FEIS 2024 Public Events

First European Interstellar Symposium

Public Events

2nd and 3rd December 2024
European Convention Centre, Luxembourg City

Background designed by Maciej Rebisz for Science Now

As part of the First European Interstellar Symposium, the Interstellar Research Group (IRG) and the University of Luxembourg will host two public evening events with free entrance in the ECCL, Luxembourg City, during Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 December 2024. The symposium and these events are part of the Luxembourg Space Week organised by the Luxembourg Space Agency.

Whether you’re an industry professional, a student, or a space enthusiast, our public events are open to anyone in Luxembourg! They will be hosted in English, featuring prominent scientists and artists from two continents, discussing in the magnificent plenary room of the ECCL. Join us for two evenings of science fiction and exploration, and get a chance to discuss with interstellar researchers and like-minded enthusiasts!

Schedule

Science Fiction Authors Night

with Les Johnson, Brandon Q. Morris, and Joshua T. Calvert

Monday 2 December 2024, 18:00

Les Johnson is a physicist, award-winning science and science fiction author, and Chief Technologist at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center. His science fiction books include Crisis at Proxima (Baen 2024), The Ross 248 Project (Baen 2023), Saving Proxima (Baen 2021), Pluto: The Dark World (coming from Tor 2025), and more. Les’s popular science books include A Traveler’s Guide to the Stars (Princeton Press 2022) – now translated into 7 languages, Graphene: The Superstrong, Superthin, and Superversatile Material That Will Revolutionize the World (2018), Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel, and others. Les was a technical consultant for the movies Europa Report, Lost in Space, and Solis. NPR, CNN, Fox News, The Science Channel and The Discovery Channel have all interviewed Les about space and space exploration. He was the featured Interstellar Explorer in the January 2013 issue of National Geographic magazine and appeared there again in March 2019.

Brandon Q. Morris is a physicist and space specialist. He has long been concerned with space issues, both professionally and privately and while he wanted to become an astronaut, he had to stay on Earth for a variety of reasons. He is particularly fascinated by the “what if” and through his books he aims to share compelling hard science fiction stories that could actually happen, and someday may happen.

With almost 2 million books sold, Joshua T. Calvert is at the forefront of current international science fiction. His German novel “Singularity”, published by Fischer-Tor, won the prestigious “Seraph” fantasy literature prize for best novel in 2022. The English translation of his Kindle hit “The Fossil” won second place in the 2021 American “Reader’s Favorite Awards” for best novel. His books are available in English, Spanish and German. As a hybrid author, his novels are indie-published and published by well-known publishers. He lives with his wife and son between Portugal and Greece.

Next destinations for Interstellar Travel

with Sara Seager, MIT

Tuesday 3 December 2024, 18:30

An Enduring Mystery of Astronomy: Can We Find Signs of Life Beyond Earth?

Professor Sara Seager, a Canadian-American astrophysicist and planetary scientist, finds inspiration in the vastness of space. Currently the Class of 1941 Professor of Planetary Science, Professor of Physics, and Professor of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Seager pioneered numerous techniques for characterizing exoplanets, revolutionizing our ability to understand these distant worlds. From her pivotal roles in space missions such as the MIT-led NASA Explorer-class TESS and her CubeSat ASTERIA, to her leadership in conceptualizing astrobiology-focused missions to Venus, Seager’s innovative approaches have garnered global recognition, including a MacArthur Fellowship, the 2024 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics, appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada, and has asteroid 9729 named in her honor. Beyond her scientific endeavors, she shares her journey in “The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir,” offering a glimpse into the human side of scientific exploration.

Venue

FEIS public events will be hosted in the Plenary Room of the European Convention Centre (ECCL) in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.

Public Transport

The ECCL is regularly accessible:

  • By tram (stop Philharmonie/Mudam)
  • By bus (stop Philharmonie/Mudam, busses 12, 32, CN4)
  • By bus (stop B.E.I., busses 6, 16, 18, 21, 86, 88)

All public transport in Luxembourg is free! Please visit  mobiliteit.lu and vdl.lu for more information and route planning.