scene while attending her first convention, PaxEast, and fell in love with costuming and cosplay since. She has her Cosmetology license... Read More →
avatar for Jason McClain

Jason McClain

Director, Pop Culture Programs, Museum Of Science Fiction
Jason is one half of Mabieknot Cosplay and Designs. Jason has been running various convention events for the past 13 years, but has been a long time fan of the pop culture convention scene. Jason has been crafting Costumes and props for far longer then that, and has been part of Masquerade... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 6:15pm - 7:45pm PDT
1 - Northwest (500)

7:00pm PDT

Robots in film and popular culture
From Gort to K2SO, the automata of the silver screen, television, comics, and other media have fascinated fans for decades. Come with us on an exploration of the origins, creative inspirations, and engineering designs that brought to life some of the beloved "non-living" characters that grace our pop culture.

Moderators
avatar for Despina Kakoudaki

Despina Kakoudaki

Despina Kakoudaki is Associate Professor of Literature at American University, and director of the Humanities Lab, an interdisciplinary research center in Washington DC.  She works on film and media studies, science fiction, cultural studies, literature, and the history of technology... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Paul Oehlers

Paul Oehlers

Director, Escape Velocity Film Festival, Museum of Science Fiction
Paul A. Oehlers is most recognized for his “extraordinarily evocative” film scores. (Variety) Films incorporating his music have won the Grand Jury prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival, the Atlanta International Film Festival, and the Indiefest Film Festival. In addition... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Coolidge (100)

7:30pm PDT

Drones in Education
With drones becoming mainstream in recent years, there has been a push to bring drones into education. Over the years, the shape of drones in education has evolved from its roots as a simple example to fascinate students about science, technology, engineering, art, and math; to a trade skill in a burgeoning unmanned aircraft industry; to an everyday data collection tool used for teaching other disciplines such as software development. The panelists will discuss the opportunities and challenges in their efforts to bring drones into education.

Moderators
avatar for Dr. Christopher Vo

Dr. Christopher Vo

Chief Scientist, Sentien Robotics
Christopher Vo serves as the Chief Scientist for Sentien Robotics, developing technologies to improve robustness, scalability, and performance of autonomous unmanned systems. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from George Mason University, where he developed artificial intelligence... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Steven Cohen

Steven Cohen

President, DUGN
Steve's passion for drones arose out of his desire to gain interesting vantage points for his photography and film pursuits. Passion soon became obsession leading him to develop and instruct curriculum based on drones, robotics, and mechatronics for Bergen County (NJ) Technical Schools... Read More →
avatar for Dominic Swayne

Dominic Swayne

Director, James Madison University
LTC Nick Swayne retired in December 2006 with over 26 years of service and has worked at James Madison University in a variety of positions since leaving active duty. He currently serves as the Executive Director of 4-Virginia – a formal collaboration of six Virginia universities... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Stacy Bruss

Stacy Bruss

Director, Event Programming, Museum of Science Fiction
Stacy Bruss, MS, MSIS, is a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At NIST, she supports all Physical Measurement Laboratory researchers and manages the Innovation Hub, a center with 3-D printers, technology bar, data visualization tools... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 7:30pm - 8:30pm PDT
Hoover (100)

8:45pm PDT

Tales from the Strange Planet Earth
Presented by Washington Improv Theater.

Welcome to Tales from the Strange Planet Earth! Each month the moons align here in the Trazar system and for an hour we receive a clear signal of television and film transmissions from a planet known as earth. Join your host, Bik Bak, as he leads a discussion of the broadcasts with the Theta Quadrant's foremost experts on humans. As always, we've captured two human guests to help us better understand the strange alien customs of the inhabitants of earth. Don't miss out on the hottest show critics are calling, "Informative and disturbing!"

Speakers
CC

Caroline Chen

Washington Improv Theater
Caroline is grateful she talked herself into giving improv a try. She remembers once shrinking in her audience seat and praying not to be selected to join performers onstage at an improv show she attended. The weird ways of life have since propelled her through WIT’s curriculum... Read More →
avatar for Nina Hsu

Nina Hsu

National Institutes of Health
avatar for Alex Kazanas

Alex Kazanas

Washington Improv Theater
Alex has been improvising since 2014, and he's finally gotten himself out of that paper bag. He performs with the WIT Harold team Richie, seasonal WIT productions Die! Die! Die! and Citizens' Watch, indie team The Female Accent (of which he's a founding member), and the duo Pillow... Read More →
RK

Ryan Krull

Washington Improv Theater
Ryan was literally given the gift of improv for his birthday in January of 2013, and he has been addicted ever since. He performs with Going To The Movies Alone (a trio of experimental longform performers based of made up movies), Commonwealth (WIT house ensemble) and Ugh (an all-gay... Read More →
VL

Virginia Lyon

Virginia's entrance into this world was unscripted and she's been improvising ever since. Like many, Virginia leaned into comedy as a method for making friends, getting out of self-dug holes, and not having to pay for therapy. 
ZM

Zach Mason

Washington Improv Theater
Zach Mason has been praised for his character work. Usually like, “A lot of interesting characters... a lot of sad characters.” Since starting in 2014, Zach has studied improv and sketch at WIT and Dojo Comedy. He is also a founding member of the indie troupes Helper Pony and... Read More →
MM

Molly Murchie

Washington Improv Theater
Molly Murchie has been improvising since 2001 when she began training with Washington Improv Theater. It changed her life, and she has the husband and two kids to prove it. Since then, she has performed as a founding member of WIT ensemble Jackie, as co-creator and director of Washington... Read More →
JM

Jonathan Murphy

Washington Improv Theater
In 2011, Jonathan thought he was just 'doing improv for fun'. Someone pointed out he was in four groups, doing it six nights a week, and obsessively talking about every show he saw. In that moment he realized he was all in for the rest of his life.
CD

Ceci De Robertis

Washington Improv Theater
Ceci De Robertis was so terrified when she first started improv in 2012 that she threw up before her 1A showcase. Before long, she realized the stage was fun and fell in love with the art! A graduate of Washington Improv Theater’s training program, Ceci currently performs with the... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Bjorn Munson

Bjorn Munson

Programming Coordinator, Museum of Science Fiction
A lifelong fan of science fiction in all media, Bjorn currently feeds his need to tell SF and other stories as artistic director of Jabberwocky Audio Theater and through independent film work. He currently feeds his family by being a technology program manager. He tries not to feed... Read More →

Friday September 1, 2017 8:45pm - 10:00pm PDT
Harding (100)
 
Saturday, September 2
 

11:00am PDT

Slightly Off Key: Great Soundtracks in Terrible SF Films
As Tee Morris took us through a history of music in film and video games in THE BIG SCORE, this presentation reaches into the darkest corners of entertainment to bring into the light terrific soundtracks that appear in some cinematic clunkers. Alongside author and horror film critic Nick Kelly, this presentation features incredible musical journeys providing backdrops to cringeworthy productions.

Moderators
avatar for Tee Morris

Tee Morris

Author
Tee Morris has been writing science fiction, fantasy, horror, and non-fiction for over a decade. His first novel, MOREVI: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana, became the first novel to be podcast in its entirety, ushering in a new age for authors — podcasting. He went on with... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Karina DarJuan

Karina DarJuan

Director of Pop Culture, Escape VelocityAssistant Curator, Museum of Science FictionCurrently studying "Film and Fashion Makeup Design" at New Image College, Vancouver BC

Saturday September 2, 2017 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Coolidge (100)

11:45am PDT

CosFashion show Green Room
Area for entrants to the CosFashion show to prepare to take the runway.
Sign up required, no admittance without sign up (parental guardian allowed for underage entrant).

Moderators
EV

Escape Velocity

Infrastructure Support, The Museum of Science Fiction
This is a generic user which will describe any temporary, or group listing of available Admin/Staff/Volunteer who may be part of an adminstrative session within the schedule.

Volunteers
avatar for Barbara Mabie-McClain

Barbara Mabie-McClain

Manager, Pop Culture Programs, The Museum of Science Fiction
Barbara, Is a Master Class costumer that has been sewing small things, crafting, and beading for over 20 years. In 2013 Barb discovered the convention scene while attending her first convention, PaxEast, and fell in love with costuming and cosplay since. She has her Cosmetology license... Read More →
avatar for Jason McClain

Jason McClain

Director, Pop Culture Programs, Museum Of Science Fiction
Jason is one half of Mabieknot Cosplay and Designs. Jason has been running various convention events for the past 13 years, but has been a long time fan of the pop culture convention scene. Jason has been crafting Costumes and props for far longer then that, and has been part of Masquerade... Read More →

Saturday September 2, 2017 11:45am - 2:00pm PDT
Truman (40)

12:00pm PDT

Man As Machine: Androids & Cyborgs in Literature
Are humans more than the sum of their parts, or are they merely organic machines, as philosophers from antiquity on have suggested? Today, new innovations in science and technology provide new ways to interrogate this question, even as they continue to raise it. On the one hand, increasingly advanced prosthetics, neural interfaces (such as Elon Musk’s recently-announced Neuralink), and other enhancements allow us to go beyond the limitations of our human bodies. On the other hand, machine intelligence now rivals, and even supersedes, humans in everything from game-playing strategies to driving and facial recognition, suggesting that we’re moving closer to the holy grail of creating an artificial sentient being. These innovations pose the ultimate question: what does it mean to be human? More specifically, (how) do our physical bodies define us and shape our humanity, and how might we retain that humanity as we change, or even transcend, those bodies?

Moderators
avatar for Anastasia Klimchynskaya

Anastasia Klimchynskaya

Anastasia Klimchynskaya is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute on the Formation of Knowledge at the University of Chicago. Her current book project focuses on articulating how the new technoscientific paradigm brought about by industrialization gave rise to the literary form... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Anika Dane

Anika Dane

Anika Dane is a freelance blogger and lecturer with a special interest in fairy tales and space opera. She writes and presents on a variety of topics including fashion, feminism, geek and genre media, pop culture, and modern mythology. Anika's educational background is in the... Read More →
avatar for Thaddeus Howze

Thaddeus Howze

Attendee, Krypton Radio
Thaddeus Howze is an award-winning writer, editor, podcaster and activist creating speculative fiction, scientific, political and cultural commentary from his office in Hayward, California. Thaddeus works as a writer and editor for two magazines, the Good Men Project, a men's magazine... Read More →
avatar for Joseph Hurtgen

Joseph Hurtgen

Joseph Hurtgen has a PhD in English Literature from Ball State University and teaches at Young Harris College. He has had journal articles published in Text in Context, Margaret Atwood Studies, The Quint, and JOSF. A book with McFarland, Archival Embodiment in Science Fiction, is... Read More →
avatar for Patrick Thaddeus Jackson

Patrick Thaddeus Jackson

Professor and Associate Dean, American University
Patrick Thaddeus Jackson is Professor of International Studies and Associate Dean for Curriculum and Learning in the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC. In addition to his work in the philosophy of science and the politics of national and transnational... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Aisha Matthews

Aisha Matthews

Director of Literature Programs at Escape Velocity, Museum of Science Fiction
Aisha Matthews is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at Southern Methodist University, having finished her Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in early 2017. As an undergraduate at Yale (’13), she studied Young Adult Science Fiction Literature (alongside more... Read More →

Saturday September 2, 2017 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Harding (100)

12:00pm PDT

Electronic Skin Technology
Future devices will need to acquire more information about their surroundings in order to provide smarter responses. Our technology leads the way in design, manufacturing and deployment of multi-modal sensor skins that replicate or even surpass the performance of human skin. Our vision is to integrate our novel touch interfaces in every day objects so they can perceive touch.

Moderators
avatar for Josh Baptist

Josh Baptist

R&D Specialist, eSkin - University of Louisville
Josh is currently a R&D Specialist serving with with Next Generation Systems research group in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Louisville. His work that has been emphasized by research and development of electronic skin technology to improve... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Chris Robinson

Chris Robinson

Graduate Research Assistant, Next Gen Systems
Generally speaking, I like to talk with folks about just about anything. I started my academic career in college majoring in Math and Physics, and a pseudo-minor in Computer Science (there's a lot of math overlap, but only two lines on the diploma application) following a pretty geeky... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Stacy Bruss

Stacy Bruss

Director, Event Programming, Museum of Science Fiction
Stacy Bruss, MS, MSIS, is a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At NIST, she supports all Physical Measurement Laboratory researchers and manages the Innovation Hub, a center with 3-D printers, technology bar, data visualization tools... Read More →

Saturday September 2, 2017 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Hoover (100)

12:00pm PDT

CosFashion Show
A runway style Masquerade featuring seasoned emcees, showrunners, and the best collection of costumers,cosplayers, and fashionistas that EV has to offer.

Runway sign up will be on-going in the Exhibition Hall on friday,
Online runway sign up can be found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsEV2JNhL69tHM2GIvmcxnMMJn4C_Sn-0knEqLhOSzIbDZXg/viewform

Sign up is not required to sit in the Audience.

Moderators
avatar for Barbara Mabie-McClain

Barbara Mabie-McClain

Manager, Pop Culture Programs, The Museum of Science Fiction
Barbara, Is a Master Class costumer that has been sewing small things, crafting, and beading for over 20 years. In 2013 Barb discovered the convention scene while attending her first convention, PaxEast, and fell in love with costuming and cosplay since. She has her Cosmetology license... Read More →
avatar for Jason McClain

Jason McClain

Director, Pop Culture Programs, Museum Of Science Fiction
Jason is one half of Mabieknot Cosplay and Designs. Jason has been running various convention events for the past 13 years, but has been a long time fan of the pop culture convention scene. Jason has been crafting Costumes and props for far longer then that, and has been part of Masquerade... Read More →

Speakers
AH

Adam Hennessy

Co-Chairman of Anime USA 2018, 17 year convention veteran, creator of Anime Parliament.
avatar for Calixta Starr

Calixta Starr

Theatrical Fusion Performance Artist
Calixta Starr, when not performing a myriad of characters as a theatrical fusion belly dance artist, is a registered Dance/Movement therapist with her Masters in Creative Arts Therapy from Drexel University. She has been trained in both the Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) and the Kestenberg... Read More →

Artists
avatar for Calixta Starr

Calixta Starr

Theatrical Fusion Performance Artist
Calixta Starr, when not performing a myriad of characters as a theatrical fusion belly dance artist, is a registered Dance/Movement therapist with her Masters in Creative Arts Therapy from Drexel University. She has been trained in both the Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) and the Kestenberg... Read More →


Saturday September 2, 2017 12:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
2 - SouthEast (500)

1:15pm PDT

2017 Space Odyssey
Humans have continuously inhabited space on the International Space Station for almost 17 years. Companies are currently working to expand human presence in space, from suborbital to orbital and beyond. Learn from different companies across industry and the current and future plans for human spaceflight.

Moderators
avatar for Sirisha Bandla

Sirisha Bandla

Government Affairs, Virgin Galactic

Speakers
avatar for Michael Bear

Michael Bear

Technical Director, BAE Systems
Michael Bear is a Technical Director at BAE Systems in Manassas, Virginia. He over 30 years of experience in the electronics from advanced device reliability and ASIC design through systems architecture. He has served on both the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and National Academy... Read More →
avatar for Kris Lehnhardt

Kris Lehnhardt

Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
I am a medical doctor who specializes in Emergency Medicine, Aerospace Medicine, and Extreme Environmental Medicine. Talk to me about any human health and/or medicine in space topic!
avatar for Tommy Sanford

Tommy Sanford

Director, Commercial Spaceflight Federation
Tommy Sanford is the Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. Sanford has extensive experience in the aerospace sector including his most recent position at the Space Foundation, where he spent five years as Government Affairs Associate. At the Space Foundation, Tommy was... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Stacy Bruss

Stacy Bruss

Director, Event Programming, Museum of Science Fiction
Stacy Bruss, MS, MSIS, is a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At NIST, she supports all Physical Measurement Laboratory researchers and manages the Innovation Hub, a center with 3-D printers, technology bar, data visualization tools... Read More →

Saturday September 2, 2017 1:15pm - 2:15pm PDT
Hoover (100)

1:30pm PDT

The Big Score: The Evolution of the SF Soundtrack
We always know when Darth Vader is on the way, when James Bond is coming to the rescue, or when you’re entering the city limits of Bon Temps, Louisiana. Music forms an integral part of television and cinema, yet is rarely examined or celebrated. Or are there fans out there that collect soundtracks as some collect cards and comics? What is some of the best music from the genre? Where did soundtracks begin, and where are they headed musically?

Moderators
avatar for Tee Morris

Tee Morris

Author
Tee Morris has been writing science fiction, fantasy, horror, and non-fiction for over a decade. His first novel, MOREVI: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana, became the first novel to be podcast in its entirety, ushering in a new age for authors — podcasting. He went on with... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Karina DarJuan

Karina DarJuan

Director of Pop Culture, Escape VelocityAssistant Curator, Museum of Science FictionCurrently studying "Film and Fashion Makeup Design" at New Image College, Vancouver BC

Saturday September 2, 2017 1:30pm - 2:45pm PDT
Coolidge (100)

2:30pm PDT

The Journal of Science Fiction/CESK Anthology
Did you know that the Museum of Science Fiction sponsors a JOSF (Journal of Science Fiction)? Join us for a discussion with some of the contributors to learn about the Journal, what the process for contributing an academic article is like, and to learn a bit more about up and coming science fiction writers.

Moderators
avatar for Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna, PhD, MSB, is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Biomedical Sciences Division at WVSOM. Her PhD is in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy and she currently teaches medical gross anatomy and studies the biomechanics of locomotion. Her Masters is in bioethics, in which... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Catherine Asaro

Catherine Asaro

Two-time Nebula ® award winner Catherine Asaro writes science fiction, fantasy and thrillers, and has over twenty-seven novels, as well as many novellas, short stories and non-fiction. Her acclaimed “Ruby Dynasty series,” also known as “The Skolian Saga,” combines adventure, hard... Read More →
avatar for Joseph Hurtgen

Joseph Hurtgen

Joseph Hurtgen has a PhD in English Literature from Ball State University and teaches at Young Harris College. He has had journal articles published in Text in Context, Margaret Atwood Studies, The Quint, and JOSF. A book with McFarland, Archival Embodiment in Science Fiction, is... Read More →
avatar for Kiini Ibura

Kiini Ibura

Kiini Ibura Salaam is a writer, painter, and traveler from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her work is rooted in speculative events, women's perspectives, and artistic freedom. Her fiction has been published in such anthologies as Dark Matter, Mojo: Conjure Stories, Black Silk, and Dark Eros... Read More →
avatar for Melanie Marotta

Melanie Marotta

Melanie A. Marotta received her PhD in English from Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland. She is a Lecturer in the Department of English and Language Arts. Marotta is an editor for the Museum of Science Fiction’s Journal of Science Fiction and has been a member of the SFRA... Read More →
avatar for Moira O’Keeffe

Moira O’Keeffe

Moira O’Keeffe received her Ph.D. in Communication from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. Her contribution to the Journal of Science Fiction explores how informal science education can be tied to science fiction media.  She is an Associate... Read More →


Saturday September 2, 2017 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Harding (100)

3:45pm PDT

How did they Make That? 'Costume Edition'
Professional and hobbyist crafters and cosplayers discuss their construction methods and tricks they use to get their costumes finished.

Moderators
avatar for Barbara Mabie-McClain

Barbara Mabie-McClain

Manager, Pop Culture Programs, The Museum of Science Fiction
Barbara, Is a Master Class costumer that has been sewing small things, crafting, and beading for over 20 years. In 2013 Barb discovered the convention scene while attending her first convention, PaxEast, and fell in love with costuming and cosplay since. She has her Cosmetology license... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Lindsay Bartleson

Lindsay Bartleson

Geek Diva Cosplay
Lindsay Bartleson started cosplaying just three years ago, at her first convention, which was the first ReGeneration Who. She has gone on to win several craftsmanship, performance, and Best In Show awards. She is now a master level costumer. She also has been a performance judge... Read More →
avatar for Brandon Bloodworth

Brandon Bloodworth

Brandon Bloodworth is a graphic designer with a love of science fiction and fantasy, and has turned that into a passion for costuming and props, especially for Star Wars. He is a proud member of The Rebel Legion (Terrapin Base) as well as The Mandalorian Mercs (Kyrimorut Clan). He... Read More →
avatar for Katie Brenholtz

Katie Brenholtz

Kate Monster Cosplay
Kate Monster is an avid cosplayer right out of high school and has been doing it ever since. Playing Video games is her passion and creating costumes from them is just the extra fun thing to do. She has well over 50 costumes under her belt and is still making and wearing more.
avatar for Cody Irvine

Cody Irvine

Captain Cody Cosplay
About Me:My name is Cody and I'm one of the biggest dorks you'd ever meet. I enjoy making things and dressing up as superheroes and different characters that I like, so when I learned there was a name for that and places to do it where it's socially acceptable as an adult, I fell... Read More →
avatar for Tarisa Walker

Tarisa Walker

Fire Lily Cosplay
Fire Lily has been cosplaying since 2004.  She has won numerous awards such as Best In Show and Best Overall for her costume craftsmanship and presentation skills since 2006.  Fire Lily has served as the Head Judge and Judge wrangler for Katsucon's Masquerade Dept. for the last... Read More →


Saturday September 2, 2017 3:45pm - 5:00pm PDT
Hoover (100)

4:30pm PDT

First Contact: An Improvised Epic
High above an alien world, we meet the crew of the spaceship *NAME HERE*, they’ve come to *DO SOMETHING*, but they’re about to find out *SOMETHING ELSE*. Ok, we’re gonna need your help bringing the great sci-fi tropes to life.

Come watch some of DC’s nerdiest improvisers make up a sci-fi classic (we hope). Washington Improv Theater performers will create a long-form improv genre show playing on standard science fiction tropes, characters and narratives.


Speakers
MG

Marissa Goodstone

Washington Improv Theater
Marissa has been doing short form improv since she was little but decided she needed something a little longer in her life. Moving to longform in 2015, she completed WIT’s curriculum and has workshopped with Second City.
RK

Ryan Krull

Washington Improv Theater
Ryan was literally given the gift of improv for his birthday in January of 2013, and he has been addicted ever since. He performs with Going To The Movies Alone (a trio of experimental longform performers based of made up movies), Commonwealth (WIT house ensemble) and Ugh (an all-gay... Read More →
ML

Margaret Lee

Washington Improv Theater
Margaret likes eating pies and pretending to be a sea otter (both off and on stage). She has been improvising with the WIT ensemble Love Onion since 2015, but has loved onions her entire life.
VL

Virginia Lyon

Virginia's entrance into this world was unscripted and she's been improvising ever since. Like many, Virginia leaned into comedy as a method for making friends, getting out of self-dug holes, and not having to pay for therapy. 
KM

Kevin Mahoney

Washington Improv Theater
Kevin started being curt in 2015.
AM

Aaron Merrill

Washington Improv Theater
Aaron started taking improv classes in 2012, and hasn't stopped. Try and stop him. JUST TRY.
JN

Jamal Newman

Washington Improv Theater
A seasoned performer, Jamal studied and currently teaches and performs improv at WIT.
JR

Joe Randazzo

Washington Improv Theater
Joe has been doing comedy since 2000, studied at the Uprights Citizens Brigade in New York, Annoyance Theater in Chicago and at the DC Improv. He currently performs in the "Amazing" long running duo Jive Turkey, the "Spectacular" Sistine Robot, and the "Superior" Four Heads.  
ES

Elijah Sloan

Washington Improv Theater
Elijah Sloan started improvising in high school, or, more accurately, Elijah Sloan and his high school friends didn't write a single script for any of those sketches they filmed.

Volunteers
avatar for Jason McClain

Jason McClain

Director, Pop Culture Programs, Museum Of Science Fiction
Jason is one half of Mabieknot Cosplay and Designs. Jason has been running various convention events for the past 13 years, but has been a long time fan of the pop culture convention scene. Jason has been crafting Costumes and props for far longer then that, and has been part of Masquerade... Read More →

Saturday September 2, 2017 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
2 - SouthEast (500)

4:30pm PDT

Afrofuturism: Butler and Beyond
Afrofuturism can be characterized as an artistic movement - one that attempts to discover, recover, and reinvent the film, literature, and graphic art created by African-Americans and other Afro-diaspora peoples across the globe. Most fundamentally, literary Afrofuturism attempts to imagine a future in which black peoples and cultures have found a voice and gained visibility alongside or apart from traditional Eurocentric themes and traditions, which both respects the legacy of African-American and Afro-diaspora peoples and attempts to break free of the stereotypes and historical injustices that define so much of modern race-related thinking. This marriage of African-American literature and SF yields interesting discourses on race, gender, technology, and the face of the future. Scholars will discuss Afrofuturist literature, its legacy, its ethos, and its most pressing questions.

Moderators
avatar for Aisha Matthews

Aisha Matthews

Director of Literature Programs at Escape Velocity, Museum of Science Fiction
Aisha Matthews is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at Southern Methodist University, having finished her Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in early 2017. As an undergraduate at Yale (’13), she studied Young Adult Science Fiction Literature (alongside more... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for André Carrington

André Carrington

andré carrington is currently Assistant Professor of African American literature at Drexel University. His first book, Speculative Blackness: The Future of Race in Science Fiction (Minnesota, 2016) interrogates the cultural politics of race in the fantastic genres through studies... Read More →
avatar for Thaddeus Howze

Thaddeus Howze

Attendee, Krypton Radio
Thaddeus Howze is an award-winning writer, editor, podcaster and activist creating speculative fiction, scientific, political and cultural commentary from his office in Hayward, California. Thaddeus works as a writer and editor for two magazines, the Good Men Project, a men's magazine... Read More →
avatar for De Witt Douglas Kilgore

De Witt Douglas Kilgore

De Witt Douglas Kilgore is Associate Professor of English and American Studies at Indiana University.  He is the author of Astrofuturism: Science, Race and Visions of Utopia in Space (2003).  His recent work includes, “This Time for Africa!: Afrofuturism as Alternate (American... Read More →
avatar for Kristen Lillvis

Kristen Lillvis

Kristen Lillvis is an associate professor of English at Marshall University. She is the author of Posthuman Blackness and the Black Female Imagination (U of Georgia P, 2017), and the co-editor of Community Boundaries and Border Crossings: Critical Essays on Ethnic Women Writers... Read More →
avatar for Melanie Marotta

Melanie Marotta

Melanie A. Marotta received her PhD in English from Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland. She is a Lecturer in the Department of English and Language Arts. Marotta is an editor for the Museum of Science Fiction’s Journal of Science Fiction and has been a member of the SFRA... Read More →
avatar for Sheree Renée Thomas

Sheree Renée Thomas

Editor: The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
Sheree Renée Thomas, a 2022 Hugo Award Finalist, is an award-winning fiction writer, poet, and editor. Her work is inspired by myth and folklore, natural science and Mississippi Delta conjure. Nine Bar Blues: Stories from an Ancient Future (Third Man Books, May 2020) is her fir... Read More →


Saturday September 2, 2017 4:30pm - 6:30pm PDT
Wilson BC (190)

5:00pm PDT

Andrew Clark: Lego Fan to Set Designer
Andrew Clark, the designer of the Doctor Who Lego set, discusses his experience with designing for Lego, how his visions became multiple fan sets, and his love of Legos.

Moderators
AC

Andrew Clark

Lego Set Designer

Volunteers
avatar for Jason McClain

Jason McClain

Director, Pop Culture Programs, Museum Of Science Fiction
Jason is one half of Mabieknot Cosplay and Designs. Jason has been running various convention events for the past 13 years, but has been a long time fan of the pop culture convention scene. Jason has been crafting Costumes and props for far longer then that, and has been part of Masquerade... Read More →

Saturday September 2, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Harding (100)

6:30pm PDT

The Future of Drones
Remote control aircraft have been around for more 80 years, enabling mainstream hobbyists and professionals to enjoy capturing fantastic perspectives of world below. What does the future hold? This panel will discuss the future of drones beyond "remote control" --- perhaps a future where our packages are delivered by drones; or where huge swarms of drones light up and dance in unison for our entertainment; or where drones have become our flying robotic companions. Panelists will discuss the opportunities and limitations in robotics, artificial intelligence, and our society that are shaping this future.

Moderators
avatar for Dr. Christopher Vo

Dr. Christopher Vo

Chief Scientist, Sentien Robotics
Christopher Vo serves as the Chief Scientist for Sentien Robotics, developing technologies to improve robustness, scalability, and performance of autonomous unmanned systems. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from George Mason University, where he developed artificial intelligence... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Daniel Lofaro

Daniel Lofaro

Director, Lofaro Labs LLC
Daniel M. Lofaro is an Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at George Mason University. He is the director of Lofaro Labs LLC and the DASL Autonomous Systems Lab at GMU (DASL@GMU). From 2012-2014 he was the Research Lead of the DARPA Robotic... Read More →
avatar for Jon Resnick

Jon Resnick

Policy Lead, DJI
Policy Lead in Washington DC for DJI. Working to educate, advocate, illuminate and demystify the amazing potential for sUAS.I work on DJI’s policy efforts in Washington DC with a focus on promoting best practices and effective regulations. I work on issues related to operator and... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Stacy Bruss

Stacy Bruss

Director, Event Programming, Museum of Science Fiction
Stacy Bruss, MS, MSIS, is a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At NIST, she supports all Physical Measurement Laboratory researchers and manages the Innovation Hub, a center with 3-D printers, technology bar, data visualization tools... Read More →

Saturday September 2, 2017 6:30pm - 7:30pm PDT
Hoover (100)

6:45pm PDT

I, the Alien; or the Alien as Self
Sci fi narratives are often seen as an excellent place to explore foreign entities and species. It is also a unique tool to explain the alien as self. This panel will explore the usage of alien narratives to represent the alienated self as a representation of people who have been pushed aside, ignored, or rendered invisible. This panel asks: How do sci fi narratives give voice to populations and individuals who are seen as alien or other?

Moderators
avatar for Kiini Ibura

Kiini Ibura

Kiini Ibura Salaam is a writer, painter, and traveler from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her work is rooted in speculative events, women's perspectives, and artistic freedom. Her fiction has been published in such anthologies as Dark Matter, Mojo: Conjure Stories, Black Silk, and Dark Eros... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Thaddeus Howze

Thaddeus Howze

Attendee, Krypton Radio
Thaddeus Howze is an award-winning writer, editor, podcaster and activist creating speculative fiction, scientific, political and cultural commentary from his office in Hayward, California. Thaddeus works as a writer and editor for two magazines, the Good Men Project, a men's magazine... Read More →
avatar for De Witt Douglas Kilgore

De Witt Douglas Kilgore

De Witt Douglas Kilgore is Associate Professor of English and American Studies at Indiana University.  He is the author of Astrofuturism: Science, Race and Visions of Utopia in Space (2003).  His recent work includes, “This Time for Africa!: Afrofuturism as Alternate (American... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Lobasz

Jennifer Lobasz

Jennifer K. Lobasz is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware, with a joint appointment in the Department of Women and Gender Studies. Dr. Lobasz's research and teaching interests include feminist international... Read More →
avatar for Sheree Renée Thomas

Sheree Renée Thomas

Editor: The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
Sheree Renée Thomas, a 2022 Hugo Award Finalist, is an award-winning fiction writer, poet, and editor. Her work is inspired by myth and folklore, natural science and Mississippi Delta conjure. Nine Bar Blues: Stories from an Ancient Future (Third Man Books, May 2020) is her fir... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna

Jandy Hanna, PhD, MSB, is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Biomedical Sciences Division at WVSOM. Her PhD is in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy and she currently teaches medical gross anatomy and studies the biomechanics of locomotion. Her Masters is in bioethics, in which... Read More →

Saturday September 2, 2017 6:45pm - 7:45pm PDT
Wilson BC (190)

7:00pm PDT

2017 Film & Education Awards
We are pleased to celebrate the winners of our annual film festival and our International Deep Ocean Research and Robotics Competion.

Truly a red carpet event, preceded by cocktails, listen to our keynote speaker Dr. Mason Peck as he proclaims the ingenuity of the the 1st Junior High School of Athens, Greece for their entry, "Hydrobot conversion to an electronically controlled robot vehicle."

Then, await with anticipation to see which film makers will take home the coveted "Maria".

Moderators
avatar for Mason Peck

Mason Peck

Associate Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University
Dr. Peck is an Associate Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University and is a former NASA Chief Technologist. He has also worked at Boeing and Honeywell. His research interests include space-systems architecture and satellite flight dynamics. Among other... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Paul Oehlers

Paul Oehlers

Director, Escape Velocity Film Festival, Museum of Science Fiction
Paul A. Oehlers is most recognized for his “extraordinarily evocative” film scores. (Variety) Films incorporating his music have won the Grand Jury prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival, the Atlanta International Film Festival, and the Indiefest Film Festival. In addition... Read More →

Volunteers

Saturday September 2, 2017 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
2 - SouthEast (500)

7:30pm PDT

Alternative Sports and Gaming
Nowadays, when we hear the word game, we often think video game, especially when it comes to multiplayer Indie games. But what if I told you there are competitive Indie games that don't involve a screen? Like traditional sports, alternative sports involve multiplayer physical play. In this Alternative Sports and Gaming panel, you'll learn briefly about what alternative sports are, where you can find them, and then have the opportunity to play two: Johann Sebastian Joust and our very own Hermitug.

Speakers
avatar for Joe Cox

Joe Cox

Joe Cox is an artist, filmmaker, and game designer. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Ohio University Honors Tutorial College with a bachelors of science in Media Arts and Studies with a certificate in Museum Studies. He is co-founder and one-half of the media studio Seemingly... Read More →
avatar for James Earl Cox III

James Earl Cox III

Digital Wizard, Seemingly Pointless
Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2017, James Earl Cox III completed a self-set challenge of making 100 games in 5 years. Co-founder of Seemingly Pointless, he holds a masters degree from the University of Southern California in Interactive Media and Game Design and is a Miami University... Read More →

Volunteers

Saturday September 2, 2017 7:30pm - 8:30pm PDT
Harding (100)

8:00pm PDT

What's Gender Got to Do With It?
In the wake of the inauguration day Women’s March and chilling book-to-screen adaptations such as Hulu’s new retelling of Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, science fiction narratives exploring gender, both within the constraints of the traditional gender binary and in the postmodern mode of gender as performance, are in high demand. This discussion will explore unique (and not-so-unique) representations of gender throughout science and speculative fiction literatures, and ultimately debate the extent of the progress that contemporary authors have made in the direction of gender equality in science fiction.

Moderators
avatar for Jennifer Lobasz

Jennifer Lobasz

Jennifer K. Lobasz is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware, with a joint appointment in the Department of Women and Gender Studies. Dr. Lobasz's research and teaching interests include feminist international... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Catherine Asaro

Catherine Asaro

Two-time Nebula ® award winner Catherine Asaro writes science fiction, fantasy and thrillers, and has over twenty-seven novels, as well as many novellas, short stories and non-fiction. Her acclaimed “Ruby Dynasty series,” also known as “The Skolian Saga,” combines adventure, hard... Read More →
avatar for Rebecca Holden

Rebecca Holden

Rebecca J. Holden is a fan and scholar of feminist science fiction. She earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has been teaching in the Professional Writing Program at the University of Maryland, College Park since 2008.  She has published... Read More →
avatar for Kiini Ibura

Kiini Ibura

Kiini Ibura Salaam is a writer, painter, and traveler from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her work is rooted in speculative events, women's perspectives, and artistic freedom. Her fiction has been published in such anthologies as Dark Matter, Mojo: Conjure Stories, Black Silk, and Dark Eros... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Aisha Matthews

Aisha Matthews

Director of Literature Programs at Escape Velocity, Museum of Science Fiction
Aisha Matthews is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at Southern Methodist University, having finished her Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in early 2017. As an undergraduate at Yale (’13), she studied Young Adult Science Fiction Literature (alongside more... Read More →

Saturday September 2, 2017 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Wilson BC (190)
 
Sunday, September 3
 

11:00am PDT

The Law of Star Trek
Is Data a person? Is being a redshirt an inherently dangerous occupation? Join us as we explore the role of law in the Star Trek universe.

Moderators
avatar for Mark Lemley

Mark Lemley

Stanford University
Mark Lemley is the William H. Neukom Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and the Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology. He teaches intellectual property, computer and internet law, patent law, trademark law, antitrust, and remedies. He is the author of... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Bethany Bengfort

Bethany Bengfort

Bethany Bengfort is an IP litigator and tech enthusiast who is best known for her accidental collection of medieval weaponry, her ability to play games for inhuman periods of time, and, of course, her love of science fiction. Having been told many times by her mother about how she... Read More →
avatar for Nari Ely

Nari Ely

Nari Ely is an Associate Attorney at Kirkland & Ellis in D.C. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she studied political science and economics. Nari is among the top 2% of Paragon players, and hopes to achieve Master League... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Charles Hildebrandt

Charles Hildebrandt

Production Counsel, Museum of Science Fiction
Charles represents, advises, and litigates on behalf of clients in commercial, copyright, and entertainment law matters, including film, television, publishing, games, and music production, licensing, and distribution. Charles has over 20 years of experience negotiating and drafting... Read More →

Sunday September 3, 2017 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Wilson BC (190)

11:15am PDT

The Future of Finance
Banking will be the next industry completely disrupted by technology. Blockchain, machine learning, AI, apps, and bio-identification are exciting, scary, and changing everything. Come to this panel to see what will happen to your money in the future, that is, if you even have money.

Moderators
Speakers
avatar for Jason Aspiotis

Jason Aspiotis

CEO, Founder, Finsophy Inc.
I am the Founder & CEO of Finsophy Inc - a marketplace for socially responsible retail banking products. Looking for potential bank partners, seed investors, Banking-as-a-Platform companies, and loan marketplace providers.
avatar for Michael Brett

Michael Brett

CEO, QxBranch
Michael Brett is Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of QxBranch and is leading the company’s mission to solve challenging analytical problems through the power of quantum computers. An expert in complex systems, he has extensive experience developing and accelerating adoption... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Stacy Bruss

Stacy Bruss

Director, Event Programming, Museum of Science Fiction
Stacy Bruss, MS, MSIS, is a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At NIST, she supports all Physical Measurement Laboratory researchers and manages the Innovation Hub, a center with 3-D printers, technology bar, data visualization tools... Read More →

Sunday September 3, 2017 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
3 - North (250)

1:30pm PDT

Artificial Intelligence: How Close Are We...and How SAFE Are We?
When it comes to AI in Science Fiction, it’s a bit of a crap shoot. With movies like Star Wars and video games like Destiny, AIs are the best friends you can ask for; while the Terminator Franchise, the Alien Franchise, 2001, and (again!) Destiny paint AI as intelligence ready to wipe out mankind as we know it. So how close are we to true AI and exactly how safe are we? What are the ethics involved in this science?

Moderators
avatar for Tee Morris

Tee Morris

Author
Tee Morris has been writing science fiction, fantasy, horror, and non-fiction for over a decade. His first novel, MOREVI: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana, became the first novel to be podcast in its entirety, ushering in a new age for authors — podcasting. He went on with... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Josh Baptist

Josh Baptist

R&D Specialist, eSkin - University of Louisville
Josh is currently a R&D Specialist serving with with Next Generation Systems research group in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Louisville. His work that has been emphasized by research and development of electronic skin technology to improve... Read More →
avatar for Joe Haldeman

Joe Haldeman

writer, MIT
Joe Haldeman is an American science fiction author and combat veteran of Vietnam. He is best known for his 1974 novel The Forever War. That novel, and other of his works including, The Hemingway Hoax (1991) and Forever Peace (1997), have won major science fiction awards including... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Karina DarJuan

Karina DarJuan

Director of Pop Culture, Escape VelocityAssistant Curator, Museum of Science FictionCurrently studying "Film and Fashion Makeup Design" at New Image College, Vancouver BC

Sunday September 3, 2017 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
Coolidge (100)

1:30pm PDT

Gender Portrayals in Sci-Fi Literature
In an age where non-traditional gender expression has challenged the heteronormative status quo, the question of gender in science fiction opens up a world of possibilities. But despite our immense progress in human understanding on this issue, much science fiction literature still represents gender in a binary framework, and seems anchored to traditionalist gender roles and character portrayals throughout the genre. Presentations will comment on the ways in which our modern notions of gender shape our speculations on the future, most specifically, in the contexts of posthumanism, transhumanism and artificial intelligence.

Speakers
avatar for Erin DeYoung

Erin DeYoung

Presenting "Only a Fragment of What I Had Been”: The Use of the Gender Neutral Pronoun in Ancillary Justice" Erin DeYoung received her PhD from Trinity College Dublin in English Literature. She currently teaches at Savannah State University. She has published articles for The Gale... Read More →
avatar for Karissa Underwood

Karissa Underwood

Presenting "The End-of-the-World Heroine We Need: Gender in The Girl With All the Gifts" Karissa Underwood is a student at the University of Colorado Denver, in the midst of earning a Master of Arts in English with a certification in women/gender studies and an endorsement as a school... Read More →
avatar for Johana-Marie Williams

Johana-Marie Williams

Presenting "Motherhood, Race, and Transhumanism in Extant" Johana-Marie Williams received her Masters in Applied Social Science from the History and Political Science program at Florida A&M University. She is a historian focusing on Black women and femme’s relationships with each... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Aisha Matthews

Aisha Matthews

Director of Literature Programs at Escape Velocity, Museum of Science Fiction
Aisha Matthews is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at Southern Methodist University, having finished her Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in early 2017. As an undergraduate at Yale (’13), she studied Young Adult Science Fiction Literature (alongside more... Read More →

Sunday September 3, 2017 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
Harding (100)

1:30pm PDT

Insights Needed Wrap-Up: Give Us Your Feedback on Video Games and Engagement Preliminary Analysis
In Friday’s session here at Escape Velocity we talked about what makes video games engaging and how we can think about optimizing engagement from a health perspective.  At this session we will present our preliminary results and ask for feedback on our analysis from all who attend. Did we capture the main ideas? Are there important points that we need to bring out further? The session is not limited to those who attended Friday; everyone is welcome to provide feedback and help us learn!  (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study Multi-stakeholder consensus development in video game research, IRB# 6931, PI Alain Labrique, Ph.D.)

Moderators
avatar for Michelle Colder Carras

Michelle Colder Carras

Michelle is a public mental health researcher and gamer devoted to changing the public health conversation around gaming. Her work explores the boundary between healthy and problematic gaming and how gaming can help mental health. She uses fancy statistics as well as interviews to... Read More →

Volunteers

Sunday September 3, 2017 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
Hoover (100)

3:00pm PDT

Inter-Faith Service
Moderators
avatar for Holly Jackson

Holly Jackson

Pastor, United Church of Christ of Seneca Valley
The Reverend Holly R. Jackson became pastor at UCCSV in August 2016. Previously, she served as the Minister of Christian Education at Hope UCC in Alexandria, VA. As someone who is passionate about children and families, Holly has also spent time a Stay-at-Home Parent and a School... Read More →
avatar for Mark Schaefer

Mark Schaefer

University Chaplain, American University
Mark is the tenth University Chaplain in American University's history, appointed to the position in September 2016 after having served for 14 years as AU's United Methodist Chaplain. He is a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary and is an ordained elder in the Baltimore-Washington... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Stacy Bruss

Stacy Bruss

Director, Event Programming, Museum of Science Fiction
Stacy Bruss, MS, MSIS, is a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At NIST, she supports all Physical Measurement Laboratory researchers and manages the Innovation Hub, a center with 3-D printers, technology bar, data visualization tools... Read More →

Sunday September 3, 2017 3:00pm - 4:15pm PDT
6 - East (250)

3:00pm PDT

Citizen Astronauts
In the past year, humanity has witnessed Elon Musk’s declaration of SpaceX’s ambition to initiate full-scale settlement of Mars by the 2030s. Humanity has also witnessed:
 
  • Jeff Bezos setting up Blue Origin to become the “Union Pacific Railroad” for the Moon
  • Goldman Sachs substantiating the economic viability of mining asteroids
  • Luxembourg beginning what is starting to sound like the “Luxembourg Space Trading Co.”
  • Potential China and Europe collaboration on a Moon Village in the 2020s
 
This all sounds like a much-anticipated prequel to SyFy’s series “The Expanse”. But in all seriousness, human expansion into the Solar System is slowly, but steadily, becoming a reality within our lifetimes.
So when can we, regular citizens, go up there to live out our dreams of human Space exploration, tourism, or even settlement?
This panel will introduce and explore two innovative organizations and how they are embarking on two unique journeys to bring about a bold and synergistic vision: democratized access to Space for regular citizens - Citizen Astronauts.
Space For Humanity is a non-profit organization that will select a Citizen Astronaut to travel to the edge of space at the end of 2018. Their longer-term vision is to send selected groups into Low Earth Orbit by 2022, the moon by 2027 and deep space by 2030. The Space For Humanity mantra: Granting the Gift of Perspective, so that Citizen Astronauts can become the ambassadors to inspire the current and future generations towards our progressive expansion into the solar system and beyond.
SpaceVault (parent company Finsophy Inc.) is a for-profit corporation that will offer citizens the ability to open a dedicated savings account for future personal Space travel, earn financial rewards, and in the meanwhile financially support the emerging commercial Space industry with their underlying bank deposits. SpaceVault’s mantra: Savings Account with a Purpose, reflects their aspiration to empower non-1% citizens around the world to finance their Citizen Astronaut aspirations while helping appropriate more capital in support of the burgeoning commercial Space industry.
 

Moderators
avatar for Michael Bear

Michael Bear

Technical Director, BAE Systems
Michael Bear is a Technical Director at BAE Systems in Manassas, Virginia. He over 30 years of experience in the electronics from advanced device reliability and ASIC design through systems architecture. He has served on both the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and National Academy... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Jason Aspiotis

Jason Aspiotis

CEO, Founder, Finsophy Inc.
I am the Founder & CEO of Finsophy Inc - a marketplace for socially responsible retail banking products. Looking for potential bank partners, seed investors, Banking-as-a-Platform companies, and loan marketplace providers.
avatar for Rebecca Schaeffer

Rebecca Schaeffer

Executive Director, Space for Humanity
I am the Executive Director for Space for Humanity, a non-profit focused on growing the commercial space industry by providing public access to space beginning 2018 | Seeking diverse applicants for an all-expenses paid journey on the Worldview Space vehicle.

Volunteers
avatar for Stacy Bruss

Stacy Bruss

Director, Event Programming, Museum of Science Fiction
Stacy Bruss, MS, MSIS, is a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At NIST, she supports all Physical Measurement Laboratory researchers and manages the Innovation Hub, a center with 3-D printers, technology bar, data visualization tools... Read More →

Sunday September 3, 2017 3:00pm - 4:15pm PDT
3 - North (250)
 


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