How does our history of exploration and identity shape our imagined future in space? How has our past limited us? And, how can science and science fiction help us to transcend these limitations with fuller understanding, broader imagination, and true curiosity? These two speakers are experts on the relationship between past and future.

Dr. Bet&uum;l Kaçar is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Kaçar leads a NASA-funded astrobiology research center and her own molecular paleobiology laboratory. Across research endeavors, Betül explores fundamental questions about how life originated and evolved on Earth and how we find life beyond our solar system. She has previously partnered with UN Women to expand representation in STEM and delivered a TED talk discussing the implications of solving the origins of life problem at the universal scale. Her team’s work has appeared on NOVA, BBC, CNN, PBS, Wired and more.

Dr. Nnedi Okorafor is a Nigerian-American author, best known for her science fiction stories exploring identity and heritage. Her multiple award-winning Binti series prompts readers to think critically about human and cultural significance, challenging sci-fi tropes of human development while drawing the reader into a deeply personal narrative. Dr. Okorafor holds a PhD in literature and has written for comics, television, and movies in addition to her short stories and novels. She is a popular speaker on African Futurism. Her newest novel, Noor, is due out in November 2021.