It’s DragonCon. *Of course* there are Jedi and Sith staging a multi-story fight in the Marriott.

So, it’s that time of year again. This week I pack up 50% (it feels like, looking at my suitcases) of my apartment contents and decamp to Atlanta for a week of science, costuming, nerdery and fantastic friends. DragonCon is a huge (50,000-ish people) multi-genre science fiction, fantasy, new media, science, steampunk, anime and everything else under the sun con that takes place every Labor Day weekend in Atlanta. There is something for every flavor of geek. I started attending this con 14 (!!!) years ago, as a teenage Star Wars fan, and have since migrated through Firefly fandom, Battlestar Galactica fandom, Skepticism and now landing soundly in the middle of the Science track. This was my first con, and it’s one that I keep coming back to, whether as a fan, a costumer, a panelist, or just the geek girl sitting in a corner of the Atrium level of the Marriott, grinning at the 10 foot tall Totoro costume and spontaneous Obi-Wan vs. Link duel going on to a soundtrack of a guy with bagpipes and the squealing of anime kids.

This year I’ll be splitting my time between being on panels and costuming. My panels cover the gamut of science to… science. But all kinds of science! Steamships, zombies, Aquaman, animal sex and Wookie evolution are just a few of the things I’ll be getting overly excited about. Come prepared to ask questions!

Superheroic Science

Friday 11:30am – Hilton, room 202
Some superheroes are frankly impossible, while others are plausible. What’s the difference, and does your favorite make the cut? With  Torrey Stenmark, Michael Gilkey
Science Track

Zombies and Vampires and Mummies, Oh My!

Friday 8:30pm – Hilton, room 202
The undead fascinate us, but what does “undead” mean? Are all undead monsters created equal? Panel scientists will examine life, death, and undeath. With Raychelle Burks, Lali DeRosier, Kristopher Hite
Science Track

Nature is Kinkier Than You

Friday 10:00pm – Hilton, Crystal Ballroom
Dolphins’ mating habits. Fruit bats and oral sex. Octopuses’ detachable genitals. How did animals become so kinky? 18+ With David Shiffman, Rachel Pendergrass, Diane Kelly, Lali DeRosier
Science Track

FOR SCIENCE! The Myth & Realities of Steam Power

Saturday, 5:30pm Westin, rooms Augusta I & II
Scientists and Fabricators discuss the fantastic contraptions behind steampunk and the myth vs. the actual science behind steam power. Q&A to follow. With Scott Vigue, Dave Lee, Jonathan Strickland, Thomas Willeford
Alternate History Track

Applied Science in Star Wars

Sunday, 4:00pm Marriott, room A706 (behind the blood drive)
We give you a panel of scientists to discuss what can and can’t happen in a galaxy closer to home. With John E. Bradford, Sarah Milkovich, Erin Patricia Macdonald, Eric P Spana
Star Wars at DragonCon Track

Costumes!

DragonCon 2014 Costume Lineup. (Scandal photo by Paul Cory; Steampunk and Star Trek photos by Jamie Bernstein; Kate Bishop photo by Cosplayers Canada)

As for costumes, I will be wearing a whole bunch (And this isn’t all of them, since I don’t have photos of several yet). If you see me wandering around in any of these disguises, say hi! Just be aware that I can’t hear very well in crowds, so if I ignore you, I promise it’s not intentional.

Friday:
Morning: SHIELD Uniform – Victoria Hand; Afternoon: Scandal Savage; Evening: ??? Undecided. Probably Kate Bishop or Star Trek TOS. Maybe Mera

Saturday:
Morning: River Song; Afternoon: Prince Eric, from The Little Mermaid; Evening: Surprise!

Sunday:
Morning – Ends of the Earth Wonder Woman; Afternoon – Victoria Hand, Agents of SHIELD; Evening – Wonder Woman or Deathface Ginny

Monday
Morning: SHIELD Uniform; Afternoon: Deathface Ginny;

Atlanta Star Party

The yearly Atlanta Star Party will be on Thursday on the Emory campus. You can attend this even if you’re not attending DragonCon. It’s always a great time, and you might even learn a thing or two! (Or you might just get into a bidding war over Darth Coffee or a model of the Cosmos Spaceship of the Imagination to benefit this year’s charities. Join us!