What We Do

In this illustration of the year 2000 produced in 1899 by French artist Jean-Marc Côté, citizens occupy a town square and wait for aero cabs.
In this illustration of the year 2000 produced in 1899 by French artist Jean-Marc Côté, citizens occupy a town square and wait for aero cabs. See more visions of the future from the past.

The work of the Ad Astra Center includes many facets, such as:

Stewardship – The Ad Astra Center aims to build on the large body of existing science fiction and speculative literature, carrying our understanding of the genre and its interactions with science, art, history, policy, and philosophy far into the future.

Writing – Through courses dedicated to fiction-writing and summer programs, the Ad Astra Center offers opportunities to put theory into practice by creating works of speculative literature.

Education – Director Chris McKitterick teaches at the University of Kansas, with popular courses in science fiction and fantasy. However, the Center’s educational efforts are not limited to the classroom; through community programs, workshops, conference appearances, library events, and more, the Ad Astra Center and its staff actively engage with the broader science fiction audience.

Events – In addition to tentpole events like our conferences and award ceremonies, we anticipate many ongoing events, including small-session discussions, author talks, topic presentations, and more.