Fan To Pro - The Blog of Professional Geekery

Interview with Caitlin Ashberry of Mad Science

I come to you today to share a tale of science literacy, educational programming, and exploding goo.  Welcome to the world of Mad Science, a company that teaches kids in schools and summer camps about physics and chemistry by way of theatrical presentations.  I interview a presenter, Caitlin Ashberry, or as she is known at Mad Science, "Katie Kaboom."

The Value of A High School Diploma

It's also valuable to the country at large.  High School graduates earn more and depend on services lest, making the investment by society a net gain.  Some nice and interesting math here.

- Steven Savage

In Praise of Older Geeks

“Know your roots.”
-a T-shirt featuring a NES controller.

Geekery is often presumed to belong to the young.  However, this is probably due to the stereotype that the average comic book reader is a ten-year-old boy.  Even high tech gadgets, thought to be the domain of those raised on a steady diet of Internet and cell phone use, aren’t really procured by kids unless their parents spring for it.  It’s a misconception that just because our technology is hip and new that the strongest example of geeks are fresh on the scene as well.

Convention Idea: The Hall Of Education

Behold, the Hall of Education!  Go forth and learn!

OK, that sounds corny.  No, I wouldn't use that introduction for . .  well anything . . . but that's what I've christened an professional-geek oriented Idea I want to suggest for your conventions.

The Hall of Education (come on work with me here).

Dirty Mythbusting Jobs Versus Nature With Bizarre Foods in The Wild

I love Mythbusters.  That's a tame statement actually, but human vocabulary is limited.  Let's just say now and then when I fire up Netflix, the people I live with dread I'm going to watch some episode for the 3rd or 4th time.  Seriously though, how can you not watch a hot water tank take off like a rocket again and again?

In fact, I love shows like Mythbusters, though they're my prime love.  I love these oddball reality-esque shows that look at weird jobs, foods, areas, history, and more.  You know the formula - get the right host with a good personality, a subject, turn them loose, and film the fascinating results.  From blowing up toilets to eating tuna eyeballs, these shows are addictive to people like me.

An Interview With Michael Vaganov, Game Development Teacher

I met Mike Vaganov when I gave a presentation on Project Management in gaming at PMI Silicon Valley.  He teaches about gaming at DeVry in Silicon Valley - he's the real deal.  He's been in the gaming trenches and he teaches on the subject - so if you're interested in a gaming career, or in teaching about it, let's see what he can tell you!

EDIT 9/5/2010 - We had an odd formatting glitch that has since been repaired in the interview.

Fandom Takes The Edge Off Of Learning

I'm a big booster on the idea that you can use your hobbies to learn something - practice your accounting helping out a local con, practice your HTML making a website, practice your writing doing anime reviews.  Hobbies are a great way to gain and improve skills.

However there's another thing hobbies do for our skill improvement that makes them even more valuable - they provide a kind of mental and emotional buffer to the stress of learning.  This is very useful if you've got a lot of stress to deal with or had some negative experiences with training or education

Pop Culture On The Job: The Things You've learned.

One of the things we've talked about here is the advantages pop culture knowledge provides to people in their jobs.  I've decided it's worth taking some time just to explore why it's useful.  Or in short, all that knowledge in your head about video games, manga, movies, and sports is probably a lot more useful than you realized.

Let's see how you can apply it, and the first thing is . . .

You know what succeeded and what has failed.

Convention Ideas: Meet the Teacher

The summary of the convention ideas series is here.

So you want to add more professional stuff to your convention or conventions.

Do you have any schools, colleges, educational facilities near you?  Then you've got a ton of potential guests right there.  In short, start inviting teachers, trainers, and so forth to your convention.

First, this is an easy way to get guests - odds are that the people in question will have some interest in your convention subject, if only tangentially.  This also means they may be willing to speak for free memberships, or just out of a chance to network.

Secondly, the teachers and educators may have great ideas.  The convention may give them a chance to make new suggestions, do unusual things they don't often speak on or lecture on, or try out new material.  You're going to the experts - who knows what they're going to come up with.

Third, the teachers and educators you invite may already have fantastic materials to use, hand out, or just plain sell (don't begrudge them a bit of cash here).  They'll likely come well-prepared, and may surprise you and your audience - there's nothing like having people attend a simple lecture on, say, writing, and walk out with handouts or a book.

Finally, the educators you invite may be grateful for the attention and publicity.  It gives  them a chance to be recognized, make connections, and try out some new things.

So next time you're asking how to make your convention more professional, go to one of the sources - teachers, trainers, and educators.

- Steven Savage

Convention Idea - Have Business Owners speak

The roundup of ideas for adding more professional events to conventions is here.

Want someone to speak about careers and opportunities at your convention?  Sure you can hope to get some of the big names to speak, get that oddball guest, arrange seminars . . . but you may be missing a great source of professional panelists.

People who already have fannish businesses.  Take a look at your Dealer's Room or Artists' Alley and youll find there's a huge amount of potential speakers on careers, options, and that often-talked of but hard-to-speak on subject of starting your own business.

Career ambition doesn't have to mean working for someone else.  And, yes, at times I see people with fannish businesses invited to speak on such things at conventions - but I think it could go way farther.

The guy whose been running a comic shop for fifteen years has a lot of insights.  The Artists Alley freelancer who manages to survive on her art is going to have knowledge to share few others will.  The couple who runs an anime memorabilia shop out of a warehouse with a tiny storefront is going to have a lot to speak on.

It doesn't even have to be someone whose living on it full time (though I would certainly make sure to try and get such people).  You may have a lot of budding talent, or people who have managed to mix their fannish and non-fannish work, who can speak and lecture on skills, career issues, experience, etc.  They don't have to have "arrived" at doing full-time fannish work to be people with things to share.

Finally, keep inviting such people back.  As their side businesses and personal businesses evolve, they can share more and more insights.

Your next big career panel may mean raiding your Dealer's room.  Go for it.

- Steven Savage