Sci X Sci-Fi Kickoff and Fireside Discussion: Writing and Building a Sustainable Future
Imagine a future you are excited to live in, that you can’t wait to get to. If it’s difficult, you’re not alone. Dystopic visions of the future dominate popular culture, but what if we empower each other with hope by letting ourselves dream? That’s why Yale Planetary Solutions is launching Sci X Sci-Fi, a new conversation between world builders and those discovering, innovating, and inventing.
The series will open with our first creator-in-residence, journalist and science fiction author Annalee Newitz. The fireside discussion with Annalee and Carl Zimmer, Yale lecturer and New York Times writer, will center on visions of a future world where societal structures are more equitable, and solutions to environmental problems have been found. A short reading by Annalee will be followed by a discussion between the speakers. Grab a raffle ticket to be entered to win a free copy of Annalee's book, The Terraformers, and RSVP to join us for light refreshments after the talk.
Why science fiction? Hope and optimism. Sci-Fi can depict anything from apocalyptic scenarios to utopian futures and everything in between. This event series welcomes an exploration of the full spectrum, with a focus on conceivable pathways to a more desirable tomorrow. By articulating the innovations and actions that would be necessary to realize a sustainable, resilient, thriving, prosperous future, we can inspire the science, technology, policies, communications, and behavior changes required to get there.
Through creative outlets like fiction, which depicts what could be, new ideas that at first seem fantastical can begin to take shape. When shared widely, dreams begin to seem more realistic, and they can lead to new ways of solving planetary challenges with practical solutions.