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Wednesday, October 2, 2019 – 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Networking Reception Hosted and Sponsored by Woodford Reserve Distillery

Thursday, October 3, 2019 9:00am – 3:00pm
Seminar at University of Kentucky Student Center 

Overview:

The Space and Humanity Seminar is part of an emerging initiative involving an interdisciplinary group of creative thinkers in the humanities, biology, philosophy, economics, space business, and exploration, etc., dedicated to addressing and better preparing for the continued expansion of human civilization into space.

 

Perspective:

With human civilization having now become a spacefaring species, it’s important to couple the discussion involving the ongoing science and technology challenges with a serious conversation surrounding the implications for us as humans...as we fully embrace space as part of our living experience. 

Each time humans have ventured beyond their local surroundings to explore and ultimately live in new worlds...a reimagining and expansion of what it is to be human has followed.  Influences can be seen in philosophy, the arts, history, science, etc. And while our quest to explore has led us across vast oceans and seemingly impassible terrain it has never taken us off planet Earth to live.

Achieving success here, whatever that may ultimately mean will require a combination of relentless technological innovation but also a rethinking of and evolution in the various qualities that define us as humans. This must by necessity include a deep consideration surrounding the extension of humans through AI and robots. 

The format for the workshop will be a moderated roundtable discussion. Parts or all of the seminar will be videoed as part of the documentation process. At the conclusion of the workshop, and following an opportunity for written feedback, a decision on next steps in the process will be made.


Questions to be addressed include but are limited to:

  • What does it mean to be human?

  • The historical experience of human exploration on Earth.

  • The present history of human “civilization” in space.

  • After billions of years of evolution (physical, social, cultural, etc.) ... can we actually prepare ourselves to leave Earth and effectively live and thrive in space/on another planet? This includes questions surrounding human reproduction in microgravity.

  • Physical, psychological, philosophical and architectural challenges and perhaps barriers to living off the planet.

  • What role can the humanities play in helping a spacefaring people sustain themselves and their humanness? 

 

Seminar Team Included:

  • Kris Kimel – Co-Founder, Space Tango

  • Phil Kraemer - Psychologist, Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence, University of Kentucky

  • Michelle Lucas - President, Higher Orbits Inc.

  • Bill Goodman - Director, Kentucky Humanities

  • Sanford Goldberg - Professor of Philosophy, Northwestern University

  • Thomas M. Martin - Center for Economic Development Entrepreneurship & Technology at Eastern Kentucky University

  • Greg Schmidt - Director, NASA Solar System Exploration Virtual Institute

  • Ryan Chylinski - Cosmic Perspective

  • Luke Bradley - Synthetic Biologist, University of Kentucky  

  • Suketu Bhavsar - Astrophysicist at CalPoly and Director of the Kellogg Honors College

  • Elizabeth Swanson - Artist and Associate Professor of Architecture, University of Kentucky

  • Laurie Provin - Partner Services Manager, ISS National Laboratory

  • Dean Rader - Writer and Poet, University of San Francisco

  • Nat Irvin - Futurist, College of Business, University of Louisville

  • June Sargent - Marketing Strategist, Brand Builder in San Francisco

  • Erin Crites - Theatre Artist and Vice President, Clowns Without Borders

  • Kenneth Human - Space Policy and Law, Former NASA Executive

  • Timothy Harlan M.D. - Chef, Head of Culinary Medicine Institute at Tulane University

  • Melynda Price - Director, Gaines Center for the Humanities, University of Kentucky

  • Scott Solomon - Bioscientist and Author of “Future Humans: Inside the Science of Our Continuing Evolution”

  • MaryLiz Bender - Cosmic Perspective

  • Joel Sercel - CEO of TransAstra and CTO of Momentus

  • Frank White - Space Philosopher and Historian

  • Savannah Mandel – Space Anthropologist

  • Rich Boling – Vice President of Corporate Advancement, Techshot, Inc.

  • Mark Stanley – College of Architecture and Design, University of Tennessee

  • Michael Read – Manager, Commercial Space Utilization, NASA Johnson Space Center

  • Arthur Rouse – Senior Producer, The Media Collaboratory

  • Dan Forte – VP of Programming, The Kentucky Center for the Arts

  • Twyman Clements – President and CEO, Space Tango

  • Terry Samuel, President, Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation

  • David Brin, Scientist and Science Fiction Writer

  • Nicole Stott, Astronaut...Artist

*Seminar Facilitator:  Mat Kaplan – Producer and Host, Planetary Radio, The Planetary Society

 

Presenting Sponsor:

Space Tango

 

Lead Sponsors:

Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence, University of Kentucky

Kentucky Humanities

Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation

Kentucky Center for the Arts

Techshot, Inc.

Woodford Reserve

 

Sponsors:

Cosmic Perspective 

Eastern Kentucky University

Gaines Center for the Humanities, University of Kentucky

Hilliard-Lyons (a Baird Company)

NASA Solar System Exploration Virtual Institute

Pinnacle Productions 

Rose Grasch Camenisch Mains Law Firm

University of Kentucky College of Medicine

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