9:00-9:45 – Creative Character Design for Narrative Writing with Bryan Tillman Bryan Tillman, author of Focal Press’s Creative Character Design, talks about ways to bridge the gap between the technique of drawing characters and the theory of good character design. Topics include archetypes, color, design, silhouettes, story, and much more.
10:00-10:45 – Creating an interactive classroom with Makey Makey and DC Coder Kids Makey Makey is a super cool kit that allows you to turn just about any conductive object into a controller for a computer. That means you can use bananas, lemons, limes, play-doh, cups of water, pieces of aluminum foil, and even other people to control games, make music, and much more! In this workshop we will show you the basics of connecting the Makey Makey, determining which materials will work with it, and using it with a computer. Bring a laptop with the Scratch 2.0 Offline Editor installed (https://scratch.mit.edu/download) and a Makey Makey if you have one. We'll have some loaner Makey Makey kits to share, and a bunch of conductive materials for experimentation.
11:00 -11:45 – Hack the Sun with Dr. Odenwald In this workshop, you will learn some very basic things about our sun that you can ‘hack’ using your smartphone. We will explore free apps that let you measure the sun’s brightness, track its path across the sky, estimate its temperature, and check out its sunspots and corona. We will also explore its interaction with Earth by measuring the electrical power it can generate in a solar panel, check whether magnetic storms are happening, and see whether aurora will be visible. During the workshop, we will also brainstorm ideas for experiments that we can perform with these apps that stimulate curiosity and personal exploration of the sun and its terrestrial effects, and turn every child into a Citizen Explorer!
12:00-12:45 – Mutants, Elves, & Aliens: Teaching Science Fiction & Fantasy to Gifted Students Josh Shaine Sometimes kids feel disconnected from their communities and schools and start wondering if they are changelings or aliens. Regardless of whether they attend traditional school or are homeschooled, these quirky, intense, inquisitive kids experience a connection gap between themselves and the children around them that can manifest in a sharp feeling of alienation. They seek like minds to form groups where they can find their "home planet," and at last be themselves. Through Science Fiction and Fantasy, these children can form connections to literature, their classmates, and even the world beyond. In this session, we will discuss techniques that work and those that don't, cover specific materials, and address issues that can arise in such courses. Discover how to help these amazing children "find their people" through Science Fiction and Fantasy!
1:00-1:45 - Striving and Thriving in the Technological Future From HAL 9000 and the CYLONS, Frankenstein and Planet of the Apes, Science Fictions warn of the dangers of technology and science run amok. Join Dr. Manorama Talaiver in exploring the International Society for Technology in Education Student Standards and using the standards to facilitate, organize, and personalize learning experiences for your students/children through digital storytelling projects and develop creative communication, critical thinking, and imagination.
Continental breakfast and light lunch to be provided.
Join us as we celebrate Escape Velocity 2018! Greg Viggiano, Executive Director of the Museum of Science Fiction, will open the ceremony with a welcome and introduction of our featured speaker, Paul Fenwick. Following the keynote will be the presentation of the Escape Velocity 2018 Film Festival Awards. To wrap up the ceremony, the Fashion Show will highlight the entrants in the Costume Competition before the Competition Awards are revealed.
AGENDA
6:30pm – Welcome: Greg Viggiano
6:35pm – Keynote: The Future Is Awesome! - Paul Fenwick
7:00pm – Film Festival Awards: Paul Oehlers
7:30pm – Fashion Show and Costume Competition Awards: Jason and Barb McClain
As a celebration of the importance of fashion and costume design to creating rich worlds and expanding our imaginations, the Museum of Science Fiction is holding a costume competition and fashion show. This competition is open to all students, designers, costumers/cosplayers, and artists. Finalists from this competition will present their creations during this fashion show, then find out who won the awards, as judged by our esteemed panel.
When people think of bioengineering, their thoughts often run to the macabre. Frankenstein, Walkers, Caribbean pirates, and all manner of zombies haunt, crawl, and shamble to the forefront of their minds. However, in the real world bioengineering isn’t that scary. We live in a world where lives can be saved, organs can be grown or 3-D printed and new discoveries are constantly on the horizon.
Join us as our NSF-funded experts and entrepreneurs in tissue-engineering and soft materials printing gather to discuss the current state of the art and imagine the future possibilities.
Walt Disney is well-known for animation, theme parks, and Mickey Mouse, but his real passion was using technology to help shape a prosperous, peaceful future for everyone. From Walt's creation of the first sync-sound animation in 1928 to his unrealized dream of EPCOT, an experimental city that passed on with him in 1966, documentary filmmaker Christian Moran tells the amazing story of how technology created by Walt and the Disney Studio entertained and changed the world.
Discover how Walt helped the Allies win WWII, served as the catalyst for the creation of NASA, and invented the first theatrical surround-sound system, while pioneering new paths in robotics, transportation, and urban planning. This discussion will shatter the lies and negative myths that have grown up about Disney since his death, and paint a picture of him as a progressive who believed humanity could build a better world for all peoples.
Nick & Troy-Jeffrey Allen are the creators of FIGHT OF THE CENTURY, a biopunk sports drama. Join them as they discuss sports, science, "cheating to win", and how all these things inspired the creation of their wide-screen sci-fi epic.
Space is limited to 20 attendees, so please add this to your My Sched to reserve a spot!
