The Fleet Science Center Returns to Comic-Con

The Fleet Science Center again gets in on the action at the pop culture, science fiction and fantasy event of the year, Comic-Con International: San Diego 2023.

The Fleet’s involvement with Comic-Con underscores its mission of connecting everyone to the power of science and meeting communities where they live, work and play.

Fleet Panels

Two thought-provoking Fleet panels dig into relevant societal topics.

Ambassadors from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) IF/THEN Initiative, which includes participants in the Fleet’s New Science exhibition, will participate in the panels.

Ms. Marvel and the Power of Representation explores how the television series, whose protagonist is a Muslim-American girl, makes strides toward changing worldviews. Panelists will discuss what it means for Muslim-American girls to see this representation, tapping into ideas of inclusion and intersectionality. In addition, panelists will delve into the specific realm of diversity and inclusion in STEM fields.

The seven panelists bring expertise from the realms of data science and aerospace to biophysics and neuroscience—and insights from their lives seeking and finding representation.

Thursday, July 20, 10:30 a.m., Room 29CD

Dr. Evil, or Scientists as Villains in Pop Culture investigates why we find scientists portrayed as villains in popular culture. Panelists will shatter some stereotypes of the evil scientist and explain why this trope actually is much less likely in reality than in fiction. The expert panelists will discuss ethics, motivations, and what scientists really want us to understand about them and their work.

The five panelists bring not only their expertise in STEM but also their extracurricular interests, demonstrating that scientists are people who want to make the world a better, more just place.

Sunday, July 23, 2:30 p.m., Room 29CD

The Worst-Case Scenario: Survival Experience

Also at Comic-Con will be Quirk Books, publisher of the best-selling The Worst-Case Scenario Surivival Handbook series and inspiration for the Fleet’s wildly popular summer exhibition The Worst-Case Scenario: Survival Experience.

Additional Panels

In addition, the Fleet is proud to be in collaboration with the STEAMpop Network, which also includes Cosplay for Science and StarWarsologies, for four other panels exploring the intersections of science and pop culture.

Fear & Fungi: Science of The Last of Us
Thursday, July 20, 11 a.m., Omni Grand Ballroom DE, 4th Floor

Indiana Jones: Archaeology, History & Punching Fascists
Thursday, July 20, Noon, Room Grand 10, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

Star Wars Andor—Making a Rebel, Making a Rebellion
Friday, July 21, 7 p.m., Room 7AB

The Science of Superpowers
Sunday, July 23, 2 p.m., Room Grand 10, Marriott