September 28, 2017 9:00 pm

StarTalk Fan and Patreon Patron To Co-Host FREE 5-Day, Online Space, Science and SciFi (S3) Summit

Today’s guest post is by Ron Sparkman. Ron is a space and science digital marketer and science communicator. As a physics undergrad, he is also the founder of UpportunityU, co-creator of I Love Mars, Senior Media Executive for Beyond Our Sight and co-hosts of the Mars Society’s Red Planet Radio. Ron is also a StarTalk fan and Patreon Patron that has been to a half dozen events via the Patreon community. Find Ron on all social media platforms: @UpportunityU.

The Space, Science, and SciFi (S3) Summit is coming to World Space Week, October 3-7th, with 30+ of today’s top space, science, & SciFi authorities from around the world. The S3 summit is an all online, 5-day summit created for anyone in the world to experience what it is like at top space events. And it’s free!

My name is Ron Sparkman, and, along with Bill Hargenrader, I am one of “The Mars Guys” and the co-host of the S3 summit. Unlike so many big names in the science world, I am relatively new to the science communication game. So the story of how Bill and I created this summit is not the typical tale of how a space event comes together. But before I get to that, let me whet your appetite for who will be featured in this one-of-a-kind event!

Participants include The Martian author Andy Weir, Former ISS Commander Leroy Chiao, Dark Matter’s Joseph Mallozzi, Anthony Lemke and Jodelle Ferland, StarTalk’s Director of Operations and science fiction author Jeffrey Simons, best-selling author and StarTalk All-Stars Host David Grinspoon, National Academy of Sciences (SciFi Liaison) Ann Merchant, NASA’s Director of Planetary Sciences Jim Green, Universe Today’s Fraser Cain, Editor in Chief of Astronomy Magazine David Eicher, and dozens more!

Space, Science and SciFi Summit logo

Now for my story:

StarTalk, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and the hosts of StarTalk All-Stars changed the course of my life. When I happened upon the premiere of Cosmos, I was at a point in my life where I was as successful as I was stagnant. I was “comfortably” complacent in the cushy lifestyle my D.J. career had provided for me. But, I wasn’t happy, even though I had achieved the so-called “American Dream”.

I was a man without a purpose, but that was all about to change.

Within the first 15 minutes of watching Cosmos, as Neil shared what I can only describe as poetry from writers Ann Druyan and Steven Soter, I was in awe. (“Feeling a little small?” Why, yes… how did you know?) I suffered a bit of whiplash as I snapped back into reality during the first commercial break. What had I been missing?! Reeling from my epiphany, I understood I had wasted far too much time on superficial things, and there was more to learn “out there” than I could ever imagine. It was time to get going.

Following that first episode, my life took a sharp turn. I was driven to absorb everything I could about space and science. Long nights out with friends became quiet nights at home with past episodes of How The Universe Works and StarTalk. I wasn’t even entirely convinced that I, a D.J. without a high school diploma, could even understand the most complicated questions of the universe, but I soldiered on despite my insecurities.

I read and listened to every book I could find on Amazon, watched every space T.V. show, and followed every credible social media space page. I was driven beyond the ideas of what I thought was possible and found myself interested in subjects that didn’t directly have anything to do with the universe–or did they?

Biology. Chemistry. Geology. I suddenly found myself on a path that I could not veer from; one that led to my G.E.D., the pursuit of a college degree in astrophysics, and even to the bottom of the top of the world via a trek through the Himalayas to Everest Base Camp. All starting at the age of 33.

It would eventually dawn on me that, if space could make me aspire to be more, then it could do that for absolutely anyone, and I had to do whatever I could to evangelize this thing I had come to love so much. As Carl said, “When you’re in love, you want to tell the world.” Thus, my passion project UpportunityU.com was born.

Screen captures of Ron Sparkman skyping with Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Bucket list: Getting to interview Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Now, as the UppU team and community nears its three-year anniversary, the dream of what it could become has surpassed anything I could have imagined. Its success has led to countless connections, interviews, and even partnerships with the people I have looked up to over the last few years. The most important of those partnerships has been with my co-host for the S3 Summit, Bill Hargenrader.

As the co-creators of the I Love Mars social media community and co-hosts of The Mars Society’s Red Planet Radio, we have become known as “The Mars Guys”. The space community at large inspired us to start speaking at a variety of different conferences including the The Mars Society Convention and the Humans To Mars Summit. We even had the pleasure of attending one of the StarTalk Patreon events and spending time with the incredible team behind the scenes. The work that Jeff Simons, Stacey David Severn, Sarah Cotten, et al have put into making the community feel like family is something special. Seriously, if you haven’t been to one of the Saturnalia parties yet, you’re missing out. But I digress.

Mai La Thai's photo of StarTalk All-Access and Patrons Invitation Only Facebook Live Event. Shown, from Left to Right: Stacey Severn, Bill Hargenrader, Chuck Nice, Ron Sparkman, and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

StarTalk All-Access and Patrons Invitation Only Facebook Live Event: From Left to Right: Stacey Severn, Bill Hargenrader, Chuck Nice, Ron Sparkman, and Neil deGrasse Tyson. Photo credit: Mai La Thai.

During our travels to these amazing events, we realized something. While these events are worth every penny to attend, there would always be someone that did not have the ability to afford the travel costs. So, we searched for a way that we could add to the world of science communication, one that anyone could be involved in. The answer: The S3 Summit.

Bill and I reached out to the community we’ve grown to know, and snagged some of the top names in space and SciFi. What we are most proud of though, is introducing you to upcoming science communicators who should be on your radar, if they are not already.

People such as Kevin J. DeBruin, the Fit Rocket Scientist, a–surprise–rocket scientist that has competed in events like American Ninja Warrior, while also taking time out of his busy schedule to educate people about the wonders of space.

Or AstroAthens, who was inspired by her college astronomy professor, StarTalk All-Stars host Charles Liu, and now shares her knowledge of the cosmos with her ever-growing legion of fans.

Dr. Jason Reimuller is the Executive Director of Project PoSSUM. His team seeks to democratize space, all while contributing to the science of our changing mesosphere and involving citizen scientists like me in the world of astronautics.

We are also proud to introduce Sebastian Leon, the creator of the wildly popular social media page, Beyond Our Sight, in his first interview ever on what inspired the creation of a 500k+ member worldwide community of astronomy fans.

As members of space and SciFi fandom ourselves, Bill and I are excited to share this summit with you. Inspired by StarTalk, Space Foundation, and countless other great institutions, we hope that this event will teach you as much as it has taught us.

To check out the free summit, visit this link and register now. We look forward to seeing you during World Space Week!

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